CAYLILY'S BISTRO,

In a spot that has seen three different restaurants in as many years, Caylily's Bistro looks like a keeper in our hometown. Owners Cathy and Jamie Dwyer named the restaurant after their two daughters, Caylin and Lily, and they are combining his culinary background (Johnson & Wales grad, stints at Newport's Ocean Cliff and Providence's Gatehouse), with her front-of-the-house warmth. Cathy has also given the decor a sunny, Tuscan feel, with the high tin ceiling painted brick red and the walls a golden yellow. The color scheme is picked up in the fabric of the comfy banquette and its many overstuffed pillows; in a more subdued way, in the natural wood and vinyl-upholstered chairs; and even in the two-tone roses on the tables. The banquette runs the length of the large windows on Main Street, with two topiary ficus trees (extending the Italian-motif) and several large peace lilies. Chef Dwyer has kept the menu compact, with a couple of evening specials, the better to ensure quality. And the night we were there, the quality was superb. Now, I'll grant you that the pan-fried calamari ($7) were different than the usual heavy battered ones, but I loved them. Squid rings dredged in cornmeal, served with lemon, parsley and chopped jalapeno peppers. Bill was more taken with the arugula salad ($7), which had sliced pears, glazed pecans, dollops of goat cheese, and a nice tarragon vinaigrette.

Full review.