Kristen H.
Yelp
Located at the bottom of Providence's College Hill, Hemenway's is a Rhode Island institution serving up quality seafood with stunning river views. The interior of the restaurant is expansive and bright, with natural light streaming in from floor-to-ceiling windows. There's plenty of seating with a complete bar in the middle of the restaurant, but as it was reunion weekend, I was definitely glad that we made a reservation a couple days in advance! Our party of five was immediately seated at around 12:30pm on a Saturday, although walk-in parties had to wait about 30-40 minutes for a table.
The weekend lunchtime ambiance was buzzy but not overwhelming - just quiet enough to enjoy a conversation! The menu is extensive, featuring the freshest selections from local fishmongers and purveyors. and a great wine list. There's plenty of raw bar options, as well as seafood-focused appetizers and sushi, or soups/salads/sandwiches (your typical lunch fare). Additionally, if you're feeling particularly peckish, there's larger-format entrees, and of course, whole lobsters.
As a note, it took about twenty minutes for bread service to arrive, and an additional 45 minutes for our entrees to come out. While I understand it was a busy weekend, it was often difficult to flag our server down, which is just something to note in case you're short on time.
The meal begins with their complimentary bread service, which includes fresh-baked, warm rolls with butter. The bread is well-baked, with a nice crust on the outside and a pillowy-soft interior. Four members of my table opted for the New England Clam Chowder ($10 for a cup, $12 for a bowl), which comes with rich, indulgent cream-based broth chock full of toothsome clams. It's incredibly salty, so I could only have a few bites of one of my friends' bowls, but if you're looking to maximize value, I would certainly opt for a bowl, as it's only $2 more than a cup, and double the portion. The package of oyster crackers on the side adds a lovely crunch!
For entrees, one member of my party ordered the Crab Cakes ($23), which are crispy fried patties of decadent crab meat served with a tangy horseradish remoulade, and a bright, acidic apple-frisee salad. It was a bit of a small portion for the price, but this was classified as an appetizer on the menu. Another member of our party opted for the Yellowfin Tuna ($37), which is a sesame-crusted tuna filet atop sushi rice, pickled cabbage slaw, and avocado mousse, finished with sriracha aioli and a ginger-soy dressing. He really enjoyed his dish, which reminded us of an upscale poke bowl, with a nice sear on the tuna, and thoughtful accoutrements that really dressed up the flavors and textures of the dish.
A third member chose the Flounder Milanese ($34), which is a deep-fried filet of tender flounder served with artichoke, tomato, pearl onion, beurre blanc, red watercress, and capers. The brininess of the artichoke and capers served to contrast the oiliness of the fried fish, with the beurre blanc providing a rich canvas of sauce. The tomato, pearl onion, and red watercress were great foils of freshness for the entire dish, and it was quite a large portion of food.
A friend also opted for the grilled Lobster ($50 for a 1.25lb lobster, you can choose steamed, boiled, or grilled), which also comes with your choice of side - she chose the roasted asparagus. This wasn't a particularly large portion of lobster, but the meat inside was juicy and succulent, and already removed from the shell, making it easy to eat. The asparagus was nicely roasted, with a good bite and a lovely char.
Lastly, I opted for the Wedge Salad ($16), which is two huge quarter-heads of iceberg lettuce topped with fresh tomatoes, pickled red onions, crispy bacon, bleu cheese crumbles, and a bleu cheese dressing (which I asked for on the side). The iceberg lettuce is delightfully crunchy and fun to cut open, and the tomatoes and onions were fresh-tasting. The bacon was just toasty enough with a good smoky flavor, and the bleu cheese had that tangy, earthy flavor that really topped off the dish. The dressing was rich and flavorful, although I would have preferred something that wasn't bleu cheese-based, as there was already a large amount of bleu cheese in the dish.
Overall, we really enjoyed our meal at Hemenway's - although it's quite pricey, the food is reliably fresh and high-quality, the menu has options for everyone, and service is friendly, if a bit slow. This is a great stop for an upscale lunch/celebratory dinner if you're in the Providence area!