Hey All,

Sorry we've been absent for so long.  We're still basking in the new baby glow and trying to enjoy the time while we can.  As far as the restaurant is concerned, the hunt continues.  We decided after months of failed talks to ditch the space that we were originally interested in.  Oh well.  It was actually refreshing to move on and take another look around.  There are some interesting and somewhat promising new leads out there that we're exploring.  We are going to take a second look at two spaces in particular this week.  Wish us luck.  We will make every attempt at being more diligent with the updates to the blog.  As mentioned before, it is somewhat difficult to write about the process until we actually find  a space and sign on the dotted line.  However, we will put some recipes on the blog soon and we'll also be adding some more photo's of things that have inspired our vision for the restaurant.  Until next time...

Cheers,

Nemo and Jenny

Wow, what an amazing and intense day.  We had a boy, Omen Thunder Bolin, after 19 hours of labor.  7 pounds 10 ounces, 20 inches.  We're in love.  A truly profound experience.

Nemo and Jenny

Current Reading

I wanted to post something that I read recently and thought was very interesting:  

"Culinary snobbery used to stress expense and show.... Now it's moved toward ingenuity and surprise-and incidentally, toward cheaper cuts and neglected fish. In the present gastronomic furor, restaurant chefs the world over are reaching in all directions for novelty-often with good results. We are not thinking in the same stiff categories that we used to. Meat can be a seasoning, not a prime ingredient. A main dish of grains, or a robust combination of vegetables, sufficiently anchors a meal. More and more we're composing menus by instinct rather than by rule."  

I think that this truly captures the food world at the present moment in both the restaurant world and in home kitchens. The amazing thing about the quote is that it comes from James Beard circa. 1981 in his wonderful book "The New James Beard". This is a book that I have picked up dozens of times but it really struck me this time through. Obviously this goes to show how brilliant James Beard was but also how much the food world, and world in general, lives in a constant state of cycling back on itself. As they say "The more things change...."

Website Home Page

The home page for the website is officially up!  Check it out at www.cookandbrown.com.  We're keeping it simple for the moment but will be working behind the scenes to put the rest of the sight together.  For the time being you can still check out the blog for all updates on the restaurant and anything else going on in our lives.  Still no baby, but it should be any day now.

Cheers,

Nemo and Jenny

Trip to NYC, Catering and Some Restaurant Info

I took a great trip down to NYC for some restaurant research and staff meetings this past week.  Quite a whirlwind of activity as I only had about 36 hours in the city but got quite a lot done.  I met with a good friend of mine, Adam,  who was in town from the Bay Area and is officially on board as the sous chef for the restaurant.  He has spent the last 2+ years working at Oliveto, a great restaurant in Oakland with impeccably sourced ingredients.  We're really psyched to have him on our team at Cook & Brown.  We spent the first night trekking all over Manhattan and stopped at Resto for a chicory salad with poached egg and crispy pig's ear, moules frites with saffron and chorizo and a couple Belgian beers.  We also sat at the bar at Balthazar and had some drinks and finally ended the night at Fatty Crab for some Malaysian food (great as usual).  Pork belly and watermelon salad, assorted pickles, charred squid salad, chicken wings, kang kong belacan (really spicy chinese water spinach) as well some nice wine (gewurztraminer and scheurebe).  In the morning we enjoyed some bagels and smoked fish (lox, whitefish and sturgeon) from Zabar's and once again hit the streets.  Perused through cookbooks at Kitchen Arts & Letters, checked out some fish markets in Chinatown and went to a bunch of restaurant supply stores in the Bowery.  I also picked up some fantastic wines at a great little Italian wine boutique on Clinton St. called De-Vino.  Awesome selection of small producer, esoteric Italian wines.  In the evening I met up with my aunt and we went to a gorgeous Japanese restaurant called EN and had a spectacular tasting menu paired with craft sake and shochu (Japanese distilled liquor similar to high quality Gin or Vodka).  I ended the trip with a visit to the Union Square Greenmarket to pick up supplies for an intimate catered event the next evening.  The market was really great, full of berries, summer squash, herbs, greens, a wide variety of alliums and some small early season tomatoes.

