FACING PAGE : Chicken pot pie johnny cakes . THIS PAGE , CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT : Roti plate ; beignets ; fricco fries .
R estaurants often fall into one of two categories — those that feel familiar and those that are determined to expand a diner ’ s perspective .
The former usually puts the customer in charge of their own experience : You order your favorite food , you ’ re fairly certain you ’ ll get exactly what you want and , ultimately , it ’ s a validation of established affections . The latter , on the other hand , puts the kitchen in charge . The goal is to upend the status quo and , on some level , destabilize a diner just enough to prove that a chef can change the world in several small bites .
That experience , though — to be an attentive student for an entire dinner — requires dedicated focus that can make the meal as exhausting as it is exhilarating . But chef Stacy Deetz , whose resume includes New England restaurants and appearances on “ Top Chef ” and reflects her ability to command a culinary outlook , has settled in a space between those worlds .
Hangry Kitchen , owned by Deetz — formerly Cogswell — and her husband , Robert , overtly embraces whimsy . The restaurant resides on a quirky corner in Pawtucket , between a car dealer and a collision center . The space is not large — it holds about thirty-five people in total — and its color scheme of orange and bright purple points to an unadulterated energy that refuses to get caught up in authoritarian eating .
Tables are made from rustic wood and flatware glistens with an iridescence that suggests a first-apartment aesthetic and a determination to treat each weeknight as a party . Accordingly , cocktails come out in glassware that feels like corners of Epcot Center . Gin and tonics hang out in a pink , bell-shaped glass , cranberry-infused drinks come in Champagne flutes , and fruity rum is presented in fleur-de-lys goblets that feel like medieval France in the age of wine coolers .
The menu is largely made up of shared plates that are readily recognizable but have shape-shifted into something more complex .
HANGRY KITCHEN
542 Pawtucket Ave ., Pawtucket , 424-5812 , hangry-kitchen . com
Open for dinner Tuesday – Saturday ; lunch on Saturday . Wheelchair accessible . Street parking .
CUISINE Creative iterations of old-school favorites .
CAPACITY Thirty-five between dining tables and
bar seating . Sixteen on the patio .
VIBE Pop-up carnival .
PRICES Shared plates : $ 7 –$ 22 ; dessert : $ 7 –$ 11 .
KAREN ’ S PICKS Anything fried , and every condiment .
RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l JUNE 2024 117