It�s great when a new restaurant has a theme it wants to pursue, while also retaining loyal customers from the eatery�s previous incarnation. In the case of the Quarter Bar & Grille in Narragansett, these two goals make an interesting menu � with fried calamari and Boon Street Buffalo wings appealing to fans of the former Terminesi�s (a Boon Street stalwart for more than 20 years), and sweet potato fries and fried oysters introducing a bit of the South to those same diners.

That�s just for starters. Owners Marc and Bob Cinquegrana hired John Sweeney, a Culinary Institute of America grad, to create a few entr�es reflecting the Creole and Cajun cuisines of New Orleans, while using Louisiana ingredients such as tasso ham and andouille sausage in other dishes ("swamp skins" are baked potato skins topped with cheese, scallions, and tasso). Thus, the menu lists jambalaya, with andouille, shrimp, and chicken; "seafood fil� gumbo," with shrimp, scallops, crab, fish, and garlic sausage; "shrimp Creole," described as a spicy etouffee; cornmeal-crusted catfish; trout with a pecan-bourbon glaze; and "bayou brisket," prepared with a Cajun rub. For those looking for non-Louisiana-style food, there are house-brined pork chops, Black Angus sirloin, roast chicken with Proven�al herbs, and four "local favorites" in a separate section of the menu: fish and chips, chicken or eggplant Parmesan, and baked stuffed flounder.

We made our first choices from several categories: sweet potato fries ($5.50), under "tasty vittles," a small Caesar salad ($4.25), and a cup of black bean chili ($2.50), listed under "sides." The "kick it up a notch" section has oysters (on the half shell, as "shooters," and fried with shallots and spinach), two versions of calamari, crab-stuffed shrimp, and grilled portobellos with prosciutto.

Bill loved the spices in the soup, and the Caesar salad was good, with fresh-made croutons. We both dove into the fries, which came accompanied by a smoked chili aioli, like mayo with a bit of chili spice. I preferred the fries without it, though I didn�t notice any Cajun spice dusting, as announced in the menu description, just too much salt for my taste. I wanted to appreciate the sweet potato itself in among its fancy toppings, and that was sometimes hard to do.

For the main part of the meal, Bill went for the gumbo ($18.50) and I for the chicken and dumplings ($12.95). He loved the smokiness of the broth in his gumbo, though it wasn�t as hearty with darkened roux as we�d had in South Louisiana. It was thick with seafood, however, with mussels and clams, as well as shrimp, fish, and a crab claw. Bill didn�t notice scallops or sausage, and the "cheesy rice" was replaced by red beans and rice on the side. But he liked those just fine. Another note on the gumbo: it�s listed as "fil� gumbo," but the fil�, which is powdered sassafras leaves, and usually served on the side, was not in evidence.

My chicken and dumplings surprised me with their yummy a-la-king-tasting broth and vegetables, bits of red and green peppers, and onions. The boneless chicken was tender and delicious. The dumplings, though, were much too heavy, not the light, melt-in-your-mouth kind that I associate with this dish.

Desserts are not yet made in house, but the Key lime pie, plain cheesecake, and triple-chocolate truffle cheesecake have been chosen with an eye to other favorites among Rhode Islanders.

The Quarter has a New Orleans feel to its d�cor as well as its food � though co-owner Marc is quick to point out that only 35 to 40 percent of the food is in that vein, and none of it has a very high cayenne or jalape�o quotient. The entire restaurant was rebuilt, with a horseshoe bar, wooden wainscoting, murals by local artist Linda Rogers, panels of colored glass, and tall wrought-iron chairs at some tables. It feels somewhat like a New England neighborhood hang-out (like Term�s always was), but with the light, bright feel of someplace in the sunny South. It�s non-smoking throughout the restaurant, except for a small screened porch toward the back (completely closed off from the dining rooms).

On the weekday evening we were there, the place was packed, but the noise level inside was fine. Lunches have also been hopping, according to Marc Cinquegrana, who�s been involved in restaurants with his father since he was a kid. His father used to own the Bon Vue, the Beachcomber, and Schiller�s on Point Judith; Stacy�s Pancake House in Mariner Square; and then Arctic Fish & Chips in West Warwick. Marc himself was involved with the Beach Street Caf� at the Village Inn in Narragansett. Both Cinquegranas are pleased with the enthusiastic response from local residents. They got interested in New Orleans cuisine through Emeril and the Food Network, and they�re hoping to spread the word through their new establishment.