The party could not have gone better (well maybe 5 degrees warmer would have been nice) but the sun was out and the grill was hot.  Here's the menu:

Shrimp Ceviche with Fresh Corn Cakes

Cilantro, Champagne Mango, Aji Amarillo

~ Drusian Rose “Mari” NV ~

Vietnamese Summer Rolls

Charred Pork, Pickled Vegetables, Herb Salad

~ Bruno De Conciliis “Selim” Brut NV ~

Steamed Cape Littlenecks with Grilled Bread & Rouille

Smokey Bacon, Rainbow Chard, Purslane

~ Campi Flegrei Falanghina 2007 ~

A Study of Grilled Prime Steaks

Ratatouille Gratinee, Salsa Verde, Blue Cheese Butter

~ Bruno De Conciliis “Donnaluna” Aglianico 2005 ~

Strawberry Granita

Red Wine Syrup, Black Pepper, Crème Fraiche

In addition to the menu we offered fresh watermelon and meyer lemon-ade as an apertif as well as sour cherry preserves (from my mom's sour cherry tree) and whipped lemon curd with some small shortcakes to take home for breakfast in the morning.  Guests got to sit out on the patio and enjoy a nice summer evening on the Cape.  The party was an interactive dinner/cooking class set up in the style of a cooking show.  As we cooked they got to watch and ask questions as each new menu item was prepared.  Along with Jenny (who is 9 months pregnant, I have to add), my good friend and bread maestro Vance helped with all of the cooking  (he also provided fresh bread for the party, delicious).

Onto a little restaurant info.  We seem to really be moving forward at this point.  We've handed in credit information and should be giving some investor info next week.  After that I think we'll begin sit down meetings and hopefully get down to business.  Until next time, Cheers!

Nemo

Wow, summer is already here..... in spirit at least.  We're still chugging along with negotiations but nothing concrete to report yet.  We have a meeting on Monday and hopefully we'll get some good news.  Other aspects of the restaurant are coming along though.  There's so much to think about it can seem overwhelming at times.  We have been trying to focus on one little thing at a time and see where that takes us.  For example, we talked about color palettes the other day and looked at paint samples to get an idea of what we like for each distinct area of the restaurant (Bar, Dining Room, Men's and Women's Rooms).  This got us thinking and talking more about the "feeling" we want to evoke from each separate area and how to tie in all of the other elements (tables, chairs, lighting, decor, plates, glasses etc...).  That's where things can spiral out of control because really everything is connected in some way and it's easy to go off on a tangent and lose focus.  One thing at a time.  Also, in somewhat related news... we have a baby coming in the next month!!!!  Pretty crazy.  Jenny is feeling great though, and although the rain has been depressing it has kept it cooler which isn't such a terrible thing for someone who is 8 months pregnant.  Until next time......

Cheers,

Nemo and Jenny

Ups and Downs

It looks as though we've run into our first real stumbling block since we began planning the restaurant.  Without going into too much detail I'll just say that it has to do with the restaurant space that we've been looking at and some legal issues surrounding it.  Not that it's a deal-breaker by any means, but it is the first "downer" that we've had in what has otherwise been a very positive experience.  Hopefully everything will be sorted out by our lawyer in the next week or so and we'll get back on track.  Until then, there's still a lot to plan and think about so we're just going  to stay positive and move on.  When we have some more info we'll let you know.

Cheers 

Sample Menu

This is just a sample.  The final menu will, of course, be different but this is the idea.  Also, the font, format etc. is yet to be determined.  We just wanted to get your mouths watering!

 

 

Simple Green Salad

Soft Herbs, Red Wine Vinaigrette

~ 7 ~

 

Chantenay Carrot Soup

Rabbit Confit, Chive Oil

~ 9 ~

 

Grilled Atlantic Mackerel

Celeriac Remoulade, Horseradish Cream

~ 11 ~

 

Chicken & Duck Liver Mousse

Interesting Accompaniments, Raisin English Muffin

~ 10 ~

 

Shared Plates

Broiled Welsh Rarebit

Flank Steak, Cippolini, Brioche

~ 18 ~

 

Steamed Vineyard Littlenecks

Fava Beans, Country Toast, Rouille

~ 18 ~

 

Just a Taste

 

Jar of Pickled Garden Vegetables

~ 4 ~

Savory Bacon & Herb Granola

~ 3 ~

Spiced Pork Cracklin’

~ 4 ~

 

 Public House Supper for 2 – 6 People

Slow Roasted Saddle of Lamb Ratatouille, Fresh Cranberry Beans, Herbed Bread Salad Lemon Aioli ~ 26 per Person ~

 

Duet of Vermont Pork

Turnips & Greens, Grilled Leeks, Mustard Oil

~ 25 ~

 

