Elle's Kitchen

The Islander opened in 1972, an anchor in the community located on West Shore Rd in Warwick. In 2000, Simon and Ben Chan took it over, always destined for restaurant ownership.

I came for crab rangoons, but when I left I was given the gift of Rhode Island history.

We went shortly after open to beat the rush. The staff had heard of my quest from some customers the night before so they were very excited to see me. I was genuinely flattered.

I asked for their suggestions on dishes I could get with my rangoons and they suggested the scallion pancakes with the salt and pepper spicy chicken wings

The apps came out smelling heavenly and I was salivating. The rangoons were perfectly soft in the center, kani coming through and a hint of onion on the back note. A good balance of the two with the cream cheese. My favorite part was the crispy edges of the purse, they shattered nicely when you bit into them. The duck sauce was straight forward and a nice addition.

The salt and pepper wings are awesome. A must order, mild to medium heat, you've got to eat it with the banana peppers for the best experience.

I hadn't had a scallion pancakes before and I have to wonder how much I was missing in my life because these were flaky, crispy, warm and so good. I see why they were our server's favorite

And just when we thought we were done, they sent out MORE food. Islander fried rice and Peking Beef

The Peking Beef was a revelation for me and a new favorite dish. Savory with a bit of heat, the beef was so tender and it had a great assortment of veggies.

The Islander fried rice has shrimp, ham, and chicken, a real powerhouse. A little under seasoned for me, but nothing a splash of soy sauce couldn't fix.

But the best part of all was when Simon Chan himself came over to chat. I discovered Jackie, the woman who inspired this all, is his daughter. He was so happy we came by and even stood for a picture with me. He wouldn't let us pay, and sent me home with even more food. I had two other spots planned but Simon made sure our trip to the Islander was unforgettable.

(See comments for the rest)

RANGOONING RHODY
ROUND 2
📍Apsara Asian Restaurant
716 Public St
Providence

Loved the restaurant, food was great. Rangoon was overall delicious but I missed the bite of scallions in the filling.

The hunt continues!

If you were in my stories yesterday, you heard I'm starting to hunt for the best crab rangoon in Rhode Island.

Let us begin!

ROUND ONE:
📍Chong Qing House
188 Taunton Ave
East Providence

REALLY GOOD RANGOONS although the wrapper fell short for me. Filling had good balance of flavor and texture. The duck sauce, unforgettable.

where should I go next? the hunt for the best continues!