We had a quick chat with Jay Dunlea, co-owner of both Laura's Pleasant View Diner and the new Laura's Bar and Grill, to talk about their newest addition and get a feel for the place. In his responses he speaks toward the environment, weekly specials, and some of the most popular dishes. This is what you need to know about Smithfield's newest restaurant and the kind of dining experience that you will have there.
What are the names of the owners and management staff?
My Wife and I own the restaurant: Laura and Jay Dunlea. The managers: Jenn Anderson, Kate Branca, Lindsay Rachlow, Nate Servello, Jessica Randle, Stephanie Lamoureux. In the kitchen, the head chef is Brandon Powers and the kitchen managers are Andres Cahuil and Darien Moranta.
Why did you decide to open a new location?
We opened the restaurant because we were outgrowing our first location. We also wanted something that encompassed some of our other interests. Laura and I are big sports fans, and we built this restaurant to be a place that we would like to go to when we go out.
What is your mission at Laura’s Bar & Grill as a whole?
The mission has always been to be successful obviously but to have a restaurant that is a strong part of the community. At our first location, Laura's Pleasant View Diner, we call a lot of our regular customers our extended family or "PVD Family." We are hoping that over time, we develop this type of atmosphere at the new location as well.
What is the dining experience like here?
Our menu is an American Pub style menu. I think that our prices are in the moderate range.
Do you offer any specials on certain days of the week?
Yes, Monday night we have $5.99 Sliders and Specials on Mules, Tuesday night is $3 tacos and we serve different choices each week, and Wednesday night is Martini night. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday we have entree specials; for example, this week we have Linguine and Clam Sauce, Shrimp and Chicken Alfredo, and Lobster BLTs.
What are the most popular or signature dishes?
Our Fish and Chips are popular on Fridays, but we have also gotten a lot of positive feedback about the BBQ mac and cheese wrap.
What kinds of beverages are offered at the bar?
We have a full bar and have specialty drinks from Mules to Martini's and some other popular choices like the Chocolate Margarita. We also have 20 drafts on tap.
Anything else you want to say to the Bryant students or Smithfield community?
Bryant is a huge part of our community, especially on this side of Smithfield. We are hoping that the University and its students embrace our new location as they have with the Pleasant View Diner. Thank you for all of your support over the last seven years at the Pleasant View Diner!!
So go check out the new Laura's Bar and Grill next time you are looking for a cool place to eat around campus. And as always, contact @spoon_bulldogs on Instagram to let us know what you think and send us some pictures of the food at Laura's Bar and Grill.