Chevy's Fresh Mex

This San Francisco-based chain of Mexican-themed restaurants has planted its first East Coast flag in our very own backyard <197> a colorful homage to the usefulness of corrugated and pressed tin, with faux awnings inside and out and bejeweled lamps over tables and booths. The color scheme of yellows, oranges and greens is oddly inviting, and the bar area and dining rooms glow with energy. And speaking of energy, this is a kid-friendly restaurant, with displays of desserts-to-come at the entrance, a display of prickly cacti, which may provide a painful lesson for some curious tykes, and a centerpiece tortilla-making machine that is quite entertaining, and a nice symbol for the kind of food served here. The children's menu features items under $5, including burgers, and simpler, milder dishes, and even a simple Spanish-English glossary section, a thoughtful touch. We started dinner with a warm basket of complimentary tortilla chips, served with a roasted tomato salsa, a more finely chopped version of what passes for salsa these days. This salsa had soul, with a mellow burn that kept us asking for refills. We ordered a Fresh Mex Sampler ($9.99), comprised of fiery, gooey chicken wings; airy chicken quesadillas; sensational hand-rolled tamales, one with chicken, in a tomatillo sauce, another with pork in a searingly hot chile meat sauce; a generous mound of chicken fajita nachos with beans; and chunky pico de gallo, with the requisite guacamole and sour cream; a terrific platter of sharable food, more than enough for four. We ordered several different versions of fajitas for our entrees. These fajitas were as good as I've ever found anywhere, with the good smoky flavors of mesquite grilling (a specialty of Chevy's), ample portions, and plenty of those freshly made tortillas for wrapping one's chosen combinations. My selection ($10.99) was a mix of grilled Tropical Chicken, served with pineapple and other fruits, and Grilled Pork Loin, marinated in pineapple, but served with caramelized apples, bacon, onions and jalapeno jelly. This was a mouth dazzler and an impressive value. Mesquite Chicken and Grilled Steak fajitas (both $10.99) were surprisingly moist, and not overpowered by mesquite smoke. The real treats were the fresh tortillas, warm, almost buttery-nutty, and addictive, having been made minutes before on the machine stationed in the middle of the main dining room. One of our party ordered an ordinary-sounding combination platter (only $7.99!) of a chicken taco, wonderfully light, and plump with smoky chicken; a beef and pepper chimichanga, lightly fried and greaseless, and wonderfully huge; and a beef burrito, rich with good corn flavor and piquant sauce; not so ordinary at all at this surprisingly good new restaurant. -- Rich Pawlak Liquor license, outdoor tables, open daily for lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch. Drink specials, half price appetizers, Mexican buffet -- on the happy hour, weekdyas from 4 to 7 p.m. Reservations and credit cards accepted.

China Chef

Lunch Monday to Saturday, dinner daily. BYOB.

Crystal Diner

Huge portions at unbelievably cheap prices. Usually packed, it almost always has the tell-tale sign of a cheap-and-good diner parked out front: namely, a police cruiser. Fresh breads on the table are a favorite feature. Half-portions can be ordered. Open 24 hours.

Denny's

You've been there, you know it, it's Denny's, there are pictures on the menu of the items on offer, it's open all the time, they have breakfast, burgers, sandwiches, salad, and chicken fried steak. Breakfast any time. Open 24 hours.

Enzo's La Piccola Cucina

From humble beginnings in 1983 as a pizza and sandwich place (hence 'the little kitchen'), Enzo's has grown into a popular destination for classic southern Italian seafood, steaks, chops, and pastas in an unpretentious, casual setting. It's right off the Trenton Circle in a location that makes everyone who goes there for the first time feel absolutely convinced that they have discovered something that the rest of the dining public has missed. Go to Enzo's for the Seasoned Button Bread, a big hunk of Italian bread with butter, garlic, and cheese baked in. Other appetizers include fried calamari, fried mozzarella, roasted vegetables, or antipasto for two. The entree menu is extensive, with chicken, veal, and pasta dishes, plus house specialties that include zuppa de pesce over linguini, sausage giambotta, a homemade sausage fried with peppers, onions, and potatoes, and calamari Livornaise, which is fresh calamari sauteed in a light tomato sauce with capers, mushrooms, and onions. There are also daily blackboard specials. And their pizza still draws raves. BYOB. Lunch Tuesday to Friday, dinner Tuesday to Sunday.

Friendly's Restaurant

Golden China Restaurant

Szechuan food, open Monday to Saturday for lunch, daily for dinner. BYOB.

Golden Empire

Hunan, Cantonese, Szechuan menu items. Open Monday to Saturday for lunch, daily for dinner. BYOB.

Java Moon Cafe

Sandwiches, salads, pasta entress, seafood, chicken, stir frys, espressos, milkshakes, more. Open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

KC Prime Restaurant and Steakhouse

This was formerly known as Seasons, among other titles, and because it has a huge bar is popular as an afterwork meeting place. It got a good review for 'generous' helpings and 'impeccable' service in the Trenton Times. Billed as a 'New York style steakhouse, it serves aged prime beef from Chicago stockyards, cooked in the open kitchen. Lots of imported and Belgian beers, big wine list. Open daily for lunch and dinner plus Sunday brunch. Liquor license.

Lamberti's Cucina

Open daily for lunch and dinner with fresh grilled fish a specialty. Smoking and nonsmoking areas available. Credit cards accepted. Private rooms for parties. BYOB.

Michael's IV Family Restaurant and Diner

When you are really hungry it's nice to know you can enter an eatery and set right to work on the salad bar, $5.95 for lunch with soup. BYOB. Dinner entrees start at $7.

Mozzarella's Cafe

Part of a chain and more pricey than you'd expect for a restaurant in a mall, but then it does have a liquor license. It offers made-from-scratch soups, grilled items, also pastas, gourmet pizzas, salads, sandwiches. Good desserts. Open mall hours.

New Szechuan Garden

Characteristically extensive Chinese menu featuring all the major cooking traditions of China -- Cantonese, Mandarin, Szechuan, and Hunan. Recommended dishes include sesame chicken, General Tso's chicken, and shrimp, chicken, or beef Hunan style, all about $10. BYOB. Weekdays for lunch, dinner daily.

Olive Garden Italian Restaurant

A big place, but cheerful, with Cinzano umbrellas and comfy seats. It's a chain and has all the standard pasta and meat dishes. A plus for the hungry is unlimited salad and garlic sticks. Daily for lunch and dinner. Liquor license.

