We were looking for a restaurant somewhere between Providence, RI and New Bedford, MA recently to meet family. After a brief internet search it appeared that Chardonnay’s would be a good choice, at least based on the online reviews we read. The menu looked pretty amazing, and the wine list was also impressive. They have happy hour specials, both food and drink, everyday before 6 and again after 9:30. They have 20 wines available by the glass, and you can get a 3, 6 or 8 ounce pour. If you want the 3 ounce make sure you tell them, because based on our experience it seems a larger pour is the default.
Located right off Route 44 just over the East Providence line into Seekonk, Chardonnay’s is easy to find and easy to get to. Inside, the restaurant features a large bar area and dining tables surrounding it. The atmosphere is casual and comfortable. On this particular Saturday night, the bar was jammed and there were people waiting for tables. The person in front of us without a reservation was told there was a two hour wait and more people were streaming in. This continued the whole time we were enjoying our dinner, and when we left at 8:30 there was still a line waiting for tables and more people arriving. Apparently we were the only people in the area who didn’t know about Chardonnay’s. One thing we should mention is that it gets a bit loud. We found it on the edge for having a comfortable conversation.
The menu is extensive and varied. They also have Sushi if that strikes a chord. Traditional American dishes, Italian, the aforementioned Japanese cuisine and a distinct Portuguese influence are all present. Essentially you can satisfy almost any craving with this menu.
But what about the food? To summarize, we all enjoyed it. We tried several appetizers, including the Clams Portuguese, simmered littlenecks with tomato, onion, garlic and chourico served over a crostini. The Caesar salad was well dressed and crisp. A house salad was downright huge, and almost a meal in itself. Entrees included the NY Sirloin, a generous cut well cooked according to the satisfied diner. My Sesame Tuna Steak was seared quickly, totally rare on the inside (as it
Seared Sesame Tuna
should be) and dressed with a wasabi aioli which was heavenly. The wakame seaweed salad was a bright
Seafood Cioppino
accompaniment. The other two entrees were specials, a baked cod and a seafood cioppino, both of which were declared excellent. We finished with some shared vanilla ice cream and coffee.
This was a very good dining experience all around. We must mention the service, which was on point, efficient, friendly and rather surprisingly good considering the sheer volume of people coming in and out. They have this working like a well oiled machine at Chardonnay’s.
Clearly if you are going on a weekend you need reservations. The Happy Hour menu and specials look enticing, so an early or late arrival might be worth considering. Based on the combination of quality, service and price we would definitely say our wallet is out for Chardonnay’s. This was a good time and a good value. Of course it helps when you have good company, but you’ll have to supply that.
The particulars:
Chardonnay’s Restaurant
393 Taunton Avenue
Seekonk, Massachusetts 02771
Tel. (508) 336-0967 Website: http://www.chardonnaysrestaurant.com/
A votre santé!
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