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.

THE ECLECTIC GRILLLE, 409 Atwells Ave., Providence (831-8010). A good place for local celebrity watching (Channel 12's Karen Adams was spotted on this particular visit), the Eclectic Grille has a distinct NYC feel. The restaurant is airy, with a bar and open grill area in the back, and the crowd is cosmopolitan. The fried squid appetizer ($7.75), served on a bed of red-leaf lettuce with a creme fraiche, was lightly fried and delicately seasoned. Ordering the spinach linguine with mushrooms, spinach, black olives, zucchini, summer squash, roasted peppers, and plum and sun-dried tomatoes ($12.95) is akin to ordering a garden. The dessert lottery was won by the cheesecake -- sprinkled with sliced strawberries and a strawberry liqueur sauce, it was incredibly smooth and creamy. Two cups of tea ($1.75) later, we closed the restaurant down.

HILLTOP CAFE, 404 Wickenden Street, Providence, 273-5300. The Hilltop Cafe can best be described as your neighborhood cafe. You know, the kind of place where the staff knows your name. Located on Wickenden Street, where Troye's used to be, the restaurant has an informal pizzeria feel to it with its black-checkered tableclothes and booth seating. And the wall decorations -- a mural and travel posters of Grecia -- make the Greek influence clear before you even peek at the menu. If you're into experimenting, try the "Chicken Souvalki" ($5.25), a Greek specialty sandwich featuring grilled marinated chicken, tomatoes, and onions rolled in a thick grilled pita. The grilled chicken breast ($6.95) is a little more traditional, but still delicious -- tender, lightly marinated chicken cut into strips and tossed with ziti in a butter sauce, then sprinkled with Romano cheese. For dessert, the apple pie is a buttery confection with big chunks of cinnamony apples and a terrific, flaky crust. Each forkful simply melted in our mouth.

LA CAMELIA, 92 Waterman Avenue, East Providence, 434-1225. La Camelia is one of those small, unglamorous, out-of-the-way spots that nonetheless enjoys a loyal following -- professors and grad students were prevalent the evening we visited. The restaurant has survived 16 years on the strength of its reputation for carefully prepared dishes and the heartfelt hospitality of co-owners and chefs George and Guylaine Moukhtarian. Indeed, the Moukhtarians offer Middle Eastern meals far beyond the usual hummus (ground chickpea and tahini dip) and falafel (ground chickpeas shaped into balls or patties and deep-fried). From the 11 meat and seafood offerings, we tried the "Spring Lamb Shish Kabob" ($12.75). The two generous kabobs grilled to medium had been marinated a la Armenia -- with much garlic and a pinch of hot pepper. They were served on a bed of homemade rice pilaf. For our second entree, we tried the grilled quail ($12.75). These small birds had been split open and skewered, with many of the tiny bones removed, and then expertly grilled with a garlicky marinade. As for dessert, we started the meal with a basket of complimentary roasted pistachios and ended it with Guylaine's homemade baklava ($1.50), also filled with pistachios. The dessert was terrific. Overall, plan to linger here -- the pace is unhurried and genteel.

THE PARKSIDE, 76 South Main Street, Providence, 331-0003. The Parkside Rotisserie & Bar has grabbed one of the best locations in Providence. Across from the courthouse park and at the start of the Water/Fire walk, it's hard to miss. But, praise the gods of culinary delight, there's more going for it than location. The Parkside opened a year ago this month, where Amsterdam's used to be. Its atmosphere, described on the menu as that of "casual elegance," is now the dominant personality of the Providence restaurant scene, signaling to diners that they will be treated with class but not stuffiness. Along with the obligatory grilled pizzas, there are two regular appetizers with Cajun touches. The crab cakes ($8.95) sound scrumptious, with "Louisiana spices" and a roasted-red-pepper-and-lemon sauce. Their calamari is also imaginative, with the Cajun-seasoned squid rings joined by a cooling corn-and-pepper relish. We tried the "Spicy Chipotle Sirloin" as one of our entrees. This center-cut was served rare, as ordered, atop a crostini graced with dollops of Mascarpone and Gorgonzola. The chipotle peppers (smoked jalapenos) worked nicely in the intense beef stock of the demi-glaze reduction. After our meal, there was no way we could do dessert, all of which is made on the premises -- from pumpkin cheesecake to to chocolate "pate." But, inspired by the sirloin, we'll definitely be back.