The following listings have been distilled from recent full-length reviews; the date appearing at the end of each entry indicates the month and year of review. Hours, credit-card and liquor information are not included, so be sure to call ahead. And bear in mind that some menus change seasonally.

AQUAVIVA EUROBISTRO, 286 Atwells Ave., Providence, (273-8664). Restaurateur Walter Potenza, who upped the sophistication of Italian cuisine on Federal Hill with clay pot cookery and Italian-Jewish recipes at La Locanda del Coccio, is prompting widespread and rousing olés with his latest venture. It's a futuristic version of Hemingway's clean, well-lighted place where hot and cold tapas (mini versions of entrees, sometimes even simpler) are offered while Spanish songs and flamenco guitar fill the air. Most of the tapas run from $6 to $10, with the occasional $5 (soup) or $13 (lobster ravioli). A rice salad, containing tuna, roasted red peppers and olive oil, was tasty. Going along nicely with it was a focaccia "panino," Italian for sandwich, with thick slices of cold pork loin, asparagus and the peppers. Among the hot tapas, the squid rings were huge, tender and just oily enough to be flavorful, even without the tarragon-touched hot sauce. Moules au basilic, a half-dozen huge New Zealand mussels, fresh and in a tangy sauce of olive oil, basil and a splash of Pernod, for its anise tang, was also pleasing. Tasting arrays of white or red wines, in three or four three-ounce servings, are available, priced at $5 and $6.25. Winning desserts include fresh pears in a port wine sauce with shaved chocolate, and la torta de Santiago, (each $4) which looked like three slices of pound cake, but was coarser and rich with crushed almond.(3/00)

THE LITTLE INN, 103 Putnam Pike (Route 44), Johnston (231-0570). Far from the chichi boites and bistros of Providence, The Little Inn is an unpretentious gem that offers thoroughly enjoyable dining. Endorsed by no less a luminary than Frank Sinatra, the inn features attentive service, plenty of wine by the glass, and an appealing selection of entrees. The dining room is large, with Tiffany-style lampshades and antiquey tchotchkes on wall shelves. Wood-grilled veal tenderloin ($14.95) was tender and delicious. Four jumbo shrimp, instead of the advertised pan-seared sea scallops, turned up with the bucatini ($15.95), fat, hollow spaghetti-like strands, but the dish was still delicious in a lemony sauce with tomatoes and fresh fennel. Farm-raised salmon ($13.95) was a large fillet, grilled with restraint in a delicate champagne and butter sauce. Paparadelle ($13.95), served with a slightly spicy tomato sauce with capers, artichoke hearts, crumbled sweet sausage and pieces of breaded chicken breast, is a concoction worthy of becoming a signature dish. For dessert, lemon mousse with fresh raspberries provided a nice tart-on-tart complement. (1/00)

THAI STAR, 1088 Chalkstone Boulevard, Providence, (421-5840). The mere idea of this Thai eatery has always brought a smile and anticipatory smacking to our lips. Simple, classic preparations and ridiculously cheap. Thai Star changed hands about a year ago, and the new ones are dexterous indeed. The menu is far more varied and prices are not so much more expensive as not as cheap (dishes top out at $12.95 for a couple of duck preparations, and are more typically $7 or $8). The restaurant is located near Providence College and Rhode Island College. It's still BYO, with a package store a short walk away, but you might want to try a White Rose ($2), a pineapple and coconut cream blend. Coconut soup ($2.95), a rich and velvety concoction, features fresh mushrooms and a piece each of shrimp and squid. Gaula soup ($2.50) is even better with a heap of chicken breast and bean sprouts in an earthy broth. Duck delicacy ($5.95) comes with the title ingredient accompanied by vegetables in a spicy brown sauce. Spicy tamarind fish ($9.95) was two-stars hot: crispy batter-fried cod served with simpler accompaniment, just red onions and green bell peppers cooked with basil leaves. Among eight noodle dishes, pad Thai ($6.95 with pork, chicken or beef; $7.25 with shrimp) is the hot version, temperature-wise, with crushed peanuts but no sweet vinegared sauce. We had no room for dessert, although the "crispy banana" ($2.95), fried inside a spring roll wrapper, sounds yummy. (4/00)

VAN GHENT, 7A Commerce St., Westerly, (348-6026). Subtitled "Sandwiches 'n' Stuff," this Flemish restaurant is a real find, in all senses of the word. Van Ghent's owner/cooks, Belgian immigrants Rosita and Roland Guiliams, are from, you guessed it, Ghent. There are many photos of their home city, which was a significant trade center during the Middle Ages, and other elements of the decor also lend the sense of an unassuming bistro. The food is lovingly prepared and presented, with soft, fresh-baked whole-wheat buns; salads sparkling with color and verve; soups and stews simmered with Belgian beer in their broth; crepes with Belgian chocolate chips; and, of course, thick, eggy Belgian waffles. In addition to a half-dozen Flemish specialties and a dozen sandwiches, including the van Eyck (with fresh mozzarella and prosciutto) and the Breugel (with boursin and prosciutto), there are blackboard specials for both breakfast and lunch. Delicate and delicious green pea soup ($2.50 a bowl) is made the traditional Flemish way, with potatoes, carrots, leeks and celery giving a hearty underpinning to the peas. Vlasmarkt chili ($2.50) featured a generous portion of beef and beans, topped by cheese and herbs, and was surrounded by a salad dressed with an alluring tang, which we concluded was a dollop of Tierentyn, a hot Flemish mustard also used on some of the sandwiches. (4/00)