International Food Crawl in Rhode Island

Erlin Rogel enjoys nime chow and a bowl of bee bong at Apsara in Providence. Photography by Angel Tucker

South Providence is a focal point for food from diverse cultures. Latin-American businesses abound on Broad Street, from sit-down restaurants to takeout chimi trucks, and there’s an abundance of Southern and Dominican fried chicken joints, Asian restaurants and even a hidden gem Jamaican spot. We enlisted South Providence native Erlin Rogel, the chief external relations officer at the Greater Providence YMCA, as our tour guide to take us around to his favorite neighborhood haunts. Rogel, who is Guatemalan but was raised immersed in Caribbean culture, served as a middle school and high school English teacher in South Providence before moving into politics working for Buddy Cianci’s final mayoral campaign. That opportunity led him to become chief of staff for Lieutenant Governor Sabina Matos, which later steered him into his current role at the YMCA.

He will always be a cheerleader for the South Providence community, its youth and its food culture. “What’s special about growing up here is that neighbors feel like family,” Rogel says. “I thought about places that I grew up going to and then places that are newer and represent the evolution of South Providence as a community.”

 Our first stop on the food tour is the Puerto Rican and Dominican restaurant La Gran Parada, where we browse a buffet-style counter filled with a variety of rice, meats and plantains, all displayed behind a glass counter. A staff member fills a tray with tastes of many specialties. We start with morro, yellow rice served with pigeon peas, which works as a base for meats like guisado, a stewed chicken, and chicharron, crispy and chewy pork rinds similar to thick-cut bacon. On some days, they have pork, called pernil, slow roasted for hours until it’s fork tender. 

“Normally you’d have either yellow rice or white rice with stewed beans as a side with either roasted or fried meat,” Rogel says. “Pernil is a special occasion meat, so you have it for Christmas, birthdays and other celebrations.” If they don’t have pernil, get the stew-like chicken guisado or chicharron. “Chicharron is soft and chewy on the inside, crispy on the outside. Squeeze lime juice over it and add hot sauce,” he adds. Rogel explains how most Latino families have a dedicated pot for rice at home. “It’s usually aged and has a patina,” he says, noting that the seasoned pot allows the rice to achieve a crunchy texture on the bottom of the pan. “In restaurants, like La Gran Parada, they’ll save that crusty bottom on the side,” he says. “Some people come in and order that specifically. I love that part.” Rogel also recommends the Dominican pastelitos, little meat pies that are easy to transport and enjoy later in the day for lunch or a snack on the go. 937 Broad St., Providence, 941-4610, lagranparada.com

The dining room at Apsara in Providence. Photography by Angel Tucker

Then we are off to Apsara, a beloved Asian restaurant located right near where Rogel grew up. “Apsara is on the corner between Public and Stanford street. I grew up on Stanford Street, and Apsara is one of these restaurants that my family could never afford,” Rogel says. “We would walk by all the time, but I didn’t actually get to visit until I was in college and making a little bit of money.” He brought his whole family there for his first time, and they were mesmerized by the gilded decor that resembles an Asian temple. “Apsara is a little bit fancier than your regular Chinese takeout,” he says. “They have more authentic dishes. It’s a South Side staple.” Rogel recommends the lemon pepper wings and the pad Thai with noodles, plus we tried Vietnamese bee bong, a chilled noodle salad with thin wheat noodles, bean sprouts, lettuce, Thai basil and cucumber, served with a choice of chicken, beef, pork or shrimp in a coconut milk sauce with peanut sauce and a fried nime on the side. The menu features pages and pages of Pan-Asian specialties, with each dish representing authentic Cambodian, Thai, Vietnamese and Chinese culture — not an Americanized version of it. 716 Public St., Providence, 785-1490, apsaraasianri.com

Now it was time to experience Jamaican cuisine at Flames near Rhode Island Hospital. It can be intimidating walking up to the counter to order at the takeout spot, but act like you know what you’re doing and don’t be daunted. “I brought people here a few times, to rave reviews,” Rogel says. “I think it represents a little bit of that evolution of South Providence. New restaurants are popping up, like African and Jamaican restaurants, and you’re starting to see South Providence diversify itself from Latino food.” Stick straight to a portion of spicy, blackened jerk chicken, served with yellow rice and vegetables with steamed cabbage and carrot slaw on the side. The oxtail in gravy may appeal to more adventurous diners, but you must be ready to eat the meat straight off the bones. Absolutely take a few Jamaican patties to go to save for later. 734 Eddy St., Providence, 331-2225, flamesjamaicanrestaurants.com

Our final stop would have been Asian Bakery, but I simply could not eat any more that day. I went back a few days later after digesting the three meals we consumed in a two-hour period. Broad Street is the place to be for traditional Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches. Asian Bakery’s hefty sammy is made with the crustiest of French baguettes, stuffed with your choice of meat — I like the traditional pork slice, though you can get mainstream barbecue pork or chicken teriyaki — along with shoestring-style raw carrot, cucumber and radish slices. The finishing touch is sweet mayo that offers a flavor contrast to the pork’s umami along with fresh cilantro. I recommend eating this crunchy creation outside with your elbows perched on your knees to avoid leaving a blanket of crumbs all over your lap in the car. It’s messy but worth it, the sign of a good banh mi. 310 Broad St., Providence, 497-6145