MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE: From the outside, the house with the wrap-around porch looks quaintly picturesque but hardly remarkable. Inside, the Classic Cafe at Roanoke has walls dotted with artworks labeled for sale, while white tablecloths and fresh flowers set a more elegant note. But only when you're comfortably seated in one of the multiple dining areas, being cosseted by the staff and having your taste buds indulged by one of chef Charles Youts' culinary creations, do you realize that the Classