The Best

Food & Drink

Best use for an empty space

The hole inside one of the plain, round morsels at Allie's Donuts in North Kingstown should prompt a semiotics Ph.D thesis someday. Something about the resignification of the void in the context of the sublime. Talk about your local institutions. The lines are still long, even though the two-lane road outside has no longer been the main route to the beaches. That's good, because before traffic thinned out, standing in line there could be hard on the ears, from the tire squeals and heavy-metal sounds of salivating customers impatiently crossing the oncoming. The hazard was worth it. Allie's donuts are different, not as good to freeze as others, but special fresh. The classic, unglazed ones are eminently dunkable. The all-chocolate one is light and not overly sweet. There are three dozen varieties, so you can come up with your own favorites. 3661 Quaker Lane (Rt. 2), North Kingstown, (401) 295-8036.

Best waitress under fire

You know how 007, after a hard day of car chases and saving the world from nuclear devastation, needs -- needs -- a perfect martini, stirred, not shaken? Well, one can need the perfect waitperson like that. Picture this. True-life experience. It's bitter winter, it's the middle of the night, one is in Deepest Johnston looking for a restaurant, hunger throbbing like extra heartbeats. The Little Inn beckons. Good menu, good rep. Unfortunately, the kitchen is having one of those entrée-delaying off-nights they all have. We later learn that one chef is in Aruba and a birthday party in the next room is being picky with off-menu demands. But our savior arrives in the form of 18-year veteran waitress Joann Marchionte. Stressed but patient. Never avoiding eye contact when we look up. Volunteering to mix some balsamic vinaigrette despite the rush. She is the kind of person tips were invented for. 103 Putnam Pike (Rt. 44), Johnston, (401) 231-0570, with Joann working Friday and Saturday nights.

Best year-round beach food

Rhode Island's oldest beach stand has become a modern-day classic. Built in 1924 as Gus's, Gaetano Gravino (nicknamed "IG" after his Rhody license plate) opened Iggy's Doughboys & Chowder House in 1989, and helped revive Warwick's Oakland Beach in the process. Aside from the consistently perfect clam cakes ($2.50 for a half-dozen and $4.25 per dozen), the menu has since expanded with an array of tasty appetizers (excellent stuffies at a mere $1.50), fried fare, and sandwiches, including lobster and clam rolls. The Iggy Burger ($2.75) is a greasy delight, with sautéed peppers, onions and cheese, and the red and savory white chowder (from $1.95 cup to $8.95 for a half-gallon) are equally delicious. And the doughboys are a genuine treat -- light and chewy, and doused with sugar. Whether enjoying a tranquil view of both bridges on the southern exposure, or partying hard during the annual 4th of July fireworks, festivities and mayhem -- Iggy's is worth the drive. The newly added panoramic dining room packs 'em in, and a second location recently opened in Narragansett. 889 Oakland Beach Avenue, Warwick, (401) 737-9459; 1157 Point Judith Road, Narragansett, (401) 783-5608, www.iggysdoughboys.com.

Best no-matzo chicken soup

The gaula soup at Thai Star could put to rest the worries of any Jewish parent. It's an earthy broth, wafting aromas of galanga (a ginger-like root), swimming with bean sprouts, and chockful of what seems a whole chicken breast of white meat. Gaula is, like any home-cooked chicken soup, good for what ails you, even if what ails you is but hunger. And if you're not sated by the soup, the menu gives you plenty more to choose from: curries, such as the highly recommended massamam with tofu; noodle dishes (pad Thai among them); chicken, fish, pork, or beef stir-fries with a wide variety of preparations. "Chef's favorites" include the medium-hot chicken lemon grass, with baby corn and bamboo shoots; the hot and spicy tamarind fish, batter-fried cod with red onions, green peppers and Thai basil; and the coconut soup with mushrooms and seafood. Mazel tov! 1088 Chalkstone Boulevard, Providence, (401) 421-5840.

Best place to let out your inner caveman

The long haul down Route 2 only feeds the hungry anticipation when gearing up for dinner at the Nordic Lodge, home of the "Giant Viking Buffet." Don't ponder the economics ($44.95 plus tax); this ain't Ponderosa. Soak in the beautiful interior while waiting for a table (tour buses from New York and New Jersey are a common sight); all is forgotten once the waiter (more like an eagle-eyed busboy) gives the green flag. The grill room serves up some of the best filet mignon and prime rib -- it's butter knife worthy. The Lodge has immaculate serving stations, a friendly and attentive staff, and some of the best seafood Li'l Rhody has to offer. Everything is top-notch, from the smoked mackerel and octopus salad apps to the Häagen-Dazs ice cream bar (included in the price). Even if you can't devour your body weight in lobster tails and baked stuffed shrimp, the Nordic is a sight to behold and, more importantly, worth every penny (while exceeding any and all expectations). To gorge on good food is glorious, but know when to say when -- please, don't be that guy in the parking lot. 178 East Pasquisett Trail, Charlestown, (401) 783-4515.

