Taste of the Town

Avenue Grille

2223 Mineral Spring Ave

North Providence, RI 02911

(401) 232-7722

Samuel Johnson once said, "The happiest part of a man's life is what he passes lying awake in bed in the morning." I agree with Sam. It is difficult to make the conscious decision to physically rise up, slide one's feet over the side of the bed, and place them on the floor. Sitting in this position often hurls you into a word of mental to-do lists and curls your toes under in angst towards the day ahead. But there is one possible way to ease the pain of waking. As journalist John Gunther once wrote: "All happiness depends on a leisurely breakfast." Well said, John.

Growing up, breakfast consisted of Honey Nut Cheerios or, when my father's persuasive oration succeeded, oatmeal. But my mother, to this day, rarely eats breakfast. She relishes the moments Johnson celebrates and once her feet hit the floor, the day's events have begun. But once in a while, a small overlap can be seen in the Venn diagram of my parents' morning routines: going out to breakfast.

Every few Fridays, my parents wake us up earlier than usual and my three brothers and I wordlessly shuffle from our respective rooms and into the Volvo to Vicki's Diner. Soon our zombie-like stupors thaw and, eventually, we enjoy calm conversation about who will swim the 500m in the afternoon's swim meet, the health of the Mets' bullpen, or how a brother's obsession with Taylor ham will lead to a heart attack at age 17.

The nutritional value of breakfast is most obvious. But the delicate easing into of the day, when there is time set aside to savor a few slices of French Toast and a good cup of coffee in a ceramic mug can be just as salubrious.Avenue Grille is a perfect spot to begin the day.

My roommate and I usually hit the snooze button more times than Rick Pitino grimaces. But on mornings that hold the promise of a hot breakfast out, we get up faster than Glen Beck can say: "Obama-pocalypse." The best way to enjoy breakfast out is at a leisurely pace. So be sure to give yourself plenty of time to suit up in your PC uniform of jeans, free BOP event shirt and Friars sweatshirt along with your North Face backpack or Longchamp bag.

In regards to the calm atmosphere, "Avenue Grille was the opposite of Brickway," sighed my breakfasting mate as she placed her coffee back on the table. The waitress is quite friendly and accommodating. She seemed to know everyone who walked through the door and just how they liked their eggs. Background ambiance included a silent jukebox, the soothing voice of Matt Lauer on The Today Show, and the re-folding of newspapers.

The menu is nothing too fancy or complicated but the price is right. It is a great place for the "specific diner" considering you can get exactly what you want without wasting a dime.

The best deal at The Avenue is certainly the first combination. For less than four bucks, you can get refillable coffee, two eggs, toast (I recommend the Italian toast), and home fries. It is similar to the deal at Slavin except you get more toast, another egg, and the coffee tastes more like coffee and less like a punishment. And because we wanted a treat on top of that deal, we also each got an appetizer. I had a slice of French toast and poured a touch of maple syrup on it. My roommate's caffeinated coffee must not have kicked in yet because she poured cream on her pancake instead. Win some, lose some.

We noticed that they also have a decent lunch menu and open up again on weekend nights to serve breakfast food. Although it is not within walking distance, I would be up for a quick drive down Smith Street to have that French toast late at night.

Everyone says breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I agree with "them" but not just because of the vitamins found in a glass of orange juice. Breakfast, when done right, can afford you the necessary moments to prepare for the day ahead and enjoy the calm before the storm of thesis outlines, group project meetings, and critical intramural volleyball matches. When the hourly tide of Ray-goers becomes too much, consider getting up a few minutes earlier and visiting Avenue Grille. If "all happiness" depends on a "leisurely breakfast" there is probably a good chance you will see a return on that investment.