I f Christopher Bender , David Crowell and Christine Bevilacqua know how to do one thing , it ’ s fill a large space with intimacy . Like its sister restaurant , Stoneacre Bistro , Swinburne Row ’ s Stoneacre Garden is a real estate sprawl in the center of Newport . But unlike the bistro — which is myopically focused on French-inspired food and design — this version bifurcates its own identity from its patrons ’ experience . Take the entrance , for example , which is flanked by a bright-bulbed carnival sign that proclaims FUN and a series of black and white images of circus life : women wrapped in elephant tusks or riding retro go-karts and people building human pyramids . This is the diner ’ s side of the equation — a party waiting to happen , especially in the sunshine . Picnic tables flank the building , particularly in back where they ’ ve got their own bar , a second home for people who carouse under a canopy of twinkle lights late into high season .
This is a space for a crowd and , even in the presence of pandemic restrictions , it ’ s built for revelry . Some of that is familystyle — young kids scamper all over the expansive property — but most of it belongs to the bar , which hands out double old fashioneds full of over-the-top elation . Carrot juice , passionfruit , pressed beets , brown sugar and berries pool in glasses , adorned with dehydrated lime slices clipped to the salted rim with minute clothes pins . It ’ s enough to entertain a group for hours without an ounce of
regret , each drink an ornate gift of chemical romance . ( Even the minors are in on the action , sipping muddled mocktails out of heavily decorated highballs and making toasts to their stuffed animals .) Food , however , takes an altogether different approach and therein lies the restaurant ’ s alter-ego . Rewind for a second , past the funhouse sign and through the front doors . Once you hit the hostess station , six strides in , the Stoneacre ’ s garden comes into full play . Poolside lounge music seeps out of overhead speakers and , as your glance hits the botanical dining room , there ’ s a pervasive moment of Zen that keeps the imminent party at bay for a moment of elusive calm . The moment is fleeting ; house music picks up as soon as you hit the wooden center bar . The lush plants in massive pots and hanging from suspended trellises , however , still evoke an Eden , albeit one with a bass-heavy soundtrack . There ’ s a lot to look at , in part because much of Stoneacre is geared toward distant views , whether it ’ s out on the patio , street scenes through a couple of glass garage doors or a snapshot into another gastronomic perspective .
Most of the food draws from Asia and , with all this visual stimuli , it ’ s a shock to learn that the food is as gratifying as the design . There are more small plates than large and you can eat your way through an evening in a style akin to dim-sum if the table is game . Several plates come in sets of three including raw ahi tuna tacos ($ 16 ), which sit in wonton wrapper shells , and a
STONEACRE GARDEN
151 Swinburne Row , Newport , 619-8400 , stoneacrebrasserie . com / stoneacre-garden
VIBE : Zen garden with a buzz .
MUST GET : Drinks and a seat outside . Ahi tacos , pork dumplings , Bang Bang lobster , bao buns and market fish .
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