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.

BELLA, 1992 Victory Highway, Glendale (568-6996). Glendale. Not the chicest city on the map, certainly. Nor is Bella's ambience bent toward visual bourgeois pleasure -- half of the establishment houses a banquet facility, whose traditional layout carries over into the dining room. But food is the point, no? Alone, our appetizer of Carcinofini Ripieni ($6.95), with its creamy crab-stuffed artichoke hearts served in garlic butter, was worth the trip. The veal entrée ($21.95) was a bit dry, but it was topped with mushrooms, jumbo shrimp, glazed onions, carmelized carrots, brown sugar, and then a pair of polenta pieces that were cooked perfectly -- crispy outside and soft inside. The pasta primavera ($10) was sautéed with roasted garlic, broccoli crowns, onions, sliced mushrooms, red peppers and artichoke hearts, all tossed with penne in a buttery wine-lemon sauce. Simply satisfying, and even better the next day as lunch leftovers. For dessert, the luscious slice of carrot cake ($4) was loaded with walnuts, carrots, and had a unique spicy nutmeg flavor. The slice of chocolate cake ($4) was heaven: a layer of dark over milk chocolate on top, chocolate mousse at the center and sandwiched in between, and moist, rich cake. Out-of-this world. (3/99)

GREEN TEA, 5600 Post Road, East Greenwich, 884-3340. Unlike with other cuisines, finding a good Chinese restaurant among the many in the state is like your appetite finally winning the culinary lottery. (At one thriving place in South County, little frankfurter rounds have been found in the fried rice.) That's why our recent visit to Green Tea was such a pleasant surprise. The four chefs in the kitchen are from New York, including one who has a half-century's worth of experience cooking, and the overall emphasis is on Szechwan and Hunan. On the night we went, our party of three was satisfied with all three of the main items we shared. The "Lemon Sesame Shrimp" ($10.95) had a marvelously tangy sauce that the accompanying broccoli soaked up nicely. The "Hot and Spicy Chicken" ($10.95) -- translate "hot" as "mild" on this menu -- contained green rather than the red bell peppers promised, but the kitchen more than compensated with plenty of black mushroom caps, rather than the "shreds" described on the menu. All but the house specials are available in half orders, with fried or steamed rice and an egg roll, for the price of a full order. (12/97)

MI GUATEMALA, 1049 Atwells Avenue, Providence (621-9147). The foods of Latin America and the Caribbean islands are on the rise in Providence, and Mi Guatemala's intriguing dishes take you on a south-of-the-border journey far beyond tacos. The soups include beef, hen, chicken, egg, cow-feet and tripe in large, shareable portions. Appetizers tend to be heavy on the meat side, too, but the tamalitos de chipilin ($1.75) -- a soothing steamed corn lump mixed with a mild Guatemalan mint -- and the pupusas chapinas ($2) -- soft, cheesy tortillas served with steamed cabbage and tomato sauce -- offer a delicious break from meat. We tried three entrées. The first was pepian ($6.75), a chicken stew with a pumpkin seed sauce that was mild-flavored and accompanied by rice and warm tortillas. The second was the tipico nacional ($9.99), thin pieces of pork that are quick-fried after being marinated in annato and garlic for a day or so. It came with everything -- rice, beans, soup, salad, etc. Third, there was the pollo con crema ($7.49), chicken stew cooked with onions, sweet red peppers, and sour cream. It was wonderful. Mi Guatemala has so much more, too: sweetened, hot-milk drinks ($2), fried plantains ($1.75), a great bar of Guatemalan specialties. The excursion up Federal Hill carries you across time and distance. And it's quite a trip!

NEATH'S, 262 South Water St., Providence (751-3700). Cambodian-born Neath Pal worked at Al Forno, and helped start both L'Epicureo and Grappa. Any doubt his own place could be anything but first-rate? Neath's combines New England ingredients with Asian preparations to make for a stunningly innovative cooking style. West-meets-East in dishes like steamed littlenecks in miso and kombu seaweed broth ($8). Our shrimp-and-shiitake-filled dumplings ($7), steamed then grilled, were delicious. The sea bass ($19) was moist and thick, and had been marinated in soy, ginger, garlic, and fermented black beans. Pal combined the disparate ingredients with finesse. The braised lobster ($23) had been removed from its shell and prepared spicy with coconut milk and red curry. It was a marvelous balance of hot and sweet. The dessert was also innovative -- three fried chocolate wontons ($7) that were to die for. The wrappers weren't chocolate, but the filling sure was. Bittersweet and heavenly. Accompanied by three cruelly small balls of ginger ice cream. On a plate drizzled with tangy raspberry syrup. I'm sorry; I'll stop. (3/99)