Palace of Asia

Relocated January 2003. Trenton Times describes as 'a serene spot' with 'marvelous' food, royal chandeliers and sconces, marble entrance, and silver columns. Attentive service. New banquet room.

Passage to India

The handsome menu invites diners on a culinary journey, and indeed it offers an amazing variety of taste treats from all regions of India. It is very popular with expatriates and other devotees of Indian cuisine. Snack on lentil donuts steeped in yogurt, napped with a sweet and sour tamarind chutney, sprinkled with cumin seed powder and fresh coriander, $4. Then choose from Chicken Vindaloo, at $11.75, a Portuguese-influenced curry from the 'Beach City of Goo,' $11.75. Or Lamb Pasanda, with lamb marinated and vacuum simmered in a mild yogurt sauce flavored with onions and tomatoes. Diwani Handi, dubbed 'the mischievous cooking pot,' a melange of interesting vegetables in a mild curry sauce, $8.95. Four-course tandoori specials are $20, three-course Thali meals are $15. Plenty of options for vegetarians. Liquor license, full bar, credit cards accepted. Open daily except Monday for lunch and dinner. Reservations suggested.

Red Lobster Restaurant

Part of the well known chain. Open daily for lunch and dinner. Liquor license.

Simply Radishing

A great favorite among many readers in our survey for good value, Simply Radishing offers an interesting feature: the bread bar, where you'll find four kinds of fresh-baked bread and four butter spreads for your grazing pleasure. On the menu, you'll find many salads and pastas, plus such items as chicken marsala, blackened chicken, various kebabs (steak, shrimp, scallop, chicken, and veggie), and fettucine carbonara. Open Monday to Saturday for lunch and dinner. BYOB. Dinner entrees start at $10.

Vidalia

A charming spot with just 11 tables and tasty food. Start your meal off with, of course, Vidalia onions, $6. Dinner entrees run $15 to $20, and might include pan-fried veal over fresh sauteed spinach. BYOB. Open for lunch and dinner, Tuesday to Friday; dinner only Saturday and Sunday; closed Mondays. No smoking. Salvatore Scarlata bought the restaurant in the fall of 2005 and changed the decor.

Banzai Hibachi & Sushi Bar

Classic Japanese food with sushi bar, hibachi-cooked steaks and seafood, Japanese drinks, and private tatami rooms. Charlie Yeh is the head sushi chef here. Half-price sushi special at happy hour on Mondays and Wednesdays. Open weekdays for lunch, daily for dinner. Credit cards and reservations accepted, private rooms available, liquor license. Call 609-587-0454 for sushi bar, 609-587-5454 for hibachi tables. http://www.princetoninfo.com/sushi.html

Bill's Olde Tavern

Prime rib lovers, the 14-ounce is $9 and the 20 ounce is $11. Dinner for two with drinks is easily under $35 in this place that's smack in the middle of Five Points. Entrees range from $12 to $26. Though aluminum siding hides its antique origins -- it's more than 200 years old -- the interior does have the low ceilings plus a big fireplace. On the 'porch' is a blue collar bar. The bar is open daily until 2 a.m. and the bar menu is available until 11 p.m. most day.

Golden Tea Pot

Both Chinese food and sushi bar here, with a Tuesday sushi buffet. No MSG. Jackie Lee earned kudos from the Philadelphia Inquirer's restaurant critic, Elaine Tate, when he worked in Deptford. He spent four months renovating this nook in a Hamilton shopping center, and indeed this brand new spot is now quite nice -- with a replica of a famous Chinese tapestry on one wall, green marbleized tables, and a cozy niche for the sushi bar. Lee doubles as the sushi chef, and the rest of the cuisine is Chinese. Even on a Monday night the fish passed our freshness test, and we were pleased with the meal. His enthusiastic response to our challenge was a special dragon roll. The price per piece of sushi (generally $1.50) is fifty cents less than usual and is comparable to the takeout at Sakura Express. A bargain for big appetites is Tuesdays, when you get all the sushi you can eat, served all day, for $16.99. You may have to wait for Lee to make your next order, but you order what you want, and the supply is unlimited. here. To get there, take Quakerbridge Road until it turns into Whitehorse Mercerville Road. Whitehorse Plaza will be on the right, and the restaurant is between ShopRite and CostCutters. BYOB. http://www.princetoninfo.com/sushi.html

Rat's Restaurant

Located next to Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton, this premier destination for elegant dining is the brainchild of sculptor and pharmaceutical heir J. Seward Johnson Jr. Newly built as an 'old world' village setting, with slate floors and rustic stone and woodwork, the goal is sophisticated dining in a picturesque, country inn type setting. There are numerous dining rooms and a lakeside terrace. The food has been termed 'the well-traveled French kitchen.' Menus range from a light-fare Cafe (with entrees as low as $9) to a full menu of five to seven courses that change with the seasons. A la carte menu also available. Diverse cheese course and innovative dessert menu. Wine list features 550 bottles that focus on small growers and original wines with extensive French Bordeaux and Burgundy selections. Open for lunch and dinner from Tuesday to Saturday, for brunch and dinner on Sunday. Liquor license. Reservations accepted. Excerpts from review by Nicole Plett published 1-26-2000 http://www.princetoninfo.com/200001/00126p02.html Aptly described as Johnson's 'pet project,' Rat's is named after a character in Kenneth Grahame's beloved children's novel, 'The Wind in the Willows.' This good-natured fellow is a water rat who lives in a cozy hole on the river bank where he is known for his kind hospitality and well-stocked picnic hampers. 'Believe me,' Rat tells a young friend, as they load a sumptuous picnic into his boat, 'there is nothing -- absolutely nothing -- half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.' The restaurant's logo imitates Rat's florid signature. Here the association with children ends; this is not a children's dining destination. Johnson's 'old world' village is actually a succession of connected buildings with half-timbered, peach-colored stucco walls set off by rustic stonework and slate roofs. The restaurant's four main dining rooms and outdoor terraces overlook his emerging replica of the French Impressionist artist Claude Monet's lily pond and garden -- complete with Japanese footbridge -- at Giverny. Come springtime, this decorative water garden is sure to become a premiere attraction. Inside Rat's, the choice of off-white stucco walls, huge rough-hewn timbers, stone, and woodwork is designed to imitate a French country inn. The architects have succeeded, where so many others fail, in creating an elegant ambience that is also eminently comfortable. Ceilings of varying heights, walls that are generously hung with paintings and tapestries, Oriental rugs on wood floors, upholstered seating, and wooden chairs festooned with cushions create a relaxing atmosphere. Two log-burning fireplaces add to the warmth. This is an ideal destination for conversation enlivened by excellent food, whether with a special partner or a group seated around one of the signature round tables. Rat's wine list focuses on the output of small growers. Among its more than 500 wines is an extensive selection of French Bordeaux and Burgundys. A wine-tasting room, its walls lined with climate-controlled glass-faced wine cabinets, is featured on the ground floor. It was my doubly good fortune to enjoy an elegant winter lunch in Paris, at the Bouillon Racine off the Boulevard St. Michel, last month. In many dining seasons in New Jersey, Rat's is one of the few meals to rival it.

