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Features

Order this... Breakfast at Ernie’s

Becky Ballard and Ruth Perfido

Fri, Jun 16

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We sat down with Fred Betts, head chef of Ernie’s, and Maureen Quackenbush, its manager, for both a history lesson and cooking secrets. It was a perfect way to start the day on Block Island. We learned that Ernie Sherman, Fred’s grandfather, opened Ernie’s, now a Block Island institution, in the...
Order this... Tacos and tuna at Finn’s

Becky Ballard and Ruth Perfido

Fri, Jun 9

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Finn’s manager, Jessie Howarth, has put a new spin on one of Block Island’s landmark restaurants. The first clue is that the menu has been revamped for both design appeal and food selection while still keeping the traditional favorites. Coming from a long line of fishermen and later restaurant...
Order this...Los Gatitos nachos platter

Becky Ballard & Ruth Perfido

Fri, Jun 2

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This year’s visit to Los Gatitos was a happy, wonderful experience. The quality of the Mexican food (with an American twist) has not changed — it was colorful, well-presented and very tasty. And the outdoor space that was redecorated last year has a new addition — a beautiful new, high awning with...
Order this... A fresh look at Dead Eye Dick’s

Becky Ballard and Ruth Perfido

Sat, May 27

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It’s exciting watching our island restaurants open for the 2017 season. Many have been freshening up their places and menus, and staff is returning, eager to get started. There are several restaurants with different owners; some with different names. Order This... partners Becky Ballard and Ruth...
It's the Annual Holiday Shopping Stroll

Renée Meyer

Wed, Nov 23

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News, Features

It’s time for the 27th annual Block Island Holiday Shopping Stroll, a three-day event starting Friday, Nov. 25. The first place you’ll want to go is the Block Island Chamber of Commerce office at the top of the ferry parking lot. There you can pick up a booklet describing all 29 of the stores that...
Cash's Corner

Patriots kickoff against Arizona

Cassius Shuman

Thu, Sep 8

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Features

The National Football League and 31 of its 32 owners got what they wanted: the New England Patriots beginning the 2016 season at a distinct disadvantage; without quarterback Tom Brady, who will be sidelined for a quarter of the season. Brady, who is serving a four-game suspension for his alleged...
Order this... Oysters and Salmon at The Surf

Ruth Perfido and Becky Ballard

Fri, Sep 2

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There should be a marching band and fireworks — this is The Surf Hotel’s 60th anniversary with the Cyr family! What a lot of stories they can tell. With its prominent place in the center of town, The Surf has created vivid memories for so many locals and visitors. They have watched it through its...
Order this... Fish tacos at Calaveras

Ruth Perfido and Becky Ballard

Fri, Aug 26

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Julio Mendoza, originally from Mexico, and Iliana Borisova, from Bulgaria, met on Block Island in 2011 and, as the saying goes, the rest is history — with an excellent result for Block Island. In 2015 Julio, a self-taught cook who worked in the landscape business both here and in Connecticut, and...
Order this... Fresh swordfish at Finn's

Becky Ballard and Ruth Perfido

Fri, Aug 19

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According to the history books, by the time of the infamous hurricane of 1938 that decimated Block Island, the fishing industry on the island had been substantially reduced since its glory years. But, thanks to Finn’s, which has been in business since the mid-1970s, fresh caught swordfish is...
Order this... Variety at The Atlantic Inn

Becky Ballard and Ruth Perfido

Fri, Aug 12

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The Atlantic Inn and its Restaurant 1879 sit up over the main part of town. From its north-facing windows and its long, shady porch one can view lawns, gardens and rooftops with beaches and open sea in the distance. A cool breeze and rosy sunsets are the icing on the cake. This year the restaurant...
Order this... Lobster nachos at Los Gatitos

Becky Ballard and Ruth Perfido

Fri, Aug 5

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Food and drinks come first, but the addition of history and culture makes this restaurant reporting “gig” so interesting. Los Gatitos Restaurante, the Mexican restaurant on the deck of The Yellow Kittens, is the perfect example of this combination. Kristen Kiley, one of the four Kiley siblings who...
Order this... Pan Roasted Scallops at The Manisses

Becky Ballard and Ruth Perfido

Sat, Jul 30

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Under new ownership, the new Hotel Manisses remains true to its Victorian roots, but has been beautifully refurbished down to the last detail. The look is serene, fresh and lovely. The Filippi family owns both the Manisses and Ballard’s Inn on Block Island, but each location has a style...
Order this... Seafood pasta at Dead Eye Dick's

Becky Ballard and Ruth Perfido

Fri, Jul 22

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Dead Eye Dick’s has been serving seafood as far back as the 1940s, in the very building that it is in today. So, with that piece of history in mind, we met with Jessica Wronowski, owner and manager of the restaurant for the past seven years, to learn more about the restaurant. We also met with...
Order this... Grilled tuna at The Beachead

Becky Ballard and Ruth Perfido

Fri, Jul 15

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The Beachead, owned and operated by Tim and Becky Clark, must be one of the beach-iest restaurants along the South County shore. As its name describes, it’s located as close as one can get to the water. It has a wide view of sand and sea. There are tables inside and outside on the porch, or under...
Order this... Seafood platter at The Narragansett

Becky Ballard and Ruth Perfido

Fri, Jul 8

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On a warm, sunny afternoon, we met on the restaurant porch of the Narragansett Inn overlooking the Great Salt Pond with Ross Draper, the manager of the inn, and Shane Blane, the executive chef, to sample Chef Blane’s offering of a seafood platter. Ross Draper is the current generation of the Abrams...
Order this... Bouillabaisse at Kimberly's

Becky Ballard & Ruth Perfido

Fri, Jul 1

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These smiling faces pictured here are a large part of the happy, upbeat atmosphere we all have enjoyed at Kimberly’s Restaurant. There’s an exuberance and warmth mixed with fun, good food and drinks that brings guests back again and again. Owners Kimberly and Norman Ward, seen here with some of...
Order this... Jumbo shrimp over jalapeno cheddar polenta

Becky Ballard and Ruth Perfido

Fri, Jun 24

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Winfield’s has been redecorated. Its new nautical atmosphere made it the perfect place to enjoy the very tasty grilled jumbo shrimp over jalapeno cheddar polenta that were prepared by Chef Berke Marye and his team. The chimichurri sauce over the grilled shrimp is Chef Marye’s own recipe and...
Order this... Shrimp oreganata at The National

Becky Ballard and Ruth Perfido

Fri, Jun 17

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The National Hotel is a fine reminder of Block Island’s long history of tourism. Sitting up over the Old Harbor and Water Street (the main street), this grand hotel has a long, shady porch for dining (serving three meals a day), where guests enjoy the fresh sea air and action on the harbor. Shrimp...
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Crab Cake Benny at Bethany's Airport Diner

By Becky Ballard

Sat, Jun 4

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Located in the Block Island airport terminal, Bethany’s Airport Diner has one of the best choices for this column’s seafood theme — their own Crab Cake Benny. Made with slightly spicy, hand-formed crab cakes, poached eggs topped with a creamy, lemon-y Hollandaise sauce over a grilled English muffin...
Order this... Sushi at The Oar

Becky Ballard and Ruth Perfido

Fri, May 27

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Five years ago George Venezia, manager of The Oar restaurant, introduced a small sushi bar that had an assortment of sushi and sashimi selections on the menu. Guests enjoyed the traditional sushi, along with several more-personalized local choices like the Rita and Humphrey Rolls. Now, for the...
Order this... A sumptuous burger at Eli’s

Becky Ballard and Ruth Perfido

Fri, Sep 11

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A few days ago at Eli’s Restaurant, executive chef Evan Wargo served the most sumptuous hamburger and fries imaginable. To say it was better than your average burger is like comparing a Harley to a tricycle. Filled with all sorts of flavors and textures, this burger rose up, up from the plate. “It’...
Order this... Pepperoni Bread at Aldo's

Becky Ballard and Ruth Perfido

Fri, Sep 4

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Food, fun and family — it’s all good at Aldo’s! Their bestselling appetizer, presented by members of the Leone/Papa family who have owned and managed the restaurant for three generations, is their Pepperoni Bread. Combine that with a Deep Eddy Ruby Red cocktail and you have a beautiful match...
Order this... Baked Stuffed Brie at The National

Becky Ballard and Ruth Perfido

Fri, Aug 28

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Head Chef Anthony Malele is back for the 2015 season at The National Hotel’s restaurant. He and nine other cooks in his kitchen have had a crazy-busy summer averaging about 1,000 meals a day for their breakfasts, lunches and dinners. The reviews have been great, and people are happy. Sitting up on...
Order this...Finn's Bluefish Paté

Becky Ballard and Ruth Perfido

Fri, Aug 21

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F inn’s famous bluefish paté, accompanied by an Island Mary, were Finn’s excellent appetizer and drink offering on a sunny, warm August day. The paté is a combination of bluefish, onion, cream cheese, capers and dill and is so good that many visitors can’t leave the island without it. And, Island...
Order this... Poached lobster at Restaurant 1879

Becky Ballard and Ruth Perfido

Fri, Aug 14

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A year ago, Brad and Anne Marthens, owners of the Victorian-era Atlantic Inn, gave their dining room a new name — Restaurant 1879. Long recognized as one of Block Island’s best choices for fine dining, its style and menu were revamped along with the name. Old friends of the Atlantic will remember...
Order this... Halibut seviche at The Manisses

Becky Ballard and Ruth Perfido

Fri, Aug 7

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A trip around the world was the theme of the amazing fresh halibut seviche in a wonton bowl appetizer prepared by Brian Hart, the Executive Chef at the Manisses. Brian, who hails from the west coast, started his culinary career at the age of 14 and never looked back. In 1997, he arrived at the...
Order this... Quail at Winfield's

Becky Ballard and Ruth Perfido

Fri, Jul 31

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I n his free time, Berke Marye, in his sixth year as chef at Winfield’s, paints large abstracts full of color and creativity. (Many of his works are now being shown at the Pottery Gal Studio and Store on Chapel Street; others are hanging on the walls of the restaurant’s dining room and lounge.) His...
Order this... Seviche at The Surf

Ruth Perfido

Fri, Jul 24

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Pi cture this — you are sitting on a large, outside covered deck restaurant overlooking Crescent Beach and Old Harbor on a sunny, warm day (or maybe on a cool, moonlit night or even on a dramatic, stormy evening). At the Surf Hotel, which opened in 1876 and has been in the Cyr family since 1956,...
Guiding Eyes on Block Island

Kari Curtis

Mon, Jul 20

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News, Features

On Thursday, July 16 there were eight special dogs visiting on the island. This is not to say that all of the other dogs on the island are not special — its just that the visiting dogs that day were all on a mission. A mission to make a difference in someone's life. It was a dog reunion, of sorts,...
Order this... Ballard's

Becky Ballard and Ruth Perfido

Fri, Jul 17

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A whale’s “skeleton,” service on the beach, Tiki bars, and nightly live entertainment — in addition to food and drinks — are available at Ballard’s. Steve Filippi, the current owner and a member of the family that has owned Ballard’s since 1966, and Lander Ribeiro, the assistant general manager,...
Order this... The Cadillac at The Beachead

Becky Ballard and Ruth Perfido

Fri, Jul 10

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What’s a good example of a great appetizer? It could very well be the mile-high seafood appetizer at the Beachead Restaurant. To be more specific, it’s a three-tiered stunner filled with shrimp, Alaskan king crab legs and oysters on ice, along with two sauces, melted butter, lemon wedges and a bit...
Order this... A Seafood Trio at Kimberly's

Becky Ballard and Ruth Perfido

Fri, Jun 26

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Between her warm smile and greeting, nice décor and good food and drinks, Kimberly’s is an “all’s right with the world” place. We were very much looking forward to interviewing Kimberly and tasting her cuisine. We were not disappointed. Upon arrival at the restaurant, out came the team of Kimberly...
Order this... King Crown Roll at The Oar

Fri, Jun 19

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Are you in the mood for something other than a burger with fries? Think about sushi. It’s just right for a light, but luxurious meal, with a little fun as well. This summer, along with its traditional foods, The Oar has stepped up and increased its sushi choices. Some are spicy, some not so much...
Order this... Chowder at Poor People's Pub

Becky Ballard and Ruth Perfido

Fri, Jun 12

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With only one drive past Poor People’s Pub, you’ll know that this will be a fun place to visit. Maybe it’s the gold vintage Lincoln with a set of steer horns parked right in front that sets the style, but the atmosphere and the staff create the sense that everyone is welcome and that you’ll have a...
Order this... Chili at Bethany's

Sat, Jun 6

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Just its name — Bethany’s Airport Diner — creates a colorful image of this little restaurant before you ever walk in the door. The cozy atmosphere and friendly staff will remind you of your mother’s kitchen — especially if Mom was a great cook and a collector of the kitschy. Bethany’s could almost...
Featured House: Stonehedge

Lars Trodson

Thu, May 14

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Features, Inactive Columns

It is a sparkling spring day, the air smells sweet, and the sun is in full bloom after being hidden for days by a dense Block Island fog. Standing on the expansive porch of Stonehedge, the house that David and Dottie Graham built in 1986, Montauk Point can be seen just off in the distance, sitting...
The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History

Renee Meyer

Sat, Apr 11

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Columnists, Book Review

The nightly national news usually ends with a feel-good story, one that often involves nature, often along the lines of “saving the wild.” One night it may be rhinos, another elephants. Pandas are always popular. Recently it was reported in the Huffington Post that turtle eggs had hatched...
Meet Dr. Mark Clark

Gloria S. Redlich

Tue, Mar 10

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Features, Inactive Columns

The island has a new physician. Dr. Mark Clark took the time for a phone interview recently with The Block Island Times to share some of his thoughts as he prepares to take up the post of island physician. Clark is scheduled to begin July 1. In accepting the position at Block Island Health Services...
History's First Draft - 1913

Wed, Feb 18

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Features, Inactive Columns

DEMAND GROWING FOR ADEQUATE STREET LIGHTING AND BETTER POLICE PROTECTION If Block Island is to be expected to make good as a summer resort, to the extent that its natural resources deserve, it must be provided with certain reforms and improvements. The first and most important requirements are...
Featured House: A Crescent Beach Cottage

Lars Trodson

Fri, Feb 13

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Features, Inactive Columns

When you walk into Dennis and Mary Ellen O'Connor's house, there is a wooden sign that says " Cead Mille Failte " which means "a hundred thousand welcomes." This may not be an exaggeration. According to Mary Ellen, since 1994, when the O'Connor's first purchased the home, the family has...
Local genealogist chronicles Mitchell family

Fran Migliaccio

Fri, Jan 23

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Features, Book Review

Genealogist Peter Greenman’s new tome is a hefty and fascinating exploration of one of Block Island’s largest families, enlivened by 53 pages of photos. A few facts: • Experience Mitchell arrived in Plymouth Colony in 1623, the first Mitchell in America. • He married Jane Cooke, the daughter of a...
Book review: Tracy Kidder’s “Mountains Beyond Mountains”

Renée Meyer

Mon, Dec 30

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Book Review

Tracy Kidder is a “literary journalist” and through this genre takes the reader along trails of discovery in whatever subject he has chosen. Kidder’s first book was a flop. His second, “The Soul of a New Machine,” published in 1981, won a Pulitzer Prize. Although Kidder’s “Mountains Beyond...
A book every parent (and taxpayer) should read: “Reign of Error”

Fri, Nov 15

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Book Review

With a title like “Reign of Error,” one might be expecting a spy novel or a history of some oppressive government. But the sub-title of this book is “The Hoax of the Privatization Movement and the Danger to America’s public Schools.” Who could imagine that a book about education in America could be...

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