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.

BASIL'S, 22 Kingstown Road, Narragansett (789-3743). Food fads can come and go, but Basil's has remained unwavering in its focus on continental cuisine, with a decided list toward Paris. Crete-born chef-proprietor Vasilios Kourakis, who has known what he liked since opening this restaurant with wife Kathleen in 1984, taught himself how to prepare and has retained a menu that's a savory homage to the classics. You can begin with escargots Bourguignonne ($8) and end with baked Alaska ($6 per portion, with a minimum of two; order it that morning). In between, there is beef stroganoff ($18), wiener schnitzel ($19), steak Diane ($24), and the restaurant's specialty, duck a l'orange ($19). There's a six-page wine list, although just three reds and three whites are available by the glass, and an intimate 30-seat dining room. The Atlantic salmon ($20) was cooked to perfection and accompanied by a sliced red bliss potato, crisp green beans and coins of fresh carrots. Desserts are mandatory after this kind of indulgence, and the "Coup Basil" ($7) provided just the right touch of excess -- vanilla ice cream, topped with strawberry sauce, bananas, apricot and coconut flakes alongside a Pirouette stick Luscious. (12/99)

JAKE'S BAR & GRILLE, 373 Richmond St., Providence (453-JAKE). Jake's has established a pleasant presence since opening in July in a former garage in the Jewelry District. With a long bar and a dozen tables set nearby on an elevated dining area, the renovated space is airy, casual and bedecked with changing works by local artists. Jake's menu features the traditional bar round-up of appetizers, burgers, soups, salads and sandwiches, along with a batch of entrees -- including lemon sesame chicken ($10.95), grilled pork chops ($11.95), seared yellowfin tuna ($12.95), baked penne pasta ($9.95) -- that are served after 5 p.m. The kitchen's flare is most evident with nightly specials, such as shrimp risotto with tomatoes and garlic ($14); prosciutto and caramelized onion ravioli in a Sambuca cream sauce ($13); and grilled salmon in a soy-cilantro sauce with rice and roasted vegetables ($14). Jake's steak ($13.95), a grilled 10-ounce sirloin strip, was tender, well-seasoned and cooked on request to a perfect medium. Despite a few miscues, Jake's is off to a promising start in carving a niche among Providence's most-loved saloon-eateries. (11/99)

MEXICO, 948 Atwells Avenue, Providence (331-4985). Part of a Latino enclave on the west end of Atwells Avenue, Mexico is popular with students, neighborhood residents and anyone seeking Mexican food that is not Cal-Mex, Tex-Mex, or otherwise Ameri-Mex. Since moving to this location in 1997, the restaurant's decor has brightened considerably with colorful representations of Mexican-Indian gods and heroes painted directly on the walls. Though English-speaking staff are scarce, the menu reassures with translations and familiar dishes. With many varieties of tacos, burritos, tostadas, quesedillas and 10 other "main dishes" -- none over $8 -- Mexico is also a bargain. Chicken tamales in red sauce ($4.50) featured a large portion of flavorful shredded chicken. Chile rellenos ($6.50), a substantial poblano pepper stuffed with mild white cheese and then lightly fried, was served with a delicious red sauce, along with tasty pinto beans and rice. Other favorites include the mushroom, zucchini or potato quesedillas, the seasoned ground pork tacos and the tongue gorditas. Mexico offers nothing fancy or nouvelle, just the basic ingredients, simmered and seasoned as they were, no doubt, in the kitchen of proprietor Pepe Garibaldi's grandmother.

NEW RIVERS, 7 Steeple St., Providence (751-0350). With all the increased competition in town, New Rivers still has no trouble standing out. This restaurant has stuck to its culinary virtues for more than 10 years in the intimate space where Al Forno was born. Ingredients remain the best and freshest, the extensive wine list is trustworthy, and the menu is eclectic, drawing from Far Eastern accents and ingredients as readily as from Latin or Italian. New Rivers' version of calamari ($10) takes a fascinating Asian turn: the grilled squid is miso dressed and served with sweet rice, pickled radish and roasted peppers. Pot stickers ($10), five fat dumplings steamed and then pan-browned, stuffed with minced lobster, ginger and lime leaves, are also excellent. Only eight entrees are offered, but every taste preference will get at least a few choices. Pumpkin tortellini ($16, or $19 with chicken), served in a mushroom broth and dessert-sweet, were accompanied by wild mushrooms and bits of roasted vegetables. Bulgogi ($19), a form of Korean barbeque known literally as "fire beef," featured a hefty portion of fork-tender, full-flavored skirt steak slices, marvelous over sticky rice, that were marinated in a soy sauce-sesame oil blend. New Rivers is also worth a visit for their desserts alone -- all kitchen-made, time-tested and scrumptious. (11/99)