RESTAURANT REVIEW: The Rose Garden in Fort Worth

After long years of success at her Arlington tearoom, Helen Bowers decided to double her rewards by opening a sister cafe with the same name in west Fort Worth. Since opening her Rose Garden lunch spot March 1 in the Mercantile antiques mall on the Highway 377 traffic circle, Bowers has found a warm welcome in her new clientele.

One of her two chef daughters, Melissa Letterman, is keeping droves of diners happy at the recent addition. And from what we observed during a recent lunch visit, the regulars already have their favorite dishes memorized.

Not surprisingly, one of those items is the Rose Garden Variety ($10.95), a sampler plate composed of the house specialties. There's a mound of chicken salad, incorporating red grapes and slivered almonds; as well as a thick pumpkin bread-cream cheese finger sandwich; fresh fruit chunks with a bright-pink poppyseed dressing; a piece of the day's quiche; and a cup of the daily soup special.

The bacon-spinach quiche was fresh and fluffy, with a heavy layer of Cheddar on top that threatened to obliterate the presence of bacon and spinach. French onion soup held generous onion, a little cheese and a couple of strips of herbed toast rather than a crunchy crouton, as is usual.

To prove it's not just a girly place, the Rose Garden offers Southwestern chicken crepes ($10.95), a hearty entree served in an individual oblong baking dish. Beneath a half-inch-thick layer of sizzling-hot Cheddar cheese, the crepes held shreds of chicken with hints of tomatillo sauce.

A vegetarian sandwich ($7.50 half, $8.50 whole) seemed ideal for eating in warmest weather. Toasted seven-grain bread served as bookends for layers of guacamole, cream cheese, lettuce and slices of cucumber, tomato, black olives and red onion.

Most memorable of all, the chocolate meringue pie ($3.95) had my table in full swoon. Served warm, the tower of perfectly burnished meringue over the lush chocolate filling was exceptional.

The room itself is charming, but is neither too fancy nor too precious. It's the ideal place to treat your mom or grandmom during a day of shopping, and service is unfailingly thoughtful and prompt.

The Rose Garden

At Mercantile antiques mall

7200 Camp Bowie Blvd.

Fort Worth

817-731-7673

Hours: 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday; noon-4 p.m. Sunday.

Cuisine: American, tearoom

Essentials: Major credit cards; no bar; smoke-free; wheelchair-accessible.

Entree cost: $6.95-$10.95

Signature dishes: Chicken salad, Southwestern crepes

Recommended for: Ladies who lunch, with shopping on the side

Good to know: 15 percent gratuity added for parties of 5 and more, 20 percent for 8 and more; three-course high tea available with reservations made 24 hours in advance