Food With Soul
The Providence Monthly
September, 2005

The awning at the entrance to the restaurant Siena reads “Italian Soul Food.” I found that intriguing, and I hoped they weren’t making promises they couldn’t keep.

This fairly new Federal Hill restaurant is named after Siena, the art-filled city in Tuscany known around the world for the Palio, an insane horse race that takes place on the streets of Siena. Like its name-sake city, the restaurant Siena is very artsy. The color scheme is rich earth tones inside and out. But it is the food that is truly artful.

We stopped in on a recent Sunday night, one of those perfect late-summer evenings. All kinds of people were strolling up and down Atwells Avenue, having just enjoyed a live opera performance on DePasquale Plaza. I had made a reservation for two at 7pm, which was wise on my part since the place was packed with folks who were obviously enjoying the food, the wine, the atmosphere. The atmosphere, by the way, is on the dark side. It was so dim in Siena I could barely read the menu, but our friendly waitress Kelly helped me make the right selections.
We got things started with a glass of Dom de Bertiol Presecco ($7) and a Peroni beer ($4). The fried calamari tempted me because I had had it once before during a PROVIDENCE MONTHLY party. I remember it being incredibly tender and served with a San Marzano marinara sauce, a sign that Chef Anthony Tarro clearly knows what he’s doing in the kitchen. San Marzano tomatoes are considered the finest in the world.

Anthony and his brother Christopher are the co-owners of Siena, with Chris at the front of the house and Anthony at the back, as they say in the restaurant business.

I overcame the urge for calamari and instead ordered the fresh mussels and littlenecks ($10) and the rolled eggplant ($8) for our appetizers. After a bit of a wait, which was understandable considering how jammed the restaurant was, I was served an overflowing bowl of shellfish in a plum tomato and garlic wine broth. At the bottom of the bowl, I found a thick slice of grilled Tuscan bread that held all the wondrous flavors of the garden and the sea. Beautifully presented, the eggplant was pan-fried, rolled with prosciutto di Parma and herbed ricotta cheese, then baked with more of that San Marzano marinara sauce. At first, my husband was less than thrilled that I had ordered eggplant. I urged him to take a bite, which he did with great hesitation. Then he rolled his eyes with pleasure, and I was barely able to get a taste of that appetizer.
Many other dishes tempted me, including the wood-grilled pizza, the Caprese salad, and the tagliatelle pasta with Bolognese sauce. Perhaps on a future visit, I assured myself.
With our first course, I enjoyed the Campanile Pinot Grigio ($6 a glass). With dinner, I moved onto the even more pleasing St. Angelo Pinot Grigio ($9 a glass).

For the main course, I had the Branzino ($25), pan-seared Chilean sea bass garnished with sea scallops and a creamy scallion sauce, and my husband had the Saltimbocca ($19), the classic veal scaloppine sautéed with prosciutto di Parma, fresh sage, garlic, white wine, and a veal demi-glace. Tender, buttery green beans accompanied each entrée. I also ordered two side dishes, sautéed broccoli rabe and risotto richly flavored with Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and cream. Both were excellent. The side dishes can serve two or four persons ($4 for the small side dish, $7 for thelarge). Next time, I will probably order the large size so that we can take home plenty of the garlicky rabe and the precisely prepared risotto for dinner the next day.

Again, I barely had a bite of the tender veal just inches away from me, but I was so busy with everything I ordered, I really didn’t mind. The Branzino was superb- a beautiful fillet of tender white fish and large scallops, all swimming in a delicately flavored cream sauce and topped with curly paper-thin slices of fried sweet potatoes. I pushed the sweet potato “chips” aside and concentrated on the perfectly cooked seafood. Absolutely wonderful.

Totally satisfied, I had no need for dessert, but Chris Tarro insisted on treating us to “something” because it had taken a little while for us to be served. I so appreciate this kind of thoughtful gesture from restaurant owners. That – and the complimentary wedge of decadent chocolate torte ($6) – left a very nice taste in our mouths.
Yes, Siena had kept its promise – they really do serve Italian soul food.

By Linda Beaulieu