French Style Gnocchi

Glazed Baby Vegetables, Parmesan Broth

~ 19 ~

 

Pan Roasted Black Sea Bass

Rock Shrimp, Tomato Confit, Citrus-Coriander Essence

~ 23 ~

 

Crispy Yoghurt-Marinated Quail

Peach & Country Ham Salad, Black Pepper Gastrique

~ 22 ~

Synopsis & Bios

Cook & Brown Public House is a modern, New England inspired version of a European Gastropub.  This translates to a restaurant with food that is rustic in nature yet refined in technique, and service that is casual and friendly while still maintaining a high level of professionalism and polish.  Cook and Brown will seat 50-55 people including the bar, which will act more as a dining counter for single diners or those guests who wish for a more casual dining experience.  The restaurant will be open for lunch (Monday-Friday) and dinner (Monday-Saturday).   This will satisfy all aspects of the needs of the target demographic for Cook & Brown, which consists mainly of professionals and families from the greater Providence area and specifically the East Side. The food will be New England/American country fare with a European influence and precise technique.  The focus will be on using local, sustainable food from small New England farms and purveyors.  The name Cook & Brown is an homage to the last names of one of the proprietors grandparents.  The design aesthetic is classic, simple and bright with an emphasis on comfort.  As a full service restaurant Cook & Brown will have a full bar with a wine and beverage program that reflects the same sensibilities of the food and service.  The wine, beer and liquor served will be an accompaniment to the menu and overall guest experience.  The overall atmosphere will be one of hominess and comfort in which each guest, upon exiting the restaurant, will feel as though they have just been to a dinner party in the home of a dear friend.

 

Nemo Bolin - Proprietor/Chef

As proprietor and head chef, Nemo Bolin brings 15 years of restaurant experience to Cook & Brown.  He began his career at L’Etoile restaurant on Martha’s Vineyard, a French inspired fine dining establishment inside of a Relais and Chateau property.  It was there, in his formative restaurant years, that he developed a love for the business and began honing his skills as a cook.  After graduating from Union College with a B.A. in English Literature he realized his true passion was cooking and he subsequently enrolled in culinary school in Boston, MA.  Since that time he has worked in some of the most highly regarded restaurants in Boston (No. 9 Park, Craigie St. Bistrot) and San Francisco (Rubicon, Chez Papa Resto).

 

 

 

Jennifer Bolin – Proprietor/Business Manager

Jennifer has worked in the administrative field for over 10 years and has an intricate knowledge of the inner workings of a small business.  She has an impeccable eye for detail and organization, which she has used time and again to streamline the businesses she has worked for.  It is this keen business sense, along with her natural people skills, which makes her perfect for balancing the day-to-day operations of a restaurant.  She cites her experiences traveling throughout the world and experiencing hospitality in other countries as a major influence in her life.  From her travels she has gained a keen understanding of what makes a guest feel welcome and taken care of in a dining experience.  As business manager she will work in conjunction with the front and back of the house to make sure each guest has a seamless experience all the while keeping an eye on the bottom line.

Ready for Negotiations

We are honing in on one space in particular at this point.  The way things are looking, we will probably be beginning negotiations next week.  We really want to take our time to be sure we don't overlook any pertinent steps.  That being said, our baby is due on July 17th so it would be nice to find a space before then.  Wish us luck!

As promised, here is the finalized logo (let us know what you think).  We'll have business cards printed up in a week or so. Also, we should be going to take a second look at a space that we liked the first time around. We'll have a few extra sets of eyes with us to give feedback and determine if the space will actually work for us.  Here's to hoping!  

Cheers,

Nemo and Jenny

We had a great meeting last night with our amazing graphic designer, Monica Rhines of M Prints Design (www.mprintsdesign.com), to finalize our logo.  We'll be customizing the blog with the logo and have business cards printed up within the next two weeks.  The business cards are exciting because they will be the first tangible pieces of the restaurant.  It makes the whole process a little more real (which is fantastic but also slightly nerve-wracking).  Check back in the next week and you'll be able to see the logo.  

Cheers,

Nemo and Jenny

Our First Blog!

We are excited to launch our blog chronicling our process as we work toward opening our first restaurant in Providence, RI!!  We will be posting updates and photos as frequently as possible to keep everyone in the loop as to our progress.  We will fill you in on the ups and downs of our journey (as new business owners and as soon-to-be new parents) since we are new to this type of adventure.  

Stay tuned for more info about Cook & Brown Public House and tidbits about Nemo and Jenny!!