Superlatives are rarely acceptable in critical analyses, but they are occasionally warranted. Such is the case with Perro Salado - or "Salty Dog" - a three-and-a-half-year-old restaurant on Newport's Charles Street owned by Nebraska native Andi Johnson and Boston brothers Dan and Russell Hall. Disappointed by their all-American ethnicity? Don't be. Perro is an amalgam of authentic Latin American ingredients, local produce and contemporary kitsch that translates into the best Mexican food served not only in Newport but in the whole state.
Rhode Island can be a big, little place sometimes. It took three years for news of a lively restaurant tucked away in Newport's Point District that was putting out delicous meals with Mexican influence, to make it onto the radar. With the play on a typical Newport theme, a Salty Dog, inspiring its name, Perro Salado beckoned Sean DeBobes south for a meal. Here are the five things he wants you to know.
It's that time of year, and Sean DeBobes reviewed his journeys up and down the state. Here are the five restaurants that topped his list for 2010. Critic’s Choice. Whenever someone has asked me recently what my favorite meal has been this year I can instantly tell them that Chef Dan Hall of Perro Salado in Newport gets the prize. I have been dreaming of the savory charred corn on the cob mixed with the smoky chipotle mayo and grilled vegetables. When I am done reminiscing about that I can just go right to the sinfully good coconut broth Mahi Mahi.
