We are so fortunate to have such a huge variety of restaurants in the 16 square miles that is East Greenwich. Casual, sophisticated, ethnic, trendy, basic, national chains — we’ve got them all! EG’s own Mystery Diner is planning to try them all and let you know how they measure up to her standards. If your restaurant is within our 16 miles, Mystery Diner will be visiting soon.
Mystery Diner is not a food critic but she is a person who loves to eat out. She enjoys tasty food well-prepared, polite service, a pleasant atmosphere and overall cleanliness. Mystery Diner promises an honest unbiased opinion of all her dining experiences. Let’s see which restaurants will please her.
Bistro 9 (at East Greenwich Country Club)
Find out what's happening in East Greenwichwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
1646 Division St.
Find out what's happening in East Greenwichwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
ATMOSPHERE: Bistro 9, located at the East Greenwich Country Club, offers diners a choice of three separate dining areas, each with a slightly different atmosphere. Cleverly separated from each other, each area provides a warm intimate feeling though the overall restaurant is surprisingly spacious. Larger groups from 6 to 8 may claim the more private dining niche located at the hearthside with a cracking fire, a very desirable spot on a cool evening! Those looking to dine in a more elegant traditional atmosphere should bear left where individual tables with pristine white tablecloths provide a more formal experience. To the right is a more casual area with inviting booths, also set up with the elegant white tablecloths that give the whole restaurant a gracious atmosphere. Hundreds of wine bottles on display on glass shelves together with brick and dark wood walls add to the sophisticated warmth. Bear right to sit at the secluded, expansive bar. Across the back and overlooking the beautiful golf course with a picturesque pond is an informal patio area, complete with its own bar, which seems like the perfect spot for a special event. Adding to the overall relaxed atmosphere is a pleasant infusion of mellow background music.
FOOD: Bistro 9 offers one of the most innovative menus in East Greenwich! The unique bread basket which begins your dining experience is a rare and welcome treat. Fresh and flavorful olive bread is served with a delicious hummus made of red peppers and olive oil. This, paired with wine from Bistro 9’s huge wine selection, got us off to a wonderful start and whetted my appetite for more good things to come. And they did! On a recent visit, I ordered the intriguing combination of braised pork served on corn bread with a romaine slaw, creamed cauliflower, and a bacon and white bean sauce. My partner ordered sugar-glazed salmon with strawberry and gorgonzola couscous. Both dishes brimmed with exotic taste sensations, something this diner really enjoyed! My partner, however, likes a plainer and simpler fare and he found the unusual taste combinations distracting. But all is not lost! Next time, he can just order from the Simply Grilled menu selections which offer basic meat or fish with a choice of a glazed sauce and haricot verts. For me, the creative combinations of unusual taste sensations justify going out to eat. These are not the types of dishes most people can or will prepare at home. Even the appetizers are unique offerings, like champagne battered shrimp with a chili aiolo. Aiolo which is traditionally made of garlic, olive oil and egg yolk is a chef’s specialty here and the menu offers several unique aioli blends. We also shared a crème brulee for dessert which was just adequate.
We dined on a Sunday so only dinner entrees were available but during the week, Bistro 9 also offers a lunch menu with some tantalizing selections. Let’s see — how soon can I go back to try the turkey sandwich on wheatberry bread with a special chef-prepared aioli? Or how about calamari with a cornmeal crust served with cucumber salsa and chili aioli?
SERVICE: I have eaten at Bistro 9 on two occasions now, once on a bustling Valentine’s Day evening and the other on a quiet Sunday afternoon and each time I was impressed with the attentive waitresses who provided flawless service. To me, flawless means a polite server promptly brings beverages and, in this case, that awesome bread basket, the meal arrives in a reasonable amount of time, the same polite server shows up just once or twice to make sure everything is taken care of, and the check arrives promptly but not so the diners feel rushed. Bistro 9 servers were perfectly flawless on both occasions.
CLEANLINESS: From the pristine white tablecloths to the elegant bathrooms, Bistro 9 is spotless and inviting.
Atmosphere
Sophisticated warmth with pleasant background music
Food
Creative combinations pique the taste buds!
Service
Flawless!
Price
Some dishes quite pricey, but lunch menus more reasonable and very appealing.
Would Mystery Diner eat here again?
For sure!
