Chicken and macaroni seems to be a Rhode Island thing.  Bunch of places sell it.  Doubt if anyone does a better job than Wright's.

Half a baked chicken, shell pasta with gravy, incredible french fries, green salad, and a slice of vanilla ice cream roll with a chocolate chicken in the center.  Served family style.  All you can eat for $9.75.  In a vast restaurant that can seat over a thousand.

Such high volume - the place was packed the Friday night we were there - over an hour wait - all the makings for a disaster.  You'd think.  But Wright's pulls it off.  Excellence.  The chicken was perfectly cooked.  The salad fresh, chilled with a crisp, light Italian dressing.  The fries - I could eat a bowl full.  The steak - the only other entree at about twice the cost - just as good.

Plenty to do while you wait - a gift shop that makes Cracker Barrel's look like a collection of fine antiques, Keno games flashing on the wall, a collection of arcade machines.

All in all, one of my favorite and most surprising eating experiences in quite a while.

January 2006