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.

GALLIMAUFRY, 143 Point Street, Providence (521-4433). For the last seven years of our commuter existence, we have counted on one place for a soothing soup, a hefty sandwich on home-baked bread, or a spur-of-the-moment cookie indulgence -- Gallimaufry Good Food. Now that this delectable deli has moved up Point Street a few doors, added indoor tables and air conditioning, and expanded, owners Pat and Paul Millette have come up with some catchy ideas to hook customers like us on more than their brownies. Each weekday they offer at least two take-home entrées du jour, plus other specials, from soups to desserts, that are advertised throughout the establishment on flyers and bulletin boards. Take Thursday, June 26: the soups were cream of broccoli/leek and black bean veggie; special entrées were Mediterranean chicken and oven-fried chicken. Later, in the quiet of our own kitchen, we found both chicken dishes quite delicious, though the Mediterranean in particular won our hearts with its lemony overtones. Take-home entrées and side dishes are priced by the pound at Gallimaufry -- the chicken dinners with dessert cost us a bargain-basement $15.42. By keeping their over-the-counter format and maintaining a bustling catering trade (from takeout lunch platters for 25 to full-blown catered wedding receptions for 150), the Millettes have built a loyal clientele that is only too happy to see them move to roomier digs. (7/97)

NICOLE'S, 555 Atwood Ave., Cranston, (944-2500). No matter how many Italian restaurants crowd Rhode Island like so many cannelloni on a plate, there always seems to be room for one more. One of the latest is Nicole's in Cranston, and it's another winner. Nicole's bills itself as a bistro and banquet restaurant -- the former signaling informality, the latter, efficient mass service. Among the appetizers are some interesting choices. One is a loaf of twisted garlic bread, to be dipped in a pool of Gorgonzola cream sauce. Calamari ($7.50) is listed as "grilled marinated squid" to avoid sounding prosaic, and it is served on a bed of warm mesclun salad. Facing the flames of the open-hearth oven in the open kitchen, we couldn't not try a wood-oven pizza. The one with eggplant ($8.95) proved a fine choice. The wood smoke also did impressive work enhancing my split half-roasted chicken ($8.95). All in all, you can eat well here for little. The highest priced items, sirloin umbriago and marinated duck, will run you $16.95. (7/97)

OLD HARBOR BAR & GRILLE, 566 South Main St., Providence (751-3000). There's a really cool new restaurant on South Water Street. We should keep this a secret, especially since we really enjoy not waiting for a table on a Friday night. But it's going to get out sooner or later. The Old Harbor Bar & Grille is one flight of stairs below street level, where the Cactus Grille used to be. The entire space is open and airy, with the bar and dining areas naturally flowing together. For appetizers, we tried the honey-chili barbecued jerk shrimp with grilled mustard seed pineapple relish ($8) and the white beans and roasted tomatoes on garlic bruschetta ($4). The shrimp had just the right amount of zip, and the accompanying pineapple relish was refreshingly cool. The bruschetta itself, with a hint of garlic, was tasty as well. For a main course, we recommend the grilled tuna ($12), a meaty steak marinated in ginger and soy sauce that has a deliciously sweet taste and a marked tenderness. The baked scrod ($9) is also good -- light and flaky and the perfect choice for a warm summer's evening. (7/97)

SPANISH TAVERN, 1 Beach St., Narragansett (783-3550). When Spain moved out of the Village Inn a couple of years ago, two employees opened the Spanish Tavern in its place. On our recent visit, we were pleased to find that more than the tradition of fruit juice in wine coolers had continued. For an appetizer, we tried the steamed mejillones ($6.95), mussels served in a winy broth rich with diced onions. Other appetizers ($7 to 8) include grilled Spanish sausage, the one non-seafood offering, and stuffed artichokes, a special most nights that is quite popular. The menu entrées are evenly split among about two dozen seafood and meat choices. We were interested in the Spanish Tavern's traditional paellas and mariscadas. Indeed, the "Mariscos Cardebal" ($15.95) was hard to beat. Consisting of half a lobster tail, four huge and tender sea scallops, and a few medium shrimp, the dish was smothered in a pink lobster sauce as creamy as bisque. Overall, the service was friendly and attentive, and the sangria was superb. (7/97)