Best place to crack lobster claws

In this age of marketing finesse and branding savvy, it's understandable if you assume that Harbourside Lobstermania is the worst name choice since Prince called himself a thingamabob. However, don't give up on the restaurant. Yes, the name is off-putting. Yes, the owners are as proud of it as parents of a newborn cooing up at you with a nose that could break your arm. But be thankful. Not only are their lobsters fresh off the boat docked outside, the kitchen knows how to boil or bake them to perfection. Sweet, no more chewy than necessary. And the rest of the seafood is as good. So forgive them. Refer to the place by its first name. Bear in mind: Harbourside Lobstermania was named in 1971, on the cusp of the Age of Disco. Be thankful there are no glitter balls in the dining room. Water Street, East Greenwich, (401) 884-6363.

Best movers of endless lines

Instant hits are hard to come by, but Brickley's Ice Cream knew it was in that league when the large parking lot at their new Bonnet Shores location filled up on weeknights the first week they were open. So savvy Steve Brophy, the co-owner and founder with his sister Maureen Tholander of the original Brickley's in Wickford, hired enough college and high-school students to keep those lines moving. For example, 15 people ahead of you can be moved through in about seven minutes, giving you barely enough time to decide among Brickley's 48 options, including sugar-free flavors, frozen yogurts and sorbets. The fruity ones -- banana, peach, ginger -- are excellent. But the chocolate brownie (with added cocoa), the Almond Joy-like chocolate coconut almond, and the malted milk ball (with chopped-up Whoppers) are show-stoppers. A bargain tip for the indecisive: you can get a home-packed pint for $3.50 and ask those expert scoopers to layer two flavors. 921 Boston Neck Road, Narragansett, (401) 789-1784. Open early March to the end of October, 12 to 9 p.m., and weekends in November, Friday and Saturday from 12 to 9 p.m., and on Sunday from 12 to 7 p.m.

Best known use for salt

And that includes whatever preservative qualities helped the Dead Sea scrolls survive. The margaritas at Don José Tequilas in their cute little cactus-decorated glasses would be just as alcoholic without that coarse red salt around the rim, but why mess with success? The place is a very good Mexican restaurant, but proprietor Jaime Gaviria takes enough pride in this sideline that tequila gets billed up there with the founder. For a reasonable $4.50, the house margarita is made with José Cortez (the gold label is 50 cents more). What the hell -- try a pitcher for $16 ($18 for gold). Fresh lime juice, of course. The very idea of packaged mix is banned from the premises. If you're into quality rather than quantity, you might try one of his top-shelf sipping tequilas, such as the 100-percent di agave Don Julio Blanco, for $8. Jimmy Buffett, get some class. 351 Atwells Avenue, Providence, (401) 454-8951.

Best oasis of funk and kitsch

There's a time for fancy and there's a time for funky in restaurant surroundings. If the prospective father-in-law is an investment banker, maybe the dour portraits and stock ticker over the bar at Capital Grille wouldn't hurt. But sometimes you want to relax into a meal, not sit up straight and make sure your elbows stay off the table. At Salvation Café in Newport, you can have some visual fun between appetizer and entrée as your eyes land on entertaining details: A small fountain that Caesar's Palace would be proud of, with a naked nymph surrounded by dripping netting. A Gulf service station sign that used to be across the street, alphabet refrigerator magnets attached. A hair dryer helmet is at the ready above a booth, as if awaiting a hungry but time-pressed Divine. And so on. Just don't be too diverted to notice that the food's really good. 140 Broadway, Newport, (401) 847-2620.

Best pizza with a past

Before there were "designer" pizzas, there was Sam's Pizza. Sam Mascena began the business in 1947 and passed it along to Sam, Jr. about five years ago (though Sam, Sr., 78, still works there four days out of five). About 60 percent of the pizzas sold at Sam's are cheese and pepperoni with tomato sauce, but white pizzas with veggies are climbing the charts. An aglio-olio sauce with fresh-grated romano is the base for all of Sam's white pizzas. But the six variations on that theme are to pizza what Bach was to the harpsichord: definitive. "Little trees" has broccoli with fresh mushrooms; "primavera" boasts three seasonal veggies and two cheeses. The winning nickname goes to "Mr. and Mrs. Popeye" ($8.75 medium, $11.50 large), with fresh spinach and black olives (for Olive Oyl).Sam's also has dinners ($4.25 to $7.50, no kidding), grinders, appetizers (fried smelts on Fridays), and a new "wheatza," with a 50-percent whole-wheat crust. 149 Bradford Street, Bristol, (401) 253-7949.

Best place to hookan Italian tuna

A friend (half-Swedish, half-French) recently inquired about my calling in an Italian tuna grinder from Cosimo's Italian Eatery & Deli. "Guy, you eat tuna in tomato sauce? That's nasty." My head spun, but I declined a proper explanation ("It's tuna in an IROC with hair on its back") on what has become a weekly craving. A small sub ($3.99 and $4.99) is a meal itself, over-stuffed with tuna at the perfect consistency with extra virgin olive oil, roasted peppers and olives, and a hint of celery -- simple yet extravagant. Add slabs of fresh mozzarella and hot peppers, along with the chewy crust of Cosimo's fresh-baked torpedo roll and the contrast of textures provides for a memorable sangwich. The pizza, prepared dishes (amazing sausage and peppers sold by the pound), and some damn good meatballs are all equally enticing. 287 Legris Avenue, West Warwick, (401) 826-7997.

Best May breakfast pies

Pies for breakfast? Rhode Islanders never get enough of a good thing, especially when it comes to food. First they set up their own tradition -- May breakfasts -- and then they add as many possible accouterments as they can to bacon and eggs: jonnycakes, muffins, baked beans . . . and pie! Mind you, not every May breakfast serves up pie, but plenty of the church-based ones do. And for pure variety and collective centuries of pie-baking experience, the ones at the First Baptist Church in East Greenwich can't be beat. Volunteers from the Women's Alliance made 77 pies this past May to feed the usual turnout of about 600 breakfasters. When the portable pie cart is wheeled past your table, you might have a choice of six or so from the following variations: cherry, pumpkin, pecan, raisin, cranberry, apple, apple-cranberry, blueberry, sweet potato, blackberry, chocolate chip, lemon meringue, custard, or coconut cream. How can you go wrong? The event is usually held on the Saturday closest to May 1 from 6:30 to 10 a.m. at Pierce and Montrose streets, East Greenwich, (401) 884-2322.

Best chance to understand Cro-Magnon man

Face it, leaf-nibblers. As virtuous and morally evolved you might feel when devouring a nice, juicy Gardenburger, deep down you've always been hearing a primal siren call. And 'fess up, carnivores. Decorously cutting into a prime rib at your local chophouse is a pale sublimation for your real desire -- chomping into the haunch of fleeing mastodon. While it may be too late for the former, the latter still have the opportunity to connect with their inner beast simply by driving to Bristol. From mid-October into January, folks at the HotPoint Restaurant will set a wild game dinner before you. At one time or another over that period, they will offer venison and ostrich, of course, but also the less common elk, wild boar, and even kangaroo. The waitstaff has been instructed to discreetly avert their eyes, ignoring any noises you emit. 31 State Street, Bristol, (401) 254-7474, hotpointrestaurant.com.

Best dessert to pucker your lips

Whenever chef/owner Bruce Tillinghast waves his magic wand over the menu each season at New Rivers, the results are spectacular. Dishes emerge from the kitchen with a tango for the tongue, a tarantella for the palate, and an Asian song for the taste buds. But the year-round keepers are the desserts, designed by Bruce's partner, the late Pat Tillinghast. These include the plate of homemade cookies (ginger snaps, butter cookies, lemon crescents, and chocolate drops among them), the praline ice cream (with carmelized sugar, sliced almonds, and rum), fresh-churned ice creams (the huckleberry is quite decadent), and the all-time winner, the lemon tartlet with fresh berries. This tarte is delightfully lemony, in a buttery pastry shell, with no soggy meringue nor distracting whipped cream on top -- just distinctively tart raspberries. New Rivers' entire menu is so delicious, you may find it hard to save room for dessert, but this is one time when it's a must! 7 Steeple Street, Providence, (401) 751-0350.

Best puh-tay-diz an' eggz grinda

Simply stated, Carmine's Sub Shop on the Cranston/Johnston line (across from the now-defunct $3 Sports Bar) serves up a damn good sangwich. Local goombahs savor the flavor of Carmine's potato and egg grinder with peppers and onions, cooked to perfection and served on a fat torpedo roll. Get it covered in cheese and pepperoni, or drenched in ketchup and/or hot sauce with a can of pop for under $5. Subs on the one-size-fits menu (everything's listed as "medium") are made to order seemingly in seconds. The most popular grinders on the menu are the "Lumberjack specials" ($4.25): a week's worth of carbs stuffed with potato, onion, and peppers with hot pastrami, chicken, kielbasa, steak, or Italian sausage. Carmine's is the perfect culmination of Greek and Italian influence, from wieners to escarole omelets to a "New York-style dog" with onions and kraut for a buck. No frills, from the service to the paper plate presentation. Even the schedule is straightforward -- Monday through Saturday, 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. 310 Atwood Ave., Cranston, (401) 942-9600.

Best place to neutralize gender roles

If there's anything yummier than a tasty appetizer you haven't had before, it's a whole tableful. The Cantonese discovered this way before the Spanish, and dim sum portions are smaller, so you can sample more. At King's Garden, you don't follow the traditional procedure of picking items from a passing cart, the bill tallied from the pile of plates. But looking over color photos in the menu and checking choices on an order sheet works even better. There are dozens of items for $2.25 and a few for $2.95. Everyone should order the fat, steamed shrimp dumplings. Also recommended: sticky rice stuffed with goodies and wrapped in a lotus leaf, pan-fried eggplant, and mashed taro dumplings. You know the place is authentic when the waitress says that they sell a lot of the ducks' feet in oyster sauce. 90 Rolfe Street, Cranston, (401) 467-8916.

Best beer you can chew

Actually, Trinity Brewhouse's chocolate stout, a recurring offering, is lighter bodied than all that. But for a guy's kind of dessert, or liquid appetizer, it's just the ticket. The chocolate is just hinted at, although Guinness purists might shake their heads nevertheless. At 8 percent alcohol, it's twice as flammable as some of the other beers. Trinity, which bills itself as the state's largest brewery, has an interesting offer for regular customers. For $35 a year, you get your 25-ounce mug filled up at the pint prices, plus wings Mondays for just 10 cents per. (If you feel like more than a snack, try the portobello sandwich, slathered with pesto.) They always have six to eight brews on tap, and if you happen by at the right time, you can see some of the beer-making process taking place at the vats behind the bar. 186 Fountain Street, Providence, (401) 453-2337, www.trinitybrewhouse.com.

Best meal for the indecisive

With tapas at the Aquaviva EuroBistro, you can have one of everything. In Spain, diners saunter from tapas bar to bar, savoring sherry and nibbling the dainty portions. The Spanish tradition of lots of little dishes instead of a main course is carried out in sleek style at Aquaviva, its industrial-modern furnishings softened by the moss green background. And oh, the choices. Cold or hot. Italian as well as Spanish. Mostly priced between $6 and $10. Try the gambas al pil pil, shrimp in a roasted red pepper sauce; butifarra con brevas, Catalan pork sausages with figs; or one of the several bruschetta. Choose among a dozen sherries to sip with the meal, or have a wine sampler. In the Rhode Island tradition of Hungry Man portions, the servings are larger than the tapas in Barcelona. Rather than ordering fewer dishes, you'll do better bringing a bigger appetite. 286 Atwells Avenue, Providence, (401) 273-8664.

Best culinary use of mud

They claim to be the only restaurant in the country to cook in unglazed terra cotta. That the La Locanda del Coccio restaurant should be so proud of clay cookery traces back to the Etruscan roots of Italian cuisine. The process lends itself to being fat-free, for a healthy bonus. Try the brodetto alla marchigiana, which is seafood baked in a fresh tomato sauce with bay-leaf-infused vinegar. Or the Calabrian rigatoni alla pecorara, baked with veal stew. Chef/ proprietor Walter Potenza also specializes in Jewish-Italian cuisine, offering some recipes that have come down through centuries of Jewish mothers in Rome, which has had a Jewish community since at least 50 BC. Some dishes thought of as Italian had their origins in the ghetto. He points out that eggplant and fennel were brought to Italy by Jews in the 1400s. 265 Atwells Avenue, Providence, (401) 273-2652, www.chefwalter.com.

Best culinary use of mud and curry

No, the Indian Club is not a Narragansett casino. It's an East Greenwich restaurant specializing in the cuisine of southern India, a feature of which is tandoori, as in meat baked in a tandoor, a clay oven. Cooking in that region usually avoids the clarified butter common on the subcontinent, and favors steaming and baking. Often marinated for many hours, baked dishes retain moisture and flavor. Such preparation is responsible for the exquisitely flavorful, red-colored, chicken tikka bhuna, the fresh ginger and garlic spicing things up. The tandoor also comes in handy for the lamb bhuna and lamb kabob masala, sautéed and served in a tomato cream sauce. In chicken masala dosai, the tandoori chicken is minced and served with a tasty lentil preparation and coconut chutney. Check them out and think about replacing your backyard barbecue. 451 Main Street, East Greenwich, (401) 884-7100, www.theindianclub.com.

Best pedigreed jonnycakes

Food fights don't just happen in college cafeterias. In 1920, state legislators almost came to blows over the correct spelling, the correct recipe, and the correct grain for Rhode Island jonnycakes. To be spelled without the "h," stoneground white flint corn must be used, and to be authentic West Bay jonnycakes, they must be made by pouring boiling water over cornmeal and thinning them with a bit of milk. That's the way Iva Reynhaut's Exeter family has always made them and that's the way she serves them at Jigger's Diner. Her dad, Ronald Bailey, grows and grinds the flint corn that go into Jigger's jonnycakes. Crisp around the edges, soft and corny in the middle, these cakes are a great substitute for breakfast meats. Or they can be swathed in syrup to cap a great brunch. Other breakfast favorites are gingerbread pancakes, compile-your-own omelets, fresh fruit cups, and the well-browned home fries. 145 Main Street, East Greenwich, (401) 884-5388.

Best dessert requiring a designated driver

All right, it is cheating. In the best of worlds, a dessert would not resort to liquor or even chocolate to woo us. In the gustatory paradise many dream of -- not to be confused with the Pig Heaven of common palates -- taste buds would be as discerning as bloodhound noses, and lemon soufflé, say, would offer the consistency of cumulus yet pack the Platonic Ideal of tang. Short of that, one could make due with far less worthy a taste sensation than the Fra Angelico cake at Caffé Itri. You have a massive wedge of butter-rich pound cake with your hazelnut liqueur, big enough to share. And if it's been one of those days and you require booze and a phenylethylamine high, the Knightsville restaurant also offers a chocolate Kahlua cake for the same $4.95. Just be prepared for the waitstaff to cut you off. 1686 Cranston Street, Cranston, (401) 942-1970.

Best nam pla source near the beach

There you all are at the beach house. Half of you want to do a clambake, the other half are up for Chinese takeout. Why not compromise and gather the ingredients for a traditional Thai clambake? Just kidding -- but not by much. While it is no longer exotic for rural supermarkets to stock more than one brand of soy sauce, you usually have to forego your craving for lichee nuts when out of the cities. The simply named Oriental Market in West Kingston has changed that in South County. They stock dried anchovies and shrimp, oysters and octopus. There are choices of sesame oils, chili sauces and, of course, noodles. And without urban mark-ups, there are some wild bargains. Dried, salted duck eggs? A half-dozen for $1.69. While ginseng is expensive elsewhere, here a whole root marinates inside a $1.59 bottle of honeyed beverage. 3362 Mooresfield Road (Rt. 138), West Kingston, (401) 782-8898.

Best traitorous breakfasts

Popular legend assigns the invention of eggs Benedict to Mrs. LeGrand Benedict and the maitre d' at Manhattan's Delmonico's Restaurant, when the Benedicts wanted something new for lunch. Still a favorite brunch item, it can vary widely depending on the skill of the egg poacher and the lemonosity of the Hollandaise. The chef at Annie's in Newport has come up with some great variations on the egg-English muffin-ham-and-sauce combo. One is called the Crow's Nest, which substitutes corned beef hash for the ham or Canadian bacon layer. The Bellevue Benedict slides in a beef tenderloin for the meat and foccacia for the muffin. Annie's also has the standard breakfast fare, served with yummy toasted Portuguese bread, and 15 different omelettes -- one with chourico, tomatoes, and peppers, while another features beef with black olives and three cheeses. They also offer delicious quiches and intriguing sandwiches. 174 Bellevue Avenue, Newport, (401) 849-6731.

Best stick-to-the-ribs bread

If Americans ever entered a bread competition -- notwithstanding some of the new artisan breads -- they would lose hands-down to the Eastern Europeans, those originators of dark, dark sourdough rye, a bread so dense it's a meal in itself. For more than 50 years, a Brockton (Massachusetts) bakery (Montello Baking Co.) has been turning out a Lithuanian dark rye that could singlehandedly sustain human life. And for the past five years, Schroder's Deli in Riverside has been importing it (delivered fresh on Fridays -- look for the large half-loaf that's unsliced for maximum flavor). Schroder's is well-known for its generous sandwiches, homemade luncheon and dinner items (turkey and stuffing, lasagna, chicken pot pies), and desserts (old-fashioned Grapenut pudding). It's take-a-number time from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4 to 6 p.m., but it's always worth it. One friend's all-time dream is to find herself locked inside Schroder's for the night and eat her way down the aisles. 204 Willett Avenue, Riverside, (401) 437-1610 (they will fax you a menu).

Best food posing as clouds

Amateur cooks recognize a good gnocchi when they meet it, for they know how easily this tiny Italian dumpling can turn into a stomach-sinker. There's never a problem at Mamma Luisa's, where Gourmet magazine once asked for owner Marco Trazzi's recipe. It comes from his native Bologna, where his mother, grandmother, and all five aunts have been chef-restaurateurs, and it combines ricotta with spinach in a cloud-like puff that is delicately sauteed and then served with a marinara sauce. With a nod to his own dietary preferences, Trazzi also includes vegetarian and vegan dishes on his Italian menu, such as seitan (wheat gluten) stew and butternut ravioli in a sage and pine nut sauce. A salad highlight enjoins radicchio and arugula, plus dates, walnuts, grapes, and goat cheese. The mascarpone mousse is a must, and the wines, including the dessert wines, are excellent. This homey place with the homey name delivers far more than most homes. 673 Thames Street, Newport, (401) 848-5257.

Best things to do inside a pita

The best way to learn Greek numbers when you're in Athens is by the amount of souvlaki sandwiches you need to order. With nine souvlaki possibilities on the menu at Andreas, you might want to practice those numbers again. Lamb souvlaki comes roasted or broiled; beef, pork, chicken, sausage, and fish are broiled or grilled; plus there's a garden souvlaki and a roasted veggie and cheese variation. All are on grilled pita bread with plenty of tsatziki, the ubiquitous yogurt-cucumber-garlic sauce that enhances anything it touches. Other Greek specialties at Andreas are kabobs, moussaka, spinach pie, stuffed grape leaves, marinated octopus (watch those suckers!), egg-lemon soup, and gyro sandwiches (filled with spit-roasted ground beef and lamb mixed with herbs). Another great thing about Andreas is its window-on-the-world of Thayer Street, especially from the outside tables. What could be better than pita and people-watching? 268 Thayer Street, Providence, (401) 331-7879.

Best chance to live forever

When Chris Brown discovered that the best way to nurture her body was through a vegetarian, dairy-free diet, she set out to share her knowledge with other people. To that end, Brown offers a six-part series of cooking classes in the fall and spring through her whole foods cooking business, the Natural Choice. Brown has brought her nutrition and culinary expertise to many venues, but she holds these small-size, big-gain classes in her Warren home. The three-hour Sunday afternoon sessions cost $30 to $35 and can be taken individually or as a series. You can choose from "Satisfying Soups," "Glorious Grains," "Plant Protein," "Italian Classics," "A Traditional Japanese Meal," and "Delectable Desserts." (The latter two take are on November 26 and December 10; the series begins again in late January.) Learning how to make your own nori rolls (veggie sushi) is worth the whole series. For more information on classes, workshops, private cooking, or consultations, call (401) 245-8443.

Best noodler

Even their names are culinary verse: fettucine, capellini/cavatelli, tagliatelle. And chef Ralph Conte's way with pasta is nothing short of poetry. Conte, chef/owner of Raphael Bar-Risto, chooses ingredients as carefully as some choose words. Thus the cavatelli has Sardinian ricotta; the fettucine, Genovese basil. Always looking for unusual accents, he throws a dash of black truffle oil on the eggplant ravioli, a splash of marsala into the cannelini bean puree. Eloquently expressing himself through the food he serves, Conte looks for new ideas and combinations -- he takes chances. He flambés the shrimp ravioli and finishes them with Osetra caviar. He adds a lagniappe of littlenecks to his signature lobster fra diavlo. Conte is a free-verse chef: duckling and pistachio ravioli, smoked salmon pizza, olive mousse, caramel gelato. Just don't get too engrossed in the descriptions -- at some point you have to order! 1 Union Station, Providence, (401) 421-4646 and 5600 Post Road, East Greenwich, (401) 884-4424.

Best sort of fowl mood

What the Rockettes are to high kicks, Wright's Farm Restaurant on the Woonsocket-Harrisville border is to lock-step chicken dinners. As in 75 ovens turning out tons of succulent birds every year. Thanks to the Galleshaw family, which began it all in 1972, the atmosphere is intensely efficient but friendly. Served family-style, big bowls of shell macaroni in tomato sauce come out first, followed by French fries that have never seen a freezer, and piles of the fresh-baked chicken. The six dining rooms and banquet halls can seat 1600 people. Get there on a weekend instead of a calmer Thursday night and you'll believe it -- the image of a jam-packed chicken pen unavoidably comes to mind. But what the hell. A little irony and empathy is a small price to pay along with only $7.95 -- that's not a typo -- for all you can eat. 84 Inman Road, Harrisville, (401) 769-2856, www.wrightsfarm.com.

Best Southern road trip

Sometimes you have to go north to get South. A contradiction? Perhaps. But this proved to be the case when my buddy Java and I briefly got stuck in West Palm Beach during our Kerouac days. To reach truly Southern points, such as Savannah, Georgia, we had to steer our drive-away car north -- away from the transmogrified character of south Florida, which resembles Long Island more than the American South. You can replicate this idiosyncratic experience with a fraction of the drive time and still find a plate of plate of top-notch barbecue waiting at the end of the road. Just hop on Interstate 95 north to South Attleboro, and make your way to Memphis Roadhouse. Bite into that nice hunk o' corn bread and you'll forget how the highway outside resembles every other stretch of sprawl in the land. Chew some 'cue and you'll feel even better. For added effect, crank up a little Hank Williams or Bo Diddley while patting your belly on the ride home. 383 Washington Street, South Attleboro, Massachusetts, (508) 761-5700.

Best restaurant to get into a food fight

They might not even notice at Bugaboo Creek, which magically transports patrons a remote hunting lodge. The decor is jam-packed and unremitting: fishing creels and duck decoys, cross-country skis and snowshoes, photos of guys standing over their trophies, and more antlers and animal heads -- a bison, for Pete's sake! -- than you can shake a PETA flyer at. The food is what you need when the incisors start tingling -- heavy on the steaks and ribs, with a grilled salmon alternative if your rush of testosterone has ebbed by the time you order. 30 Jefferson Boulevard, Warwick, (401) 781-1400; 1125 Fall River Avenue, Seekonk, Massachusetts, (508) 336-2200.

Best sustained dining motif

Their menu doesn't stress seafood, but Three Fish doesn't let you forget its name. Not that dining at this reservations-recommended-culinary-high-point-of-southern-Rhode-Island-and-easter-Connecticut fades easily from memory. Their treble-piscine logo is stamped on the wall pattern; your pat of butter is shaped like a fish; and, at meal's end you get Gummy fish in lieu of mints. Their namesake image, three keepers stacked as if displayed on ice, is taken from the crest of the Town of Westerly. There are several suggestions about the crest's origins, the most likely being the original name of the town, Misquamicut, which means "place of the salmon." Three Fish bills itself as "A River Restaurant," and the Pawcatuck flows beneath its windows -- alas, sans the once bountiful presence of its migrating totem. 37 Main Street, Westerly, (401) 348-9700, www.threefish.dine.com.

Best 'cheap and yewge'

Once a starving college student -- scrimping on the food budget to boost the CD budget -- always a restaurant bargain hunter. And as soon as you discover Salas' Dining Room, whether a sophomore or a dot-com millionaire, your penny-pinching standards are set for life. Even its name suggests the bountiful family-style platters that are its specialty. An Italian restaurant, it sells pasta by the pound -- literally. Topped with marinara sauce, it comes in quarter-, half-, and one-pound servings for $3.75 to $8.50, with meatballs and sausage 50 and 75 cents apiece. Their pasta also is good with clam or anchovy sauce ($4.50 to $9.50). But the most popular offering is their "oriental spaghetti," with fried rice-inspired varieties such as veggie, chicken, and pork ($4.95 to $12.45), plus shrimp ($5.25 to $13.45). And if that just reminds you of how much you like fried rice itself, they serve heaping piles of that, too. 345 Thames Street, Newport, (401) 846-8772.

Best revenge on those garden-munchers

Bunnies are so cute (think Thumper, et al.). Until, of course, the first time they wipe out your pea patch. Then, anything goes. If you find yourself in the acute stages of rabbit rage, head to Trieste and order the "rabbit with baby favas." Note the emphasis on "baby" favas, just like the "baby" peas that got munched by You Know Who. Trieste's chef sautés rabbit tenderloin, wraps it in pancetta, and serves it with braised rabbit leg confit in a roasted carrot reduction, with the favas and a garlic-parmesan risotto. At $24.95, this dish may seem a bit pricey for revenge. But Trieste also offers delicious pastas and seafood from $15.95 to $18.95. And if your sympathies still lie with the pea-o-cidal lapins, there are some darn good vegetarian options at Trieste. One last way to soothe your aching gardener's heart is a dose of Trieste's chocolate fondant, a cake with a warm chocolate center ($7.95). 359 Main Street, Wakefield, (401) 783-9944.

Best way to play spy over hash browns

There's this old-fashioned enamel kitchen table at Johnny B's Diner that has a secret compartment. OK, so everybody knows about it, but it's still way cool. Over the years, folks have left lots of notes, both messages to specific people and missives to the world. James's mom writes him that she wants to go to bingo every Monday; to her auntie, Rene winces at the prospect of army food. A 15-year-old explains the meaning of life; another kid complains about her broken leg; two screenwriters brag over breakfast about their "brilliant ideas." The food is great (the lemon-ricotta pancakes with raspberry butter are to die for), and the decor is entertaining (Broadway musicals posters, enough artificial flowers and evergreen garlands for a Mardi Gras float). If you forget your secret decoder ring or the table is taken, a homemade "Texas-size" muffin can cheer you right up. 1388 Cranston Street, Cranston, (401) 944-4650.

Best end for a citrus fruit

>When it comes to the duck a l'orange at Basil's in Narragansett, it's not so much the duck -- skin crisp, flesh succulent -- nor the clever way the classic recipe cuts the grease of the fatty fowl. What's so special is the combination: haute cuisine so trite it's right, in its perfect setting. The ambience of Basil's isn't something you look around and take in as much as it's something you wear, like a sweater (cashmere), that a doting grandmother places around your shoulders. Forest green wallpaper shows off an old-fashioned rose pattern, with more flowers in the gilt-framed still lifes. The decor is so timeless you expect Renoir to be touching up the prints of his paintings on the walls. An orange should feel honored to meet its end in such a posh and cozy place. 22 Kingstown Road, Narragansett, (401) 789-3743.

Best scenic meal

Some feel strongly that the best views of the water are at places where you can, so inspired, consume the submerged inhabitants. Others praise the effects of mirror-calm ponds, whether or not the occasional frog plop inspires a haiku. Hammerhead Grill offers both. The Point Judith Lighthouse is off in the distance, on an arc of sand that holds off the deep and briny. Cattails sway near you in estuary waters, and swans drift by with their cygnets in the spring, as though auditioning for a post card photographer. Far-off cruise ships prompt vacation reveries. Perhaps a weary kayaker in the foreground looks your way, smacking his lips. When you get jaded, feasting your eyes on all that scenic beauty, simply drop your eyes to your dinner plate and feast for real on that striped bass in butter and wine sauce. 1230 Ocean Road, Narragansett, (401) 789-6159.

Best bar food in a place you wouldn't expect it

Here at the Phoenix, we're pretty unabashed in our fondness for Nick-a-Nee's. The denizens are friendly, the jukebox (10 plays for a buck, lots of blues and country-tinged rock) is a winner, the bar has that as-comfortable-as-your-living-room thing down pat, and it's within easy striking range of our office. This said, a place with a jar of pickled eggs near the bar doesn't always inspire culinary confidence. But the inexpensive homemade fare at Nick-a-Nee's is mighty toothsome, from the seafood stuffies, served with lemon wedges and Tabasco on the side, to such hearty specials as minestrone soup and steak chili. Give the credit to Elaine and Ray Finizia, the parents of proprietor Stephanie, who take obvious pride while cooking up an unpretentious mix of everything from broccoli rabe to sausage and peppers. 75 South Street, Providence, (401) 861-7290.

Next best thing to an authentic Philly cheesesteak

Smack dab in the middle of Six Corners in E.P. resides a Rhody landmark, Sax's Steak & Pizza, where belly-buster steak sandwiches reign supreme east of the Liberty Bell, home of the infamous rivalry between world-renowned Philly cheesesteak joints Pat's and Geno's. Sax's take-out window is plenty active, so study the numbered menu before ordering. Sax's offers every feasible steak sub combination at unbeatable prices (grab a small cheese pizza too for a nominal $2.95). A side of fries ($1.35 and $1.95) is good company with a #7: cheese, onions, and smothered in chili ($3.40 and $4.70), or the classic #10 with mushroom, onions, and cheese ($3.75 and $4.95). A large #13 with the works ($5.25) is an inconceivable mammoth of a sandwich, a gastronomical (utensil-worthy) tank built for those with an equally (abnormally?) large appetite. Pencil in some serious naptime afterwards. 324 Waterman Avenue, East Providence, (401) 434-3523.

Best transformation of a sunflower seed

There are certain people who believe that these seeds are for the birds, but thank heavens, the bakers at Grateful Bagel are not among them. They admit that they don't quite understand what happens to the texture of a bagel when sunflowers are in the dough as well as on top, but it becomes wonderfully chewy, with a sourdough-like crumb. The toasted seeds on top are like the cherry on a sundae. Other bagels include salsa jalapeno, cinnamon sugar, sesame, poppy, tomato-basil, spinach-broccoli, onion, garlic, and "loaded." Grateful Bagel bakers also turn out as many as seven different kinds of bread -- wheat grain is the most popular, with 100 percent whole wheat flour, oats, bran, sesame seeds, and sunflower seeds! They also have delicious scones, muffins, cookies, turnovers, pizza slices, stromboli (stuffed bread), and locally-named sandwiches. The Cliff Walk, an all white-meat chicken salad with onions and apples, is the customer favorite! 1227 Kingstown Road, Peace Dale, (401) 789-5420.

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