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PAWTUCKET
The Arenas are one diner-loving family. But for them it's about cooking not eating.
Michael opened Amanda's Kitchen on Pawtucket's Smithfield Avenue in 1996 after the birth of his daughter Amanda. His dad, Bob, owned the Seaplane Diner on Allens Avenue for almost 30 years until selling it to David Penta six years ago. Bob was still cooking there a few days a week when I was there last year. Coincidentally, I just got a note from brother Anthony who recently launched his new business, Dad's Diner, at 871 Atwood Ave., Cranston.
Getting up early and staying up late on weekends must be in their blood.
I didn't know the connection when I visited Amanda's Kitchen for a Saturday morning breakfast of my favorite diner food, blueberry pancakes. The place is welcoming with two servers who've been slinging the hash for 13 and 10 years respectively. They know how to welcome a hungry diner with a cup of hot coffee and a warm greeting.
The home-style breakfasts are priced right: two eggs with toast and homefries for $3.50; French toast for $3.50; pancakes for $3.95. The coffee is a bottomless cup for $1.50 and sides of bacon or sausage are $2.25.
I settled on my blueberry pancakes and got three huge ones loaded with fruit ($4.75). They were fluffy and moist and just what the morning ordered.
Likewise a ham and cheese omelet was picture perfect right off the stove. It was made with three large eggs and served with toast and a substantial portion of homefries. The amount of cheese to ham ratio keep the protein-filled breakfast in balance. The price is $5.50, 95 cents more with egg whites.
They also make muffins daily which are huge, and front and center on the counter to tempt diners.
A steady stream of regulars filed in to claim their tables as the morning bustled by. There are 40 seats at tables and another 9 counter seats right in front of the busy grill.
Arena shares cooking duties with another fast-order chef. They keep things moving and there is no delay in getting the food hot to the table. No fuss, just a solid robust breakfast here at Amanda's.
Looking over the lunch menu, I could see its broad appeal, too, with burgers starting at $4.75 and coming with French fries or coleslaw. There are appetizers of the deep fried varieties, and salads including a grilled Portobello ($6.95). There are sandwiches like chicken Parmigiana ($7.25) or grilled chicken ($6.50) and roast beef ($6.95) and meatball parm ($5.95). Homestyle dinners include roasted turkey ($7.50), meatloaf ($7.25) and roast beef dinner (7.25).
But I chose to return on a Friday when fresh seafood is on the menu. This is the one night Arena remains open until 7 to serve dinner. You can't get breakfast all day on Friday as the menu changes over at 11 a.m. The servers alerted each diner to this to prevent any hint of disappointment once seated.
We started with clam cakes (6 for $3.25). They were standard issue with weight on their side.
In contrast, the whole fried clams were as light as a feather with a delicate batter and nary a touch of oil to the taste. At $12.95, the dish was large and the portion filling. It came with fresh coleslaw and a generous portion of French fries and a real tartar sauce laden with chunks of pickle.
The fish and chips ($7.95) was the polar opposite to the clams, as well it should be. It included a huge piece of flaky cod so big as to reach from one end of the plate to the next. It was fresh and done just right. Coleslaw and fries are the usual accompaniments along with the tartar sauce.
For something a little different, the baked scrod ($8.95) was nicely prepared with the same flaky cod as the fish and chips. It was baked with a white wine, butter and lemon sauce and a generous sprinkling of buttery Ritz cracker crumbs.
Arena brings the fish in fresh and that makes all the difference for this sweet little diner.
A Friday night seafood dinner at Amanda's might look like this: 2 sodas…$3.00 Clam cakes…$3.25 Fish & chips…$7.95 Whole fried clams…$12.95 Total food and drink…$26.15 Tax…$2.09 Tip…$5.40 Total bill…$29.64 A meal for two at Amanda's might look like this: 2 coffees…$3.00 Blueberry pancakes…$4.75 Ham and cheese omelet…$5.50 Total food and drink…$12.25 Tax…$0.98 Tip…$3.00 Total…$16.23 Amanda's Kitchen, 54 Smithfield Ave., Pawtucket, (401) 723-7222. Diner, small parking lot and on street parking. Step up to enter. Highchairs. No reservations, take-out menu available. AE, D, MC, V. Open Monday to Thursday 5 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Friday 5 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Sunday 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. and late night Friday and Saturday 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. Breakfast $1.75-$8.95; Lunch $3.25-$10.95; seafood on Fridays $3.25 to $15.95.
