09:59 AM EDT on Thursday, May 15, 2003

BY MERIDITH FORD
Journal Restaurant Critic

Rhode Island isn't called the Ocean State for nothin' -- miles of beautiful shoreline, from Newport to Narragansett, are the proof of that pudding.

Access to the sea makes Rhode Island not only a scenic and sportsman's paradise, but a food lover's as well, and there are plenty of places to enjoy the ocean's bounty while taking in the view.

Some are pristinely perfect for special occasions. Others are notable for their regional New England charm: I can't think of a better place to have a "shack attack" than in Rhode Island, where clam shacks dot the beaches and waterways, offering fried clam strips, fish, oysters and steamers.

Here are some of my favorites:

Castle Hill Inn & Resort
This prestigious property, with sweeping views of Narragansett Bay in Newport, has long been a place to dine out on special occasions.

Now the inn, once the summer retreat of scientist Alexander Agassiz, has been completely renovated.

Changes have been made to the mansion, built in 1874, that enhance the view of the Bay to the fullest. The dark bar has given way to more dining space, creating a second dining area that overlooks the water. (Don't worry. The large fireplace -- a favorite after-dinner nook -- remains.)

In addition, executive chef Casey Riley's kitchen has been enlarged and renovated to accommodate his expansive creativity.

Riley, a 1991 graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, crafts each of his dishes to accentuate New England ingredients. His New Mexico roots play an important role in his cooking, too -- he's quick to incorporate into a roulade of potatoes the fiery flavor of green chiles. But really, he grabs notions from just about everywhere and marries them well.

The spring menu, unveiled last month with the dining room's reopening, has Georges Bank scallops paired with beet, beet essence, shaved cucumber and parsley puree, as well as a second course of pan-roasted native clams with white shrimp, a fava bean-tomato risotto and a sauce made from a saffron-lobster reduction.

The Gatehouse
Once owned by Henry Kates, this stellar Providence spot overlooking the Seekonk River was bought last year by Jaime D'Oliveira and Ken Cusson of Mill's Tavern fame.

And as with Mill's Tavern, they have created another of the state's most sophisticated dining rooms. Renovated this past winter, the restaurant reopened in March.

All the old charm of the former Gatehouse has been preserved, but designer Kim Nathanson D'Oliveira's gentle touches -- lightening the walls and window treatments in the upstairs loft dining area, hardwood floors throughout and a complete renovation of the downstairs area that includes soft ecru coloring -- are all part of the new mood the Gatehouse offers.

The kitchen has been opened up to the dining room as well, and on any given evening, it's easy to spot executive chef Steven Marsella and sous chef Holly Dion creating kitchen magic.

This Batman-and-Robin-like daring duo is the team that put the Gatehouse on Providence's culinary map back in the '90s. Marsella left in 1999 to work for Kates in Florida, and Dion took over. Eventually she left to work at Ferns and Flowers in Warwick, where she created a splendidly demure menu.

It took Cusson and D'Oliveira to bring the two back together, and what a pairing it is: The menu is an elegant example of understated sophistication. Both love to cook Louisiana style, and there is a house-made andouille sausage among first courses that will rock your world: spicy, but not too, with just a whisper of smokiness. It's served with a wafer-like "jambalaya" cake that's pan-fried to perfection, made even better when dabbed with a bit of mustard sauce.

Second courses are stellar as well, and run a gamut of inspiration from Spain to Brazil: wood-grilled, Portuguese-style pork is served with clams, Alentejana-style, with garlic and sensuous potatoes; swordfish is paired with malagueta peppers and a spicy Brazilian-style shrimp sauce, rice and mango salsa.

Cafe Nuovo
There really isn't a better dining spot for WaterFire than at Cafe Nuovo, the place at the merge of Providence's downtown rivers where I've watched passersby covet the outdoor tables like sharks circling prey.

In the summer, these tables are envied -- and usually booked weeks in advance.

On summer evenings the experience is warm and luxurious, and it isn't just the view -- chef Tim Kelly's creations play a big part in this restaurant's attraction. Kelly has the rare ability of presenting exquisite plates with layers of flavor he draws from around the globe.

From Asia, he combines udon noodles with three types of Japanese mushrooms, artichokes and spicy stir-fried tenderloin. Classic Roman fare is veal covered saltimbocca-style with prosciutto di Parma, then stuffed with portobellos and served with a porcini mushroom sauce. From regional America he serves a roasted Long Island duck with lingonberry sauce, kumquat chutney and a pecan polenta "tamale."

Aunt Carrie's
Nestled next to the marshland at the opening of the channel at Galilee is Aunt Carrie's, a charming, lovable clam shack that makes its own apple pies and bakes its own bread.

It also offers dinners of fried clams, clam strips, scallops and shrimp, red and white chowders, succulent steamers with drawn butter, soft, hot clam cakes, French fries -- and New England shore dinners with lobster.

The food here is quintessential clam shack. It's quintessential Americana, too; whenever I go to Aunt Carrie's I feel a sense of place and belonging.

The food and the experience -- watching swans glide through the salt marsh while you dip tufts of the warm bread into the briny broth of a bowl of steamers -- leaves you with a sense of nostalgia for those sunny days of summer when nothing ever seems to go wrong.

Even when it does, you've got a slice of Aunt Carrie's cinnamon-laced apple pie to make you feel better.

Champlin's Seafood Deck
It's hard to argue with the laid-back appeal of a place that lets you eat in your bathing suit.

On the outdoor deck of Champlin's on a sunny summer day, wear sunscreen. And whether you wear your bathing suit or not, leave your belt at home -- it's just too easy to get stuffed on this perennial Rhode Island favorite's clam cakes.

The red chowder is a little spicy and packed with a punch of tomato flavor. The fried bay scallops are like little pillows of sea flavor, with French fries and cole slaw to round things out. Downstairs, candy and ice cream are available.

Some little pleasures make you glad you're alive. Munching on a flaky piece of fish and cracking open a plump, meaty lobster claw while drinking a cold beer on the top deck at Champlin's is one of them. Go early -- otherwise life's little pleasures can have long lines.

Evelyn's Drive-In
Heading towards Tiverton Four Corners on Main Road overlooking Nannaquaket Pond is Evelyn's Drive-In, an East Bay institution that has been serving fried fish, chowder and clams for more than 30 years.

The sign on the door says "air cond. dining room," but it's more fun to eat outside, near the big red school bus.

There's outdoor counter service, and the shell-lined parking lot can get crowded, even when the restaurant first opens for the season, with people ordering clam cakes and fried fish to go.

Inside, a fish tank -- its shiny glass surface usually dulled with children's fingerprints -- greets and beckons. It is almost always crowded here, too, no matter what time of day. Even so, there is rarely a wait: Evelyn's has almost as many waitresses as it does customers.

Lots of folks come for the lobster rolls, served in a thick, Texas-toast like bun. They're filled with enormous chunks of fleshy red lobster meat and barely enough mayonnaise to keep the whole thing together.

But I vote for the fried shrimp and clam cakes -- both are crispy fried on the outside and tender and plump on the inside. (Evelyn's is also one of those rare places that still serves chow mein sandwiches.)

There is white chowder, chock full of clam bellies and chunks of soft, starchy potatoes, onion rings and big, fat stuffies. There's even fried calamari, Federal Hill style.

What there isn't is attitude. Maybe it's that Evelyn's is only open from April through October, but the staff here treats everyone like family.

Flo's Clam Shack
Flo's is one of those old clam shacks (it's been serving since 1936) that has acquired a certain seasoned crustiness to its ambiance. Decorative touches like signs that say "attack quahog" and fish and tackle hanging from the walls and ceiling look as if they have been there for years, and nobody's heavy-handed with the dusting.

That's because they have their priorities straight: The staff is too busy frying up the some of the best clam strips around. The clam cakes aren't too shabby either. Ditto the robust chowders, especially the richly flavored white.

All this clam-shack noshing can be done inside or out, but if it's sunny, go topside. The view of Easton's Beach across the street, mixed with a cold beer and a clam cake, is hard to beat.

Quito's
In the summer, you can wait as long as two hours for any table -- inside or out -- at Quito's, a favorite clam shack on a tiny perch overlooking Bristol Harbor.

Why? Because of the plump, pink, fried shrimp. Because of the crispy, doughy clam cakes. Because of the crab cake sandwich, loaded with crab and seasonings and stacked with lettuce and tomato. Because of the breezy, casual atmosphere -- from the counter drink service, to the holding vats for sand crabs, to the tiny open kitchen that by the end of a busy evening is covered in dusting meal.

It's not hard to pass the time waiting for a table -- the walk along the harbor is as serene as life gets, especially when you know that at the end of your journey is a plateful of shrimp scampi over linguine.

* * * *

Aunt Carrie's, 1240 Ocean Rd., Narragansett. 783-7930. Casual. No reservations. Wheelchair accessible. Open for lunch and dinner daily except Tue from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Also open weekends in April, May and Sept. No smoking. Ample parking. V, MC. Highchairs and children's menu available. BYOB. $$.

Cafe Nuovo, One Citizens Plaza, Providence. 421-2525. Casually upscale. Reservations accepted; recommended on weekends. Wheelchair accessible; bathrooms off the lobby shared with the bank. Open Mon-Fri for lunch, Mon-Sat dinner. Smoking section. Valet parking for dinner; validated parking at lunch. V, MC, AM, DC, DIS. One highchair available; call ahead to make arrangements. $$$.

Castle Hill Inn and Resort, Ocean Drive, Newport. 849-3800. Upscale, with a jacket requested but not required. Reservations recommended. Wheelchair accessible. Open seven days for lunch and dinner, jazz brunch on Sun. No smoking. Ample parking. V, MC, AM, DIS, DC. Highchairs available. $$$$. Menu

Champlin's Seafood Deck, 256 Great Island Rd., Narragansett. 783-3152. Very casual. Reservations not needed. Not wheelchair accessible. Open seven days for lunch and dinner, hours will extend in the evening after Memorial Day. No smoking inside restaurant. Small parking lot, plus on-street parking and state lot available. V, MC. Highchairs. $$.

Evelyn's Drive-In, 2335 Main Road, Tiverton. 624-3100. Very casual. No reservations. No smoking inside, but allowed outside. Not wheelchair accessible. Open every day except Tue for breakfast, lunch and dinner from April through October. No credit cards. Parking available. Highchairs and booster seats available. $$. Menu

Flo's Clam Shack, Route 138A (Aquidneck Avenue), across from Easton's Beach, Newport. 847-8141. Very casual. No reservations. Wheelchair accessible. Open seven days for lunch and dinner Memorial Day through Columbus Day. Smoking allowed; no-smoking section. Ample parking. No credit cards (ATM available). Highchairs available. $.

Gatehouse, 4 Richmond Square, Providence. 521-9229. Casually upscale. Reservations recommended. Wheelchair accessible on the main floor and other access through an elevator on the river deck. Open Mon-Thu for lunch, Sat-Sun for brunch and seven days a week for dinner starting at 5 p.m. Smoking in the Riverdeck lounge only. Ample parking. V, MC, AM, DIS, DC. Highchairs available. $$$$. Menu

Quito's Restaurant, 411 Thames St., Bristol. 253-4500. Casual dress. No reservations. Dining room is wheelchair accessible, but restrooms are not. Open for lunch and dinner daily except Tue. Smoking allowed only on patio. Small parking lot plus on-street parking. V, MC, DIS. Highchairs and children's menu. $$.