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.

OLIVES, 108 North Main St., Providence (751-1200). The calorie counter went out the window as soon as our appetizer arrived -- "Jamaican Jerk Chicken Wings" ($6.95). Served with a light coconut-cream dipping sauce, the wings were tender, tasty, and not overly spicy. As for entrées, Olives has an impressive number of vegetarian choices, in addition to their more traditional burger creations. The portobello burger ($6.95) featured large mushroom caps lightly seasoned and dipped in herbed bread crumbs on focaccia bread buttered with a basil-mustard sauce. For meat-eaters, the "Glenn Miller: Mediterranean Burger" ($7.95) offers an amazingly thick and juicy beef patty mixed with minced onions, garlic, bread crumbs and romano cheese. Add dessert and a drink and an evening at Olives becomes a much-needed trendy option for a night out in Providence. (8/98)

PAKARANG, 303 South Main St., Providence (453-3660). By all reports, Thai people, as a culture, are gentle folks, with a rep for being the sensualists of Southeast Asia. That sure shows in their cuisine, which is demonstrated with lip-smacking finesse at Pakarang. For starters, the "Pakarang Sampler" ($3.50) is a tasty choice that offers two each of three items available full-portion. The Pakarang rolls are fried spring rolls with a delicate, minced filling served with a "spicy turnip sauce." The main dishes are diverse and exotic, from wild boar with basil sauce ($9.25) to five varieties of duck, including one in a hot tamarind sauce ($12.25). The portions are filling, so you might not have room for the stuffed rambuton or fried ice cream ($3). But that shouldn't be a problem. It just means you'll have to come back again to this fine restaurant. (8/98)

ROJELIO'S RAILWAY CAFE, 196B Shannock Rd., Shannock (364-9250). Annie and Rojelio Morales used to cook together at another country eatery on Route 112 in Richmond. When this spot next to the Shannock Post Office opened up two years ago, they decided to make a go of it with such south-of-the-border breakfasts as huevos rancheros (quesadillas stuffed with scrambled eggs) and papas con huevo (scrambled eggs and homefries in a flour tortilla) and lunches from chimichangas to fajitas. After a few months, they added Friday night dinners, which are usually so packed that it's best to quickly reserve what you want, especially if you're interested in the guacamole or home-baked pie. (8/98)

THE SCHOOLHOUSE, 14 Narragansett Ave., Jamestown (423-1490). This restaurant sits on the languorous streets of Newport's modest cousin, Jamestown. Photos and artifacts carry through the schoolhouse theme -- the menu is divided into sections titled "opening bell, the primer, and dinner bell," and an old-fashioned school desk sits out front, below the posted daily specials. Owner/chef Tufan Oral came to the States more than 15 years ago from his native Turkey, and he is proud to offer several Middle Eastern dishes, including kofte (ground beef and lamb patties) and shish kofte (ground sirloin and lamb grilled on a skewer). In keeping with this ethnic emphasis, we chose stuffed grape leaves ($4.25) to begin our meal, as well as New England clam chowder ($3.50 a bowl). The grape leaves were stuffed with rice, pine nuts, and bread crumbs, and served with plenty of olive oil and lemon. The chowder, true to its name, had more clams than potatoes and was dreamily creamy. The large selection of entrées (Wiener schnitzel to veal parmigiana, baked cod to lobster ravioli, veggie couscous to sautéed duck) includes a variety of unique preparations that might leave you wondering "How'd they make that?" (8/98)

TWIN WILLOWS, 865 Boston Neck Rd., Narragansett (789-8153). This Narragansett institution is technically a sports bar, but it's also a family restaurant, as indicated by its wide assortment for finicky little eaters. How about this for listening to your customer -- popcorn ($1.50) among the appetizers! As for the adult selections, the fish and chips were not too greasy and didn't have too much batter. But the hit of the table was a special -- the pesto chicken wrap ($5.95). It was wonderfully tangy, with evidence of a lemony marinade under the creamy basil sauce. Before we left Twin Willows, we caught some sports action on one of several large screens around the bar and watched the bartender make a show of refilling a seven-year-old girl's Shirley Temple. We like Twin Willows. It's a place where you can bring an underage date, knock back a chocolate milk with her, and still feel like one of the guys. (8/98)