Anyone who knows the Providence food scene knows about Federal Hill, or “the Hill,” as locals call it.
A mix of old-school and modern Italian restaurants and food shops line Atwells Avenue, its main thoroughfare, while dining spots featuring other cuisines continue to pop up along this bustling stretch of road in Rhode Island’s capital as well.
With its old-fashioned streetlights, gateway arch, charming DePasquale Square in the heart of the neighborhood and storefronts with neon signs, Federal Hill gives Boston’s North End a run for its money as a destination for lovers of Italian food, but there is more to this part of Providence, just west of downtown and Interstate 95.
If you head south of Atwells’ main commercial strip, you’ll quickly see quiet streets (some of which still have cobblestones), charming houses and pockets of industry that give hints to its working-class past. One section of Federal Hill that is far enough away from Atwells Avenue to make you think you’re in another neighborhood is a little pocket of side streets just north of Westminster Avenue that has quietly become one of the most interesting destinations in the entire city, with its mix of restaurants, bars and shops, whose centerpiece is W. Fountain Street.
This short road — which has a brief section that’s cobblestoned — is part of a very walkable area that has become a cultural hub of sorts, pulling in artists, musicians and other creative types. W. Fountain is where locals (and those in the know) head to for its dining and drinking variety, all within sight of each other.
Much of the activity surrounds a long commercial building that has the feel of a warehouse (which it may indeed have been back in the day) that hosts several places for food and drink, including the unassuming Y Noodle & Bar, a friendly little restaurant that doesn’t get a whole lot of press but rivals some of the best Asian restaurants in the city.
Like all of the businesses at 425 W Fountain Street, Y Noodle isn’t the most spacious, but it makes the most of what it has, including three sections: a comfortable outdoor patio out front which is great for people-watching, a cozy bar by the front door and a dark, quiet dining room just to the left of the bar. All three options are good for both dining and drinking (assuming the weather is nice for the patio), and the bar area is usually pretty quiet as customers tend to gravitate toward the dining room. When the weather cooperates, the front door is often open, allowing fresh air to permeate through the bar and dining areas.
Eat New England
Y Noodle may be a small restaurant, but its menu, basically separated into five main sections, has an extensive array of food items.
The main attraction here is the ramen, and it actually rivals some of the best ramen places in New England, including such highly regards spots as Ganko in Brookline, Massachusetts, and Anju in Kittery, Maine.
One of the highlights among the ramen options is the Szechuan Tan Tan, which has a real kick to it, but not so much that it overwhelms the wonderful flavors coming from the ground pork, chewy noodles and rich sesame-based broth. Every bit as good is the Umami Ramen, which gets a silky texture from a flavored egg and a complex savoriness from such items as sliced pork and roasted garlic oil. The Spicy Miso is a bit like the Umami but has some real heat to it that only gets more intense as you start to reach the bottom of the bowl.
Ramen options include the use of soba and udon noodles, and there is a dan dan noodle dish that’s included within the ramen section but is really more of a noodle dish, with no broth.
As great as the ramen is at Y Noodle, the soup dumplings may be even better (depending on your food preferences, of course). The “original,” which includes pork-stuffed dumplings, is perfectly fine, but for a real treat, the crab and pork soup dumplings are tough to beat, with an intoxicating mix of sweet and savory flavors. For dumplings that hit both your taste buds and your sense of smell, the truffle dumplings with pork are terrific, while shrimp and vegetable dumplings are a good option if you want soup dumplings that have a slightly milder taste.
Other dumpling options at Y Noodle include bao, which come with a bread-like wrap, and the more familiar pan-fried gyoza, which can be found in the Otsumami (small plates) part of the menu, which also includes other worthwhile dishes such as the smoky pork belly cotton candy and a popular street food called takoyaki, or octopus balls, which are basically another type of (small) dumpling and a great shareable dish.
From the outside, it may not look like the type of place that would have an extensive list of drink options, but Y Noodle has a little something for everyone when it comes to adult beverages.
A handful of beer and wine options are available, including beers from Japan, and sake and Korean soju (a colorless spirit that comes in various flavors) are served as well, with some high-end sake on the drinks list. Other spirits, including whisky, can also be ordered from the bar, and some interesting cocktails can be had, using everything from vodka to tequila to whisky to yuzu, the last of which is a citrus liqueur that is popular in Japan.
Providence has the type of food scene that puts many other midsized cities to shame, and Federal Hill is certainly one of its best-known neighborhoods for dining out. And the southern edge of the Hill helps make the neighborhood even more of a special spot because of its quirky and lesser-known restaurants and bars, including Y Noodle, which should be on anyone’s shortlist, especially for its exquisite ramen and soup dumplings.
Y Noodle & Bar, 425 W Fountain St #100, Providence, RI, 02903. ynoodlebar.com
