LAMOIA,

Is it just a Rhode Island thing, this lack of signage? First, you find your way into the Silver Lake neighborhood, tucked between Olneyville and Johnston. By sheer chance, you notice a valet parking board on the sidewalk. Even though it's been 18 months since co-owners Robert and John LaMoia renovated a former storefront/apartment building and opened it as a tapas restaurant, there's no sign out front for LaMoia. John actually likes it that way, he admits, keeping an air of mystery for those who discover this "buried treasure" away from downtown Providence. The spot is quite an oasis on a bustling multi-ethnic street --Wok 'n' Roll and Maya Azteca are nearby. When you enter LaMoia, you feel the simple elegance of a Continental bistro: exposed brick, tall weathered shutters on the upstairs windows, original art on the walls, grand piano in the corner, butcher paper over linen tablecloths. Immediately after you are seated, complimentary glasses of sangria appear, along with a complimentary tapenade with a basket of warm focaccia. You relax and begin to peruse the menu with the slow deliberation it demands.

Full review.