Cilantro

Cilantro Mexican Grille is the newest fast food restaurant in Newport. All it lacks is a drive through. Stainless steel tables and booths line the left side of the restaurant. The first thing that strikes you is that it is very stark, not festive as you would think a Mexican Grille would be.

On the right side is a sign inviting you to start here. A very helpful lady guides you through all of your choices. They have burritos, tacos, quesadilla and sides of chips and guacamloe, chips and salsa, beans, and fountain sodas with free refills.

You may fill your burrito, taco or quesadillas with ground beef, pulled pork, chicken, or steak. There is also cilantro lime rice, black or pinto beans, salsa, mild tomato, medium corn mango or hot. Add sour cream, cheese and or romaine lettuce to complete your dish.

A burrito belly is also quite the dish. You may fill a paper bowl with any of the ingredients or all of them. I chose the buritto belly and filled it with chicken, cilantro lime rice, black beans, romaine lettuce, and medium corn mango salsa. It was quite good. I also ordered chips and quacmole, the quacmole was great but the chips seemed stale.

My grandson choose a burrito with the ground beef, black beans, cheese and romaine lettuce, sour cream, and medium salsa. He thought it tasted quite blah, and said he liked Freaky Burrito better.

However his friend ordered the quesadilla with chicken, , mild salsa, black beans, cheese and romaine lettuce. He then put quacmole on it, he thought it tasted great.

So different opinions from different people. I guess you will just have to try it for yourself.

Magoni's Ferry Landing Inc

Last week after doing a few errands in Fall River and Swansea, MA it was time for lunch.
My husband wanted to take me to an American/Italian restaurant that he sometimes goes to
with his friend. I am usually leery about the that but this time I was pleasantly surprised.
Magoni's parking lot was filled with Grand Marquis and Cadillacs slightly different than the cars you see parked in Newport(my home base).

It has a classic dark interior, booths and tables with Captain's chairs, a nautical theme, and a bar. The menu offers all the items that you think of in an Italian restaurant.
Everything is simple but very good. I ordered a lobster club with no mayo and I got what I asked for. Since my husband is a veteran of the place he knew what he wanted, a platter with veal, sausage, and meat balls with a side of ziti.

Every table gets a basket of fried dough with a sprinkling of sugar over it. Something I had not had in a long time. It was quite good, crisp outside and soft inside and just sweet enough.

Their version of shrimp scampi was a bit unusual in that the shrimp are breaded then served over a bed of pasta. I sounded just a bit heavy.

I tried some of my husbands ziti and the sauce was great, not at all acidic or too garlicky.
They offer free refills of ice tea and coffee. They also serve Italian bread with the meal.
A monitor displaying Keno hangs from the ceiling and each table has a setup for filling out slips.
Their entrees include Italian American veal, pork, steak, chicken, beef and seafood. They offer a full bar with wine, beer and liquors. They are wheelchair assessable and offer a children's and a take out menu.



Mangoni's Ferry Landing has been family operated since the 1930's and is a family style restaurant. The prices are very reasonable. They offer banquet facility that can accommodate 100 people.

Empire Tea and Coffee

Empire 22 Broadway, Newport, Rhode Island

An independent internet café run by a very affable fellow who goes by the name of CJ. CJ welcomes you and offers you a sample of the latest drink he is trying out on his customers. The day we were there it was a frozen butterscotch latte, quite good. They offer many coffee, teas and sodas. Bubble tea is one of their specialties. It is flavored ice tea with chewy tapioca bubbles on the bottom.

The seating area is comfortable with huge overstuffed couches, tables plus work areas for those so inclined. The art work on the wall changes every month allowing artist to display their wares.

Since its opening almost three years ago Empire serves as an informal community center for Broadway. It plays host to a book club, ladies who knit, open mike night, a writers group, a place for new mothers meet and talk and a café for teenagers to gather and hook up to the wireless internet. You can visit Empire's web site at: http://www.newportbubbletea.com/