By MERIDITH FORD
Journal Restaurant Critic

PAWTUCKET -- At Garden Grille, owner Robert Yaffe hasn't just embraced vegetarianism. He has made not eating meat easy.

If you are a vegetarian, you'll find an abundance of choices. If you're not a vegetarian, you'll find an abundance of choices.

This small eatery, in a strip mall that straddles the Pawtucket-Providence line near Blackstone Boulevard, is constantly hopping with an abundance of customers who don't miss meat at all.

They don't have to.

The menu runs the gamut from veggie dogs and burgers to pizza to more traditional vegetarian selections -- such as Asian noodle salad and "peace wraps" loaded with hummus, tabbouleh, vegetables and tahini sauce -- borrowed from other cultures where the focus of food isn't always on meat.

By necessity, American vegetarianism has had to embrace the art of imitation with the use of soy products such as tofu and tempeh. Hot dogs and hamburgers, and even chicken strips, are easily made a part of a vegetarian diet.

Certainly Garden Grille offers all these, from the aforementioned burgers and dogs to funkier selections like tempeh reuben sandwiches and soy satay strips.

But these are not why I like Garden Grille.

I prefer the menu selections such as a roasted butternut squash quesadilla, loaded with an abundance of jalapeno jack cheese, black beans and avocado slices, as well as chunks of savory squash. Here is lacto-ovo (the use of cheese and eggs) vegetarianism at its best, taking vegetables and cheeses and combining them creatively to make simple, flavorful -- and nutritious -- dishes.

The same goes for a burrito wrap loaded with organic brown rice, spicy chili, more of the gooey jalapeno jack and fresh guacamole and salsa.

Vegetarianism aside, Garden Grille serves exceptional wood-grilled pizzas. The crust, beautifully misshapen, is crusty and chewy at the same time, with lots of woodsy flavor and aroma from the grill. A simple marinara, richly layered with bold tomato flavor and a peppy spiciness, is dotted with melted mozzarella. (Soy cheeses are available.)

Before any of these, though, a starter of fresh greens (called a "peace plate"), surrounded by creamy hummus and bright-tasting tabbouleh loaded with tomatoes and parsley, was perhaps the best dish of the evening. Yaffe's vegetables are extremely fresh-tasting, mostly because Garden Grille uses organic produce whenever possible. It's evident in the fresh, crisp flavor of carrots and cucumbers, extraordinarily yummy when scooped up with a grilled pita wedge and lots of garlic-flavored hummus.

Some things don't quite measure up: grilled tofu as an evening's special was flavorless, even with a hefty portion of fennel and onion sauce. And a vegan soup (vegetarianism that does not use any animal products) -- an Asian-inspired rice noodle hot pot -- was bland, too, even with an abundance of ginger-laced miso, rice noodles, tofu, carrots and scallions.

Desserts are hard enough to make with eggs, butter and cream. Here those ingredients are eschewed: The dessert list is 100-percent vegan. With some, such as the carrot cake, you won't miss a thing. While a little dry, its nutty denseness, cinnamon-laced flavor and creamy icing make up in taste what it lacks in texture.

Chocolate mousse pie, while smooth, lacks flavor and richness. But I'd stack the tofu cheesecake up against the cream-cheese version any time. It's rich, creamy and full of tangy flavor, with a swirl of raspberry coulis for a nice tartness.

Garden Grille is proof positive that it's easy to eat great food without eating meat -- whether that's a life choice, or one you make just for an evening.

Garden Grille, 727 East Ave., Pawtucket. 726-2826. Casual. Wheelchair accessible. No smoking. Open seven days for lunch and dinner. Ample parking. V, MC, AM, DIS. Highchairs.

Soups and salads are $2.95 to $7.95; sandwiches, burgers and wraps are $2.95 to $7.95. Heartier fare such as pizza, quesadillas, nightly specials and entrees are $7.95 to $12.95. Appetizers and side dishes are $1.50 to $8.95. The restaurant is BYOB.

The Sunday brunch includes items such as huevos rancheros, breakfast burritos and omelets with wood-grilled vegetables as well as tofu scramble with home fries and toast. All the eggs are organic free range. Items are $4.25 to $7.95.