From the moment a diner enters Rogue Island, nice surprises are evident, none more so than how many local products are on the daily menu. Meats, oysters, fish, mushrooms, eggs, vegetables, coffee and more

From the moment a diner enters Rogue Island, nice surprises are evident, none more so than how many local products are on the daily menu. Meats, oysters, fish, mushrooms, eggs, vegetables, coffee and other drinks are locally raised, fished, harvested, foraged, roasted, brewed or distilled in Rhode Island.

Yet, the food and beverages aren�t the only draw. The place has a fabulous look, from the exposed brick walls to the tin ceiling, to the iconic photo of early 20th-century downtown Providence. It�s also larger than it appears, with capacity for 146 including a private dining room with wainscoting made of reclaimed wood from farms in Coventry and West Greenwich.

This new eatery in the Arcade is all urban chic and locavore smart. You just have to find it.

That�s no problem when America�s first mall is open. But come 8 p.m. the main doors are locked. A speakeasy-style entrance is easily accessible on the side of the Arcade, between Westminster and Weybosset streets. A sandwich board points the way � unless it�s been blown down and picked up by a kind soul who might well stand it up pointing the wrong way.

Come summer, the sounds of 16 diners seated in the outdoor space will no doubt help call those who seek it out. And they will be rewarded.

The Bessette family � brothers Kiel and Ryan, and mother Shannon � has put a lot of thought into everything about Rogue Island, including the name. It refers to the fact that Rhode Island was often referred to as �Rogues� Island� by the other Colonies because it attracted so many rebels.

There�s rebellion here, too, for shaking up the usual food system. The Bessettes are using the groundbreaking resource Trace and Trust to facilitate their local mission.

�They personally help me source products from New England that I might not be able to get every day, and make delivery of these products easy by offering online ordering,� said Ryan. A graduate of Le Cordon Bleu, he is the chef in the family.

On two visits, the menu, which is printed each day, sang a local tune: Johnston�s Baffoni Farm chicken wings, chicken breast and fried chicken; Charlestown�s East Beach Blonde Oysters; West Kingston�s R.I. Mushroom Co. portobellos in soup; Portsmouth�s Aquidneck Farm burger; Smithfield�s Blackbird Farm pulled pork sliders and heritage pork entr�e; Narragansett cod; and Coventry�s Timberstone Farm ribeye. The supporting cast of ingredients used to make dishes included Westport Rivers sparkling wine, Narragansett beer, New Harvest Coffee vinaigrette, Kenyon Mills cornmeal, cured meats from Daniele Inc., Narragansett Creamery cheese and Hass Brothers bacon from Rehoboth.

Local begins at the bar with Rhode Island breweries well represented. Being the newest, it was worth trying a Tendril, a big hoppy IPA, from Proclamation Ale Co. in West Kingston. It pairs nicely with the housemade pretzel bites ($7).

Specialty cocktails are done well here, too, as a Maple Cranberry Old-Fashioned was a great variation of the classic drink. It was an easy one to nurse through a wonderful small-bites tasting. At Rogue Island, they are a most appealing starting point.

The wings, fried in duck fat, come with a clever take on the celery and dip accompaniment. Here the celery is pickled and spicy and just as good as the wings. Really. Blue cheese foam is ethereal in texture while the ranch dressing, made with charred leeks and red peppercorns, paints the plate. All that makes this dish both tasty and pretty.

I quickly learned that pickling is a talent. I loved the ever changing house-pickled vegetable plate. On one night a few weeks back, it had cauliflower, cucumbers and beets and all were crunchy. There were also kale chips on the plate for more fun.

The food here is best when simply made. There was little need for the garlic aioli with the veggies when the pickling just brought out such flavors.

Rhode Island oysters were offered two ways. I loved those wonderful East Beach Blondes served on the half shell with a bright pink peppercorn mignonette ($2 each). Did I mention they aren�t afraid of heat in the kitchen? I love that. These oysters, small and delectable, have a deep cup with nice liquor.

They also offer local oysters escabeche ($10), achieved by pouring a hot poaching liquid made up of sparkling wine, champagne vinegar and seasonings on the open shell. They then top it with a mix of preserved lemons and fried shallots and rhubarb chutney. What a wonderful blast of sweet and savory, though not the taste of the sea that comes with a raw oyster.

The local rib-eye steak sandwich was enriched with Vermont cheddar and black truffle aioli. But it was the choice of bread, toasted ciabatta, that made it sing.

The vegetarian oyster mushroom arancini was divine. The outside of the fried risotto balls was crunchy and it was all savory and creamy inside with the mushrooms blended in for a smooth texture. It was served with a light house marinara, and Parmesan from Narragansett Creamery.

A vegetarian can find choices here and that will only get better in the summer months when the harvest is rich. But for now salads, flatbread of the day or the pickled vegetables fill the bill nicely. There is a nightly housemade pasta dish from sous chef Chris Potenza offered each night as well.

Dessert delighted with a chocolate cake featuring moist layers separated by mocha mousse and served with sea salt caramel. Delicious. A brown-sugar pound cake was served with a bourbon-caramel ice cream that was worth fighting over, should your dinner companion not simply acquiesce. Courtney Segal, a junior at Johnson & Wales University, is the pastry chef, and she is also making the ice creams and the preserved lemons for the bar and oyster dish.

A trip to either water closet is a must before leaving. You�ll have to visit to find out why.

Dining Out

Rogue Island, 65 Weybosset St., Providence, (401) 831-3733, Facebook page. Street parking. Wheelchair accessible. Highchairs. AE, D, MC, V. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Thursday, Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to midnight. Acoustic music on Saturday nights. Small bites $6 to $11; sandwiches $10 to $14; entr�es $18 to $32; desserts $7 to $8.

A dinner for two at Rogue Island might look like this:

Proclamation Ale: $6.25

Maple Cranberry Cocktail: $12.00

Chicken Wings: $9.00

Vegetable Plate: $7.00

Ribeye Steak Sandwich: $14.00

Arancini: $18.00

Chocolate Cake: $7.00

Brown Sugar Pound Cake: $8.00

Total: $81.25

Tax: $6.50

Tip: $16.25

Total: $104.00