While dining out has been a casualty of COVID-19, we have learned to survive by dusting off old recipes, having pizza delivered and ordering take-out.

With the addition of approved outdoor dining, many local restaurants have expanded their take-out/delivery menus.

Here are a few that we have enjoyed recently. You can find their menus on their websites.

Revolution

This Pawtuxet Village favorite, featured in an article by John Howell last week, has added a tent to its parking lot and offers a variety of daily specials.

Joyce enjoyed the Seafood Fra Diablo, a huge portion of fish and spaghetti with a spicy sauce that included four tender, tasty sea scallops, four shrimp, four littlenecks and two generous pieces of salmon.

I was in heaven, a.k.a. my dining room, enjoying a succulent portion of blackened salmon with mashed potatoes and mixed veggies. Both servings were large enough for dinner the next night.

The menu also includes chicken and meat favorites and Italian dinners for larger groups, in addition to Revolution’s unique appetizers.

Governor Francis

I enjoyed one of my favorite comfort food dinners – turkey, dressing, gravy, cranberry sauce and their patented carrots and turnips – while Joyce chose lasagna. As always, the quality was outstanding, and the portions were large enough for leftovers.

Sonic

A trip to Best Buy brought us down an uncrowded Route 2, where the Chick-fil-A line circled the building and the parking area was full. We had never been to Sonic, so decided to give it a try. Once around the building we found openings for car-hop service, as the young people on roller skates were kept hopping.

We joined the long take-out lane and ordered their special hamburger, cheese and bacon burger, finding the last spot in the parking lot.

Looks like car-hops and drive-ins are back to stay.

Tommy’s Clam Shack/Iggy’s/PB & J’S

We couldn’t wait for Tommy’s to reopen. Went there last Friday for their Tommy’s Trio (half lobster roll, three clam cakes and chowder for $16.95), only to find a line stretching to Dockside. Drove to Iggy’s in Oakland Beach to find all parking lots full and a line stretching down to the water. People crowded the beach, some actually in the water and many without facemasks.

Then we drove to PB & J’s on West Shore Road, where take-out and outside dining drew dozens of loyal fans. We enjoyed their Dynamites (ground beef, onions, peppers and a special tangy sauce) for $6.95 each. Most people were ordering their large fish and chips to go. I lived on Dynamites when I worked in Woonsocket, and PB & J’s are as good as they get.

Waiting to return

Lemongrass is our go-to Asian restaurant and we miss seeing Wang and his terrific staff. Joyce misses the Nim Chow and Fried Dumplings and I can’t wait to order the Crispy Pork.

JP Spoonem’s is the breakfast/lunch place in Edgewood where “everybody knows your name.” Joe cooks the best omelets in the state and the corn beef hash is as good as it gets