The Bench
“American cuisine with a twist” is what you’ll find at The Bench (320 Lafayette Road, Hampton, 601-8542, find them on Facebook), a new eatery offering scratch-made breakfast and lunch options. Owner Teresa Mullane said she has wanted to open her own restaurant since she was a child, so earlier this year, when a friend told her that Good Eats on Route 1 was permanently closing its doors, she jumped at the opportunity. The restaurant’s name is a reference to a red bench that had been outside the establishment across multiple iterations, from its days as a Pizza Hut to when it operated under Fast Eddie’s diner. Although the bench ended up being sold because it didn’t match the restaurant’s color scheme, Mullane said the name “just stuck,” and she realized it still had a metaphorical meaning. “The bench represents to me … [that] you can pull a seat up at the table, and everyone and anyone is welcome,” she said. Breakfast and lunch are available at The Bench seven days a week and include everything from creative takes on omelets and Benedicts, to pancakes and French toast, plus burgers, sandwiches and plated entrees. Some items, like the po’ boys and the “N’awlins” etouffee, are influenced by Mullane’s travels to New Orleans to visit her daughter, who is currently a student at Tulane University. The Scene recently caught up with Mullane to talk about some of her favorite items at The Bench and what diners can expect when they visit.
How long has The Bench been around?
Good Eats closed on March 11. We signed the paperwork on the 14th.
What makes The Bench unique?
Everything is cooked from scratch and we put a lot of care and take a lot of pride in what we’re doing. … I have a great chef, who came from Ron’s Landing [in Hampton], and he is just phenomenal. We talked about the menu and some of the things I wanted on it, [but] I feel that a chef is like an artist, so I also gave him room to create some other stuff. He’s gone above and beyond.
What is your favorite item that you offer?
The chef named a dish after my last name, “The Mullane.” It’s a spinach and prosciutto eggs Benedict. That’s one that I really love. … My second favorite would be the lemon ricotta pancakes with fresh blueberries on them.
What is an essential skill to running a restaurant?
You have to like people … and you have to like food. That’s the way I look at it.
What is something that everyone should try?
[The chef] makes a really good Bananas Foster French toast. I would say it’s a toss-up between that and the stuffed toasted coconut French toast. … For lunch, I would say the authentic etouffee, which is a tender shrimp and crawfish dish, but for those that are not into fish I would try the honey stung fried chicken.
What is your favorite thing about being on the Seacoast?
I’ve always loved the Seacoast area and New England … and I’ve never been afraid to tell anybody. It’s the four seasons. I’ve done a lot of traveling … and, in my opinion, the four seasons of New England make it the best place in the whole country.
— Matt Ingersoll
Courtsy photos.
