There’s nothing I miss more during a cold New England storm than a warm, home-cooked meal. Particularly, I find myself craving a Chinese meal. Unfortunately there are not many authentic Chinese restaurants in Providence. And no, Chinatown on Thayer definitely doesn’t count.
On a particularly windy evening, my Google Maps doomscrolling revealed a beacon of hope. Feeling slightly homesick and overburdened, I came across Rong Chic, a fairly new, upscale Sichuanese spot on Wickenden Street.
The interior reminded me of a Chinese restaurant I would find back home in Hong Kong — a recognizably neat, beige and simple design with light wooden accents and white tablecloths. Each table seemed to be under its own individual spotlight in the form of a large, overhead lamp shooting clinical light down on us as we sat down. It might’ve been the air conditioning or the wind outside creeping in, but the setting felt cold as we picked up our menus — not exactly the cozy Chinese eatery I was hoping for.
We got the boboji ($15.88), a cold chicken appetizer that was drenched in a pot of chili oil — those wearing light-colored shirts, beware. The flavor profile was captivating — spicy, numbing and a good level of saltiness. I only wish the chicken was more tender, but overall the dish was decent.
Next was the garlic pork belly ($15.88), another chilled dish. Hearty, thin slices of pork belly marinated in heapings of a garlic chili sauce. It was addicting for sure, and I couldn’t resist returning to nibble on more over the course of the meal. A must-order as long as you, like me, don’t mind the taste of alliums lingering on your palette for the next five hours.
We also tried both of their handmade dalu noodles ($15.88), which are delicious and nostalgic. The tomato and egg topping, a staple comfort food in China, was definitely the best bite of that evening. It was slightly sweet and silky, and for a brief moment reminded me of my mother’s cooking. The beef noodles were a bit more disappointing, the meat not tender enough to attract my chopsticks when they could be gripping the tomato and egg instead.
I tend to consider Chinese, and especially Sichuanese, cuisine as a rustic, simple and delicious affair. While there’s nothing wrong with Rong Chic per se, I found that it wasn’t exactly what I tend to look for in a Chinese restaurant. While the menu items displayed an impressive commitment to authenticity, they did not deliver in terms of taste and ambience. Providence is a great food city, with its numerous James Beard award-winning spots and a seemingly endless supply of Johnson and Wales University graduates opening up more delicious staples. Still, the area’s Asian cuisine, especially Chinese, is lacking.
It always pains me when someone talks only about General Tso’s chicken or fried rice when they think of Chinese food. Just one restaurant working to change that mold could diversify and cultivate Providence’s Chinese dining options. I’m glad that Rong Chic and some of its peers have taken the first step, but there’s more work that needs to be done.
Service: Casual, attentive
Sound level: Conversational
Recommended dishes: Garlic pork, Tomato and egg dalu noodles
Hours: Monday through Friday 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday through Sunday 12 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Price Range: Appetizers $9-16, Entrees $16-28.
Wheelchair accessibility: Stairs lead into the restaurant
★★★/5.
Christian Yeung ’29 can be reached at christian_yeung@brown.edu. Please send responses to this column to letters@browndailyherald.com and other opinions to opinions@browndailyherald.com.
