Not long ago, before the current cold snap, I was standing outside Wildflour Bakery clutching a Golden Milk Latte (I’m all about the tumeric these days ppl, it’s anti-inflammatory!) whilst eyeballing the various people peering thru the front window of the still under construction (a few doors down) Garden Grille. Heck I even strolled over to do a little snooping. Many (myself included) were concerned that the tree branches that had adorned the ceiling above the bar/eat in counter were going to become a casualty of the renovations, but thankfully this was not the case.

Now it didn’t occur to me that I’d ever be invited to any kind of pre-opening gathering, although there have been times, over the last 4 years especially, that I’ve eaten there something like 5 or 6 times a week. Jus sayin.

Anywho, in somewhat surprising but totally terrif news, I was in fact part of the test run or preview last night in Pawtucket. And I have a lot to report. Without photos tho because quite honestly I got there around 7:20 last evening and we’ve talked before countless times about how crummy nighttime smart phone pix can be. (Ok, there may be 1-2 slightly out of focus ones floating around in the @PattyJDotCom Insta Stories today, but that’s it.)

So, let’s talk menu first. In addition to your old favs the Sweet Potato Wedges, Nachos, Roasted Butternut Squash Quesdilla, Tofu BLT, and Reggie’s Raw Heaven Salad, they’ve added more of what are sure to become your new go-to’s - two tacos, a Poached Pear Salad that sounds intriguing, Grilled Cheese (ditto), Tamales (yum), and a Cattlebean & Beet Burger (that I devoured last night) for starters. It also looks as though the add-on options have been extended to include permanent offerings like bbq tofu and a fried egg. I know eggs are part of their sister restaurant The Grange’s brunch and lunch, but I don’t recall seeing them on the GG regular menu. Speaking of which, a lot of ppl seem to think GG’s strictly vegan, but it’s not. Sure you can order vegan if you want, but dairy cheese (and now egg) continues to be a mainstay of certain dishes on the menu. Just in case you want to invite that friend who bristles at the mere mention of the word vegan…(SMH)

As far as the interior goes, it’s fabulous breathe of freshness! No more uneven or wobbly tables and chairs. There’s a polished casual vibe by way of a Rhody rustic-ish aesthetic (built-in wooden benches replace the old four seater booths, grounded by an earth-y neutral tone color palette that replaces the blue we all knew) that’s definitely reminiscent of the interior of The Grange on Broadway on The West Side, only warmer and brighter. I mean, after the expansion and overhaul at Wildflour this year, GG really needed a lift of its own!

In more really great news, if you’re reading this on Monday, Oct 22nd, they’re opening to the public tonight beginning around 4 o’clock pm. Now I debated about announcing this last part, but hey they’ve already mentioned it on IG - and ppl were going live via Insta Story about it last nite too - so it’s pretty much a non-issue at this point, right? No drama, just darn delish, plant based eats.