World Buffet

Eclectic cuisine includes a sushi bar plus continental, Italian, American, and Oriental dishes. The buffet -- billed as the largest one in town -- costs $12.45 to $14.95, depending on the day. Private room available. Open daily. Next to Hamilton Farm.

Burrito Royale

Roadside Mexican.

Villa Liberty

A favorite spot for bridal parties, complete with winding staircase and gazebo on four acres on landscaped lawns. Seafood is a specialty here. There is not a separate children's menu, but ask and special pasta portions can be provided for your young ones.

Bennigan's

Typically Bennigan's is an atmosphere of corporate good cheer. It could feel somewhat plastic. The conviviality comes at attractively low prices even though the menu is a la carte. If you're over 50 you're likely to be the oldest person in the place. This Bennigan's is right by the turn off from the turnpike on Route 18 coming from the airport. Liquor license, Sunday brunch.

C.T.'s Bar B Que

'Owner Calvin Todd's wide selection of all things barbecue -- and his traditional sides, such as mac and cheese, collards, baked beans, potato salad, and the like -- is the real deal,' says food critic Pat Tanner (U.S. 1, May 4, 2005). 'Meats and poultry have that rosy-pink flesh all the way to the bone, which can only be achieved by slow smoke cooking. Pork and beef ribs and chicken are cooked until tender and falling off the bone, and the various barbecue sauces C.T.'s employs are sticky, slightly spicy, and not overly sweet -- that last a deal-breaker with so much of what passes as barbecue. Prices are a steal. Family meals that serve two voracious diners or three normal appetites and include two side dishes range from $13 for a whole barbecued chicken to $18 for a slab of spareribs. The ribs are my favorite, although the Memphis pulled pork sandwich runs a close second. Todd has added desserts such as sweet potato pie and a full line of hot breakfasts to his offerings. C.T.'s location at a prominent intersection should make it easy to find, but it is not. Here is advice: 'Look for KFC and the Value Center Plaza. Drive around and behind the KFC and look for a strip mall that includes Pizza Palace and Yummy, Yummy, a Chinese restaurant.' Open for lunch and dinner daily except Monday. Credit cards. BYOB. Wheelchair accessible. www.princetoninfo.com/200505/50504c01.html

Chardas Hungarian

'This modest but venerable spot has been dishing up honest, authentic Hungarian classics for 40 years,' says food critic Pat Tanner (U.S. 1, May 4, 2005). Look for three kinds of goulash, a breaded veal cutlet that 'surpasses the Wiener schnitzel of many finer restaurants, and at a fraction of the cost.' Entrees come with mashed potatoes or spaetzle. 'An 80-cent cucumber salad has paper-thin slices in a refreshing, perfectly-balanced vinegar and sugar dressing.' A recent dinner for four was $60 including four desserts. BYOB. Entrees from $5. Closed Wednesday. Seats 46. Cash only. www.princetoninfo.com/200505/50504c01.html

Clydz

'i like to drink martinis/ two at the very most/ three I am under the table/ four I am under the host' This bawdy verse by Dorothy Parker is the excuse for Clydz to specialize in 36 different kinds of martinis. Diners can expect to walk on a rose petal carpet leading to the steps downstaairs. Look for exotic meats including antelope among the entrees from $12 to $25, in Continental style.

Costa Chica Mexican Restaurant & Pizzeria

Costa Chica is 'a big, bright, airy casual restaurant on Handy Street,' says food critic Pat Tanner (U.S. 1, May 4, 2005). All the usual tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and enchiladas are in place, but they are set apart by the fresh ingredients and the balance between the ingredients. Costa Chica's fare is not the gloppy, gooey mess that is the hallmark of bad Mexican food. Diners can go far beyond the standard fillings, too. Goat meat, beef tripe and tongue, and extra-fatty beef are offered in addition to marinated pork, grilled beef, chicken, and sausage. Price is not an issue. A special mixed grill dinner of steak, shrimp, and chicken topped with fresh crema and cilantro and rounded out with excellent guacamole, refried beans, Mexican rice, and freshly made soft corn tortillas cost around $12 and lasted two days in my house. I'm told the garlic lobsters (market price) are fabulous, with the market price lower than elsewhere. Open daily from 9 a.m. to midnight. Wheelchair accessible. Credit cards. BYOB. Entrees from $6 to $20. http://www.princetoninfo.com/200505/50504c01.html

Court Tavern

Downstairs is a haven for white college kids suffering from an overdose of media-powered angst and self-inflicted tinnitus. The bluesy upstairs bar is far quieter.

Delta's Restaurant

Combining traditional Southern food with old-fashioned Southern hospitality. Entrees from $17 to $27. 'Martini Tuesday' featuring acoustic soul. Open daily except Monday for dinner, with brunch served on Sunday from 11 to 2:30 p.m. Liquor license.

Dominic's Ristorante

25 different appetizers and 80 different Italian selections in an historic Italianate Victorian mansion. Parking on premises, private rooms available.

Evelyn's Restaurant

The New York Times called this place 'a welcome diversion.' Try this for vegetarian dishes.

The Frog and The Peach

The Frog and The Peach started the New Brunswick restaurant renaissance when it opened in 1983. It continues to earn kudos for its contemporary American cuisine, excellent service, and beautiful bar, which offers a wide selection of single-malt scotches. The sumptuous food is served in a setting that is visually on the Continental side. White walls, comfortably-spaced tables covered with white cloths, unobtrusive chairs, and an illumination level that walks the fine line between intimacy and glare, <197> all contribute to a transparency that sharpens the diner's ability to appreciate the food. A massive oak bar, about 100 years old, dominates the ground floor of the restaurant, and spreads its atmosphere to the dining space on an upper level. Liquor license, outdoor tables, and private rooms for 80 to 100 people available. Open for lunch on weekdays, including a three-course $20 lunch, and dinner daily. Wheelchair accessible. No smoking section.

Fuddruckers

Fun for the kids. Burgers and chicken.

Harvest Moon Brewery/Cafe

At a location where five or six restaurants have since opened and fizzled, Harvest Moon hopes to offset the curse by offering a two-play concept akin to Princeton's Triumph: a brewpub/restaurant. Between the renovations and the logistical novelty, Harvest Moon, the first actual brewpub at 392 George Street, might outlast its imprecation with full moon 'celebrations' -- all day happy hours that happen each time the moon waxes to its full portentous glow. Also, live bands play Tuesdays and Thursdays and a DJ is being requisitioned to spin discs on Wednesdays. The bar is downstairs and sports a couple huge, steely cylindrical tanks, that serve up six home brews and a guest microbrew. Patrons can take home 'growlers,' which are, simply put, jugs full 'o beer, says a manager. The menu offers big chunky salads much in the order of Fridays (the Cobb and the sirloin salad are especially interesting), sandwiches, eight ounce burgers, pizzas, and a choice of appetizers that's a few steps up from fingerfood (choices include fried calamari and mussels marinara). Specialty entrees are not numerous, but swell: soft shell crab ($12.95), grilled salmon ($13.95), grilled swordfish ($16.95), sirloin strip steak ($15.95), and crabapple grilled chicken breast ($9.95). Harvest Moon is owned and run by the brother and sister team Kristin and Michael Sullivan, from the family that owns the Oyster Point Hotel and the Waterlot Cafe in Red Bank.

La Fontana

Dominating the entrance to the restaurant is the statue of a girl standing in a fountain, a physical reminder that 'La Fontana' means 'fountain' in Italian. The peach, the brass, the chandeliers, the heavy draperies, are all intended to evoke the atmosphere of an Italian villa at the turn of the century. The service evokes a period when it was not considered genteel to do too much for yourself. On the whole the mood is aggressive luxury. Specialties include fresh fish, veal and pasta. About 80 percent of the entrees range between $20 and $23. Sundays are reserved for private parties only. Valet parking. Liquor license.

Los Molinos

From the outside, Los Molinos, which means the windmills, looks less than promising: a sand-and-stone exterior with a neon sign,' writes food critic Pat Tanner (U.S. 1 May 4, 2005). But inside it has the warm glow of highly polished wood and a bit of formality with crystal chandeliers and walls accented with oil paintings. Service is taken seriously by the owners, the Villarino family, who hail from northwest Spain. Ignore the token wines from California, Italy, and France and focus on the serious and seriously good Spanish wines on the list. Tanner pronounces the standard dishes that Americans have come to associate with Spanish restaurnats 'good, not great.' 'While I have never fully understood the appeal of paella (even in Spain), the Valencian version ($20)at Los Molinos is sprightlier than most. Portions are gargantuan and prices reasonable, which always helps, and it is clear that quality, fresh ingredients form the basis of the fare. Just don't expect fireworks when it comes to the food. Boneless breast of chicken in lemon sauce and veal scaloppini are typical offerings. Fully half the menu items involve seafood, many choices with shrimp.' Open daily for dinner, Tuesday to Friday for lunch. Reservations are strongly suggested for Saturday night. Liquor license. Credit cards. Wheelchair accessible. No smoking section. Entrees priced from $18 to $21. www.princetoninfo.com/200505/50504c01.html

Makeda Ethiopian Restaurant

This snazzy spot includes a notable gift shop and bar. The owners have created a vanguard of Ethiopian culinary culture. The menu offers an array of beef, lamb, chicken, and vegetarian dishes served with traditional Ethiopian plate-sized porous pancakes, pleasantly sour and porous, that you eat with your fingers. Why use utensils when you have finger food that is this appetizing? Open daily for lunch and dinner (Sundays 1 to 10 p.m. The 'try everything' platter is $36 for two people, or try lamb marinated in an awaze sazue of honey wine, garlic, and onions, fried quickly in seasoned butter ($16.50) or pureed split peas cooked with Ethiopian spices ($8). Or 'Kitfo,' for $18, finely chopped tenderloin of beef seasoned with an Ethiopian herb reduction sauce and 'Mitmita' (a fine powder of small chili pepper and red pepper). The next nearest Ethiopian restaurant is Awash, located on Amsterdam Avenue (between 106th and 107th Street) in New York City. With genuinely Ethiopian owners and clientele, it promises to be a sumptuous trek, right up there by Columbia. Call 212-961-1416.

Marita's Cantina

Northstar Cafe

The owners of Tumulty's opened this fine dining spot in 1999 and it includes a wine bar and tapas bar. Appetizers could be Salmon Roulade ($8) or Butternut Squash Soup, garnished with duck confit and sweet potato ribbons ($6). Thursdays and Fridays, choice of $15 prix-fixe lunch, as well as a Tapas menu. Entrees include Salmon With Spinach, risoto, and oven-dried tomatoes with saffron cream sauce ($20) or grilled rack of lamb with smashed red potatoes, shallot rings, and brandy demi-glace ($26). And of course classic Valencian Paella, $28 for two.

Nova Terra

New world food with South American cuisine -- Cuban, Latin, and Caribbean, by chef Ben Feilen. Try seared Mexican sea bass and the ceviche bar (marinated fish, $9 to $18) with scallops, abalone, tuna tartar, and shrimp. Entrees run $16 to $18. Fully stocked bar and wine list with South American wines. Owned by the Momo brothers. Open for lunch and dinner Monday to Saturday, dinner only on Sunday. Live entertainment -- bands (salsa, Latin, gypsy) play Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday, starting at 8, and the music starts at 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Late night dinner served until midnight on weekends. Happy hour buffet is a taquito bar, at reduced prices, from 4 to 6 p.m. A family-friendly rodizio, the over-the-top Brazilian barbecue meal, is offered every Wednesday evening, notes food critic Pat Tanner (U.S. 1, May 4, 2005). For $28, the meal begins with assorted tapas, salads, tropical fruits, and chips and salsas. Then 'pasadors' carve and serve an assortment of meats at each table. These include organic lamb, beef, pork loin, turkey, natural chicken, ribs, and homemade linguisa sausage. Also included are sides of Oaxacan black beans and rice, fried plantains, and yucca. http://www.princetoninfo.com/200505/50504c01.html

The Old Bay Restaurant

Reminiscent of New Orleans, this is a casual restaurant whose informality circumvents stress. The building and decor evoke the 1890's -- the historic building had been a bank in 1857. The American Creole menu avoids excessive spices and avoids the word 'cajun.' The taste, however, is definitely Louisiana. Good selection of 24 beers on tap. Liquor license and private rooms. Late night menu starts at 10 p.m. and ask for a theater discount. The Bourban Street Cafe has live blues, R&B, Latin jazz, soul, and zydeco music from Thursdays to Saturdays.

Old Man Rafferty's

Rafferty's is hard to pigeonhole. It is appropriate for those feeling peckish about food, for the seriously hungry, and for those too lazy to cook. The sign on the street declares refreshingly that the restaurant was established 'not too long ago,' and inside a similar breeziness pervades. Nostalgia is the nest in which this restaurant serves large portions of hearty food. Dark brown wainscoting evokes the days when automobiles were a curiosity. The walls display enlarged photos of New Brunswick when horse-drawn vehicles were common. At first glance the implication is burgers and beer. Happily, the menu expands toward the adventurous. The many-paged menu thumbs its nose at convention. Its opening salvo declares in large type 'For our guests that have already made their dessert selection before even contemplating their entree, we thought you would find comfort in knowing the philosophy by which Rafferty's abides, `Life is uncertain ...Eat Dessert First!'

Panico's

Restrained opulence discreetly makes its presence felt at this refined Italian restaurant. The austerity of good taste quietly makes its powerful impact in a setting where peach is the predominant color and where both the floor and the counter in the bar are made of marble. This elegant restaurant bakes its own bread and pastry on the premises. Menus change with the season; each day brings an off-menu feature. Jackets are required after 5:30. Live piano music is part of the scene on Friday and Saturday evenings from 7:30 till closing. Voucher parking across the street. Liquor license, private rooms available.

The Round Grill

You design this meal yourself from an assortment of fresh vegetables, meats, and seafoods. Then the chef cooks it in front of you on large round Mongolian barbecue grills.

Sapporo Sushi and Steak House

Sushi bar, hibachi tables, and regular tables. Liquor license. http://sapporo.wtc.net/

Soho on George

A bright, colorful, window-full, and very possibly wonderful -- but definitely a different breed of cat. Positioned on the corner of George and Bayard Streets, in the center of New Brunswick's downtown, it's eminently visible and accessible, conveying an air of with-it-ness. Overall angular -- picture a floor area that approximates two triangles, back to back -- and employing a triangle motif in its side plates, ashtrays, and napkin folding, Soho is done up in a plum and mustard color scheme, with handsome cherry wood tables, chairs, bar, and other design elements. Where it's not hard-edge, it's curvy: the wavy awning outside presages corrugated-patterned ceiling panels sprinkled with glittering recessed lights, and a dark wavy carpet pattern too. Besides the poster art that otherwise prevails, a floor-to-ceiling mural near the open kitchen punches hot colors into the atmosphere: vibrant pinks, purples and greens. White-clad dining tables are tucked into every available multi-level niche. Like the tables, the central bar is topped with an attractive copper inlay leaf design. (Together with a few tables nearby, this constitutes the restaurant's smoking area, with reportedly effective 'smoke eaters' on duty.) Soho on George is not intended to be a quiet, restful place. Chef Bruce Courtwright calls Soho's cuisine 'modern American with French overtones,' and another staffer calls it 'upscale new American.' Take your pick. The menu, which changes seasonally, includes his current signature dish: 'grilled filet mignon with omegang braised short ribs, mashed yukon gold potatoes, wilted bib lettuce and crispy bacon' ($24), and he mentions 'new lamb with artichokes' as a coming attraction, and salmon and tuna as staples of every menu. 'Pan seared diver scallops' (meaning those that were hand-harvested, and not damaged by trawlers or injected with a chemical to open) come with a portabello mushroom ‘pillow,' cipollini onion coulis and American sturgeon caviar for $19, and vegetarians might look with favor on 'wild mushroom and fresh pea risotto, with rosemary skewered vegetables and a light parmesan broth' for $16. At $25, the grilled sirloin dish is Soho's most pricey main course. Entree specials are available each night. First courses that the chef describes as both 'popular and good' include warm lobster and artichoke salad with lobster vinaigrette ($13), and 'wild mushroom and duck confit croustade with goat cheese fondant, a truffled herb salad and preserved lemon' ($8). Probably only tasting it could explain 'roasted fennel, scallop and orange soup' ($7). Four salads, from $6-9, round out Soho offerings; the wordiest is also the costliest: 'marinated goat cheese ‘crottin de chavignol' with a salad of parsley, mint and watercress, with citrus vinaigrette and marinated anchovies.' Phew. Though otherwise verbose, the Soho menu deserves credit for streamlining prices to simple two-digit figures -- no 95-cent suffixes cluttering things up. Easier to tally, too. Asked about plate painting and presentation in general, Courtwright holds with 'balance,' mentioning that some plates are handled in a clean, straightforward way. Others, according to a daily manager, are 'unusual' -- for instance, the monkfish entree is trussed up to resemble osso bucco, and the apple tart comes with pillars of pastry topped by spun sugar balls. Soho on George is open every day, with lunch served Monday-Friday only. The kitchen closes 3-5 p.m., and dinner starts at 5 (4 on Sunday); closing is 11 p.m. most nights; 10 on Sunday. Reservations are recommended at least a week ahead for weekend evenings, and dress is 'nice casual' -- jackets and ties not required. Phone 732-296-0533.

Sophie's Bistro

Sophie's Bistro is all about style and appearance -- a true French bistro, writes food critic Pat Tanner (U.S. 1, May 4, 2005). 'Tin ceiling, big, old, mirror-backed bar stocked to the gills with Pernod, pastis, and Lillet (or, at least it is in my fantasy), tablecloths in Provencal colors and patterns, and reproductions of vintage French ads all create a grand illusion. The menu features exactly the dishes it should: onion soup, coq au vin, boeuf Bourguignon, cassoulet (on Saturdays only), coquilles St. Jacques, steak frites -- you get the picture. All of it is good, but I would really not seek it out for the food alone (although its many fans do). Liquor license. Open Tuesday to Friday for lunch, Tuesday to Sunday for dinner, with late night dinners on weekends. Credit cards. No smoking section. Private rooms for up to 30 people Entrees priced from $13 to $20, including $15 coq au vin. www.princetoninfo.com/200505/50504c01.html

Stage Left

New Brunswick's theatrical renaissance gains added depth with the presence of Stage Left, a few steps from the State Theatre, George Street Playhouse and Crossroads. The table in the window is worth reserving for a good view of the passing theater goers. In good weather meals are served outdoors. Alumni of The Frog and the Peach have brought with them an imaginative approach to food, delighting the palate with audacious combinations of ingredients that play out with impressive teamwork. The chefs happily turn to their wood-burning grill whenever appropriate. Grilled marinated shrimp with a jalapeno lime vinaigrette is a typical offering. The restaurant has a way with lentils, which it uses to advantage in unexpected places. Vegetarian dishes are a perennial part of the contemporary American menu. Liquor license. Open for dinner Monday to Sunday, for lunch on Friday. Entrees from $20 to $35. A pre-theater menu is available. Rated Best of the Best by New Jersey Monthly, four stars by the Star Ledger, 'excellent' but he New York Times.

Stuff Yer Face

Stuff Yer Face has no detectable decor. The work of an interior decorator would be irrelevant in this operation. Huge portions of cheese laden pizza dough concoctions, known as stromboli, are the reason for being of this eatery. Lending variety to the cheese are various other possible ingredients -- broccoli, chili, turkey, spinach, onions, peppers. You name it. You choose the combination of your stomach's desire. Appetizers, salads, pizza, pasta and desserts are also available. Take home what you can't eat. Dine on it for the next week. Private rooms and outdoor tables.

Szechwan Gourmet

One flight up in New Brunswick's theater district, this restaurant serves not only Szechwan specialties, but also regional dishes from Hunan and Canton, as well as Mandarin specialties. Spicy sesame prawns are one of the featured dishes. Come by after the show up to 11 p.m. BYOB.

Teresa's Pizzetta Caffe

Upscale bistro, just like the one in Princeton. Liquor license.

Tumulty's Pub

This Rutgers institution, established in 1937, features old electric trains -- Lionel, American Flyer, etc. -- running on tracks overhead. Owned by two brothers-in-law, the restaurant serves hearty pub fare at low prices, with such items as buffalo wings, cajun shrimp, cheesesticks, steaks, fish, and burgers. Great draft selection, starting at $2 a pint -- big beers to match the big food. Liquor license, private rooms available.

2 Albany Street

'An imaginative menu,' reports a reader, who raved about the applewood smoked chicken served on a bed of penne sundried tomatoes, wild mushrooms, and leeks in a cream dressing. 'The kitchen -- upon my request -- made my entree with oil rather than cream.' She also raved about a delicate veal dish, with mushrooms and lemony flavors. In addition to the complimentary appetizer with drinks (sometimes a toasted Italian bread with a tomato basil topping), a seasoned hot bread is served. With entrees averaging around $15 it is reasonably priced. The setting -- woven cane chairs of ample dimensions and widely spaced white-cloth tables and white napkins -- gives a luxurious, expansive feel. But not everyone dresses to the nines here, since after all, it is a hotel. Sunday brunch and liquor license.

Zafra Vegetarian Restaurant

'It would be hard to find a more sincerely crunchy restaurant, or one more reminiscent of the best of the 1970s,' says Pat Tanner of this vegetarian/vegan restaurant (U.S. 1, May 4, 2005). 'Happily, vegetarian cuisine has improved over the last three decades, so the soups, salads, sandwiches, and entrees at Zafra are often quite good,' says Tanner. She tried the Caribbean black bean soup, yucca fries, hummus, roasted eggplant sandwich, and spinach tortellini and pronounced the 'maple' (soy-based) balsamic dressing for green salads 'a standout.' Tanner notes that Zafra is very laidback in service and in attention to housekeeping details. Credit cards. BYOB. www.princetoninfo.com/200505/50504c01.html

Ben & Irv's Deli

Bagels, blintzes, dairy, fish, and matzoh ball soup. Waitress servicve, open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Brick Hotel

Built by a brickyard owner in 1764, this house did entertain George Washington. It is right on the main street but has a small garden. From I-95, Pennsylvania Route 332 takes you into Newtown on Washington Road and past Brick Hotel. Or, from Route 29 along the Delaware, take Route 532. Rooms are $75 to $120, depending on the room, with no differentiation between weekends and weekdays. All have either a double or queen-size bed, television, private bath, and telephone, and continental breakfast is included. Sometimes all the 14 rooms are booked for a conference.

Brick Hotel and Restaurant

Called 'the brick house' as soon as it was built in 1764 by brickyard owner Amos Strickland, this is one place where George Washington did indeed eat, if not sleep, in December 1776 while on his way to crossing the Delaware. It looks Victorian now, and, true to its name, it also has hotel rooms. Though entrees start at $16, portions are much more ample than is usual among similar-priced restaurants. Though the glassed in porch might not be quite so 'historic' it offers a wonderful view of the lovely garden. Open daily for lunch and dinner plus buffet brunch on Sunday.

Chin Chin Chinese Restaurant

This gets some reader votes; it's housed in an historic building and is open daily for dinner, Monday to Saturday for lunch. BYOB.

Dolce Carini

Open for lunch weekdays, dinner daily.

Dragon's Restaurant

Open daily, with such dishes as duck meat with tender ginger, Lake Tung-Ting shrimp, and Dragon's boneless chicken, in the $12 to $13 range. Plain decor.

Goodnoe Farm Dairy Bar and Family Restaurant

A mecca for family groups -- hugely popular for 'comfort food,' like hot turkey sandwiches and mashed spuds, plus homemade ice cream and pies. No reservations. In the summer people sprawl on the lawns and porches. The dairy dates from 1918 and the restaurant from 1955. Open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Il Sol D'Italia Restaurant

Classy modern decor -- white and black with fuschia, with food to match, such as grilled salmon with an aioli sauce and fresh plum tomatoes with spinach fettucini that sold recently for about $18. For those on low-fat diets, try the hand cut home-made pasta with pommarola sauce for under $19. Appetizers might include funghi melanazane -- mushrooms stuffed with ricotta, suasuage, garlic and mozzarella, $5.25. Open Tuesday to Friday for lunch, Tuesday to Sunday for dinner. Liquor license.

Jean Pierre's Restaurant

Some come for the Coulibiac of Salmon, in puff pastry with lobster and crab and served with a champagne sauce. Others can't resist the rack of lamb, in a mustard crust. But no one can resist the truffle with three sauces, dubbed the Marquis de Chocolate, with the three sauces dribbled in delicate scrolls. Jean-Pierre Tardy used to be the executive chef at Philadelphia's fabled Le Bec Fin but opened this place 10 years ago in an historic stone house in Newtown. The service is what you would expect in an elegant restaurant. The food, always well reviewed, is presented in classic ways. Tardy likes his sauces and often serves them in threes: the combination of veal, duck, and quail with three sauces or that truffle with three sauces. Desserts could be White Chocolate Mousse, or frozen Grand Marnier Souffle, or call ahead to request a hot souffle. Open Tuesday to Friday for lunch, Tuesday to Sunday for dinner. Liquor license.

Ota-Ya

Terayaki, sukiyaki, tempura, and sushi, also a Teppan yaki Room.

Ron's Newtown Pub

High-backed booths line one side of the pub, decorated in dark green with authentic Civil War prints, black and white tiled floors, and brass accents, and the long bar is next to it on a raised platform. Locals know they'll get humongous portions of pasta and nachos, but the burgers and steaks are what most come for. Try the boursin sandwich at or the shepherd's pie at about $8. Imported beer on tap, live jazz, and a good atmosphere despite the shopping center location.

Shano's Indian Cuisine

House specialties are the Tandoori dishes, barbecued over charcoal in a clay oven and served on a hot skillet on a bed of onions and green peppers. They include a yogurt salad, basmati rice, and dal (lentils). Prices range from $14 for chicken, $16 for lamb, $20 for prawns, and $21 for a mixed grill. Also try shorba, a soup garnished with white chicken meat, $4. Requests for low salt, low fat, and degrees of spiciness are encouraged. Among the 10 different breads are six Naan breads, including onion, cheese, mushroom, and minced lamb. The 'do-piaza dishes' for chicken and lamb involve cooking the meat twice with onions and spices, $14 for the lamb, $13 for the chicken. The aloo-gobi (cauliflower and potatoes) is $11, as is the roasted eggplant and most of the other vegetarian dishes. Raita (homemade yogurt and cucumber) is $3.25, and lassi drinks are $3.50. Lunch and dinner daily except Monday. BYOB.

Siam Cuisine Thai Restaurant

This Newtown branch of a well-known Philadelphia restaurant is very relaxing, and serves all your Thai favorites, at entree prices ranging from $9 to $15, including Phad Thai, Thai curry chicken and beef, spicy tamarind salmon, and grilled chicken with sweet and sour sauce ($8.95). It offers three levels of spicyness -- spicy, hot, and 'no stars.'

Township House Restaurant

First patronized as an inn in 1796, this establishment has also been a jail, a hospital, a church, a general store, and barracks for Union troops. The etched glass doors and dark wood give it an Old English feel. The cuisine is a combination of Italian and homestyle. Try the Stracciatella, Italian wedding soup, or the Chicken Casalinga -- stuffed chicken breast with broccoli, onions, cheese, and mushrooms. Dinner entrees start at $10. Open for lunch on weekdays, dinner daily.

Crown of India

An elegant look and an exotic feeling: pink napkins on glass-topped tables, cushiony leather booths, colored lights behind traditional cut-out valances, quietly energetic ethnic music -- Crown of India provides an atmosphere that sets it apart from your standard dining experience. Something else that sets Crown of India apart is the service. If you don't see it on the menu, ask for it. They will make your food as spicy as your dare order. You get a lot for your money here, which may account for the popularity of this place, regularly cited as best ethnic and best value in our reader survey. Just one of the combination trays -- with soups, breads, and lots of little dishes plus rice --is more than enough for two people. The daily lunch buffet is $7. BYOB. Reservations and credit cards accepted.

Flavor of India

Lunch and dinner daily. Weekday lunch buffet for $8. Dinner buffet on Tuesday and Sunday for $11. The brunch buffet on Saturday and Sunday includes a South Indian entree and costs $9. A combination dinner for two is $35, and a three-course vegetarian meal is $12. BYOB. Credit cards and reservations accepted. Catering. Try Mulligatawny, a south Indian soup of lentils and diced vegetables ($3) or the Fish Tikka, baked in a clay oven ($14). She liked the Gulub Jamun, soft milk-powder balls dipped in honey syrup, served on the buffet but available for $2.95 a la carte. Also popular for dessert at that price are Kheer (rice pudding with cardamom and pistachios) and Rasmalai (cottage cheese patties in reduced milk with cardamom and pistachios). The Mango Lassi yogurt drinks -- a must for soothing an over-spiced palate -- are $4.

Lee's Castle

According to reader Barry Frankel of ADM, Lee's offers 'a delightful dining experience and one you won't find at most Chinese restaurants.' He recommends that you ask your waiter to ask David or Esther, the hosts, to come to your table. Ask them what's good that day, Frankel says, and you'll be introduced to a bevy of Cantonese and Szechuan special dishes, not on the menu, that they'll be eager for you to try. 'Suddenly a whole new Chinese dining experience unfolds,' Frankel says. The sister restaurant is at Princeton Shopping Center. BYOB. Open daily for lunch and dinner.

Lotus Garden

Open daily for lunch and dinner. Good food in an elegant pink atmosphere. BYOB. Reservations and credit cards accepted.

Romeo's Ristorante Italiano and Pizzeria

Enter through the pizza parlor entrance and it looks like another sub, pizza, and calzone take-out place with booths. But ask to have dinner, and you begin the migration through a series of more pleasantly decorated back rooms. The food isn't half bad: Entrees such as vodka rigatoni, along with seafood, veal, and chicken dishes, helped Romeo's win a Winner Reader's Choice award in New Jersey Monthly in 1991. You may want to bring your own drink -- there's no liquor licence. But the Plainsboro Package Store is located next to the entrance to the shopping center. The restaurant is a family operation. Credit cards accepted. BYOB.

Ajihei Japanese Deli & Restaurant

Sushi and Japanese dishes, eat in or takeout. A favorite with sushi aficionados, it had a rave review in the New York Times New Jersey section on December 22, 2003. That reviewer liked the hiyayakko, 'three tiny towers of quivery tofu, topped with fine threads of scallion, bonito flakes, and grated fresh ginger,' or one of the donburi -- plain rice with minced fish. For cooked menu items there is the salmon cutlet or the chicken kuwayaki (the latter marinated and then sauteed with a glazing). Open for lunch and dinner Tuesday to Friday, for dinner on weekends. Credit cards. No reservations on weekends. No handicapped access. No smoking. BYOB.

Alchemist & Barrister

If you don't know your client's tastes, this place is a safe bet. It's two restaurants in one: formal dining rooms on one side, informal pub on the other, plus a popular bar. The pub is the lower-priced alternative, and is also the part that has the outdoor seating, in a porch-like structure on Chambers Walk. At dinnertime the pub menu features a grilled vegetable hero ($9) a savory lamb stew, the truly large A&B steak salad, and of course a half-dozen fine beers on tap. Pub menu prices range from $8 to $13. The lunch menu serves both sides of the restaurant, and is much like the dinner pub menu, with salads, sandwiches, and stews in the $9 range. The restaurant, meanwhile, offers dinner diners hearty American fare, starting with chilled bluepoint oysters ($9) or Japanese-style salmon spring rolls ($8) and such entrees as grilled filet mignon with cheddar mashed potatos and beer/garlic sauce ($25), poached salmon fillet with cous-cous and a compote of apple, dill, and leek ($21), roast duck ($20), and sauteed breast of chicken ($17). The name -- it does sound like a British pub, doesn't it? -- can be traced to the occupations of the owners: a chemist (the alchemist) and an attorney -- the barrister. Open daily for lunch and dinner plus Sunday brunch. Visa/MasterCard and reservations accepted. Liquor license. Smoking and non-smoking areas. Private room available.

Blue Point Grill

Very fresh grilled fish and a raw bar, with entrees from $12 to $24, and vegetables are a la carte. BYOB. Open daily for dinner. Credit cards accepted. Outdoor tables available. No reservations. No smoking.

Bucks County Coffee Company

Sandwiches, sweets, and coffee. Open Sunday and Monday, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday to 11 p.m. Thursday to Saturday to midnight. Entertainment on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Camillo's Cafe

A favorite meeting place for Princeton folk is tucked away in the Princeton Shopping Center. Under new management with Italian chef-owner Camillo Tortola as of January, 2006, it is a lunch spot by day and an Italian bistro at night. Open daily except Sunday for breakfast, lunch, and dinner -- until 10 p.m on weekdays and 11 p.m. on Sundays. Dinner entrees might be spaghetti for $14.95 or specials, like lobster, up to $25. At lunch, comfort food like meatloaf, hot turkey sandwiches, burgers, sandwiches, salads, and desserts.

Carousel Express

Where real Princetonians used to breakfast.

Carousel

Where real Princetonians breakfast. Hang out with daily fixture Pete Carrill, just-retired Princeton basketball coach, and gorge yourself on eggs, pancakes, and cup after cup of coffee with the regulars. Dinner entrees are in the $7 to $9 range. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily. Cash only.

Chez Alice

Exquisite French takeout (also catering), with a bench outside to nosh in warm weather. You'll marvel at the stunningly beautiful (and tasty) cakes and pastries. Plus gourmet sandwiches, salads, cook-at-home items, croissants, French bread, fennel raisin bread, and interesting coffees. Just think of it as Paris in Princeton.

Chuck's Cafe

Step out of your car in the library parking lot and the aroma of buffalo wings will assail you. Yes, Chuck's Spring Street Cafe affects the palates of all who come to Princeton to dine, even though they are headed for Lahiere's. You can't escape the delicious (or disgusting, depending on your point of view) scent of barbecue. Once famous for having been owned by the infamous Lyle Mendendez, Chuck's continues to dish up wings, burgers, barbecue, and its trademark salad plates. Self serve, chummily crowded, economical. Open daily for lunch and dinner. Not a place to BYOB. Cash only.

Cox's Market

For many Princetonians, Cox's has been the place to go for lunch for over 60 years. Owner Sandy Soriano's incredibly varied takeout lineup of sandwiches, soups, salads, Boar's Head meats, and brickoven breads and rolls is studiously upscale, with plenty of fresh mozzarella, pesto, roasted peppers, sundried tomatoes, and specialty salad dressings complementing old favorites like the turkey and bacon club. Daily specials, office catering, tasty baked goods, and even gift items round out the offerings at this hometown eatery with a haute cuisine flair. Closed Sunday. Takeout only.

El Sabor Mexicano

Takeout Mexican with some seating. Owner Felipe Cruz offers enchiladas on a $9 dinner special with unlimited rice, beans, chips and salsa ($6 for lunch). No smoking, some outdoor tables. Visa and MasterCard only.

The Ferry House

The restaurant opened on Witherspoon Street on March 30, and has made every effort to continue the life it began in Lambertville in 1992. The roughly finished plank walls are painted in the same medium cool green shade used in Lambertville. On the walls hang a large number of framed and favorable newspaper reviews based on the Lambertville operation. One of them says of chef-owner Bobby Trigg, <169>Once a rebel without a cause, he's now a prince of flavor.<170> Casual elegance in a sweater-and-jeans atmosphere is his goal, and a visit to the premises in broad daylight reveals nine parts casual to one part elegant. The elegant touch is the lace window treatment below eye level at the large windows of the restaurant front, which let in a great deal of light on a sunny day. Looking out from the back of the restaurant, the place has the feel of a boat house, an effective reminder of the former Delaware River location. The dishes offered tend to fuse ingredients not commonly used together. A fried calamari dinner appetizer is served with a soy glaze, sweet peppers and pesto. The cumin crusted salmon dinner entree comes with a black bean and sweet potato tortilla. An entire section of the dinner menu, devoted to <169>Mushrooms and Salads,<170> lists five items. A grilled vegetable lasagna Napoleon is aimed at vegetarian diners. Uncluttered food is hard to come by here. There is an additional plate charge of $3. Bring your own bottle. This is a good place to go for those who rank culinary adventure above artistic surroundings. Open for lunch, Monday through Friday, 11:30 to 2:30. Dinner, Monday through Thursday, 5 to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday until 10 p.m., Sunday, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. No smoking. Lunch appetizers are $4 to $7; lunch main dishes range from $7 to $10. Dinner appetizers start at $7.50; dinner entrees tend to cluster at about $25. BYOB. Credit cards and personal checks accepted.

Gennaro's

Formerly known by