Haven Hill Café calls its menu "contemporary American cuisine," and it draws from the best of that spectrum: New England seafood, Italian pasta and pizza, Creole food from New Orleans, the fruit-glazed fish and meats brought to our shores by Caribbean settlers, and the spicy noodles and veggies contributed by Southeast Asian residents. If it sounds like such eclecticism could get out of hand, trust me, it doesn't. Everything we've tried at Haven Hill has won our hearts and our palates.

Several of the starters are Rhode Island through and through: calamari with pepperoncini relish, pan-seared ocean scallops, grilled pizza and, surprise, surprise, stuffies. It can be tricky to find these at anything other than a homegrown seafood festival, so we knew we had to taste the "petite stuffies at the Hill" ($7.95). Four small quahogs (actually cherrystones) were steamed and stuffed with breadcrumbs, chopped clam, and enough hot pepper for a nice kick.

I was also lured by the salads at Haven Hill, because in addition to Caesar and garden greens, the cafe listed a baby spinach and strawberry salad with Bermuda onions, shitaki mushrooms, spicy honey-glazed peanuts, and orange balsamic dressing ($6.95). This salad had a multitude of virtues: the texture shift between crispy spinach and soft shiitakes, the yin-yang flavors of peanuts and strawberries, the sweet/sour/hot embellishments going off randomly in my mouth.

Among the entrees and pastas, we scanned the penne Creole with andouille sausage and Cajun shrimp (a favorite of regular diners), the grilled peach chicken breast (another favorite, and a bargain at $12) and the guava-glazed roasted pork loin with chayote, onion slaw, and yucca cake. But in the end, certain favorite flavors enticed us -- the ginger-coriander and Thai chili in the duck dish ($17) for Bill, and the pineapple relish and coconut sauce in the salmon entree ($16) for me.

The slices of duck, brushed with a sweet/hot paste, were moist and delectable, blackened outside and pink inside -- so much so that Bill, duck aficionado that he is, couldn't stop saying, "exquisite." The meat was served atop rice noodles, along with sliced onions and peppers that took on the flavor of the ginger-coriander consomme in which they'd been tossed. Despite the generous appetizers we'd consumed, Bill did this dish justice.

My early hesitation about getting the salmon quickly disappeared with all the sweet and savory taste explosions of the presentation. Hints of fresh ginger infused the fish; the pineapple chunks played against the diced pepper in an accompanying relish; the "forbidden rice," a black rice cake, brought a risotto-like texture to the plate; and the coconut curry sauce united them. "Yum, yum" was all I could murmur between bites.

The dessert choices promised even more of the same melodious combos: lemon curd with Grand Marnier-soaked strawberries, Key lime pie with tropical fruit salsa, and Belgian chocolate mousse with caramel sauce. Perhaps it was because I'd already indulged in fruit tastes, or perhaps since I remembered Bill's love of anything chocolate and caramel -- whatever the reason, the mousse ($5.50) turned out to be a fabulous hit with Bill, not quite so much with me. I'd forgotten that Belgian is not bittersweet, and I'm a dark chocolate devotee to the core. But for those whose tastes are slightly different, this dessert is certainly a treat.

Haven Hill Cafe recently turned from a BYO into a full-service restaurant, with a small, but select, wine list. This diner-like space, with just over a dozen tables, is dressed very low-key -- buff walls with green accents, tiled floors, a natural wood ceiling, and natural wood tables -- the better to focus on the food, my dear.

I would, however, suggest a bit more emphasis on snappy service. Not that we'd ever want to rush the chef, mind you. It's just that one waitress can't be expected to give her full attention to so many tables at once. So, if you plan an evening that combines Haven Hill with a movie or the theater, give yourself enough time for a relaxing meal. Better still, grab some friends and make Haven Hill the entire outing. Just graze your way through that terrific menu.

Issue Date: October 5 - 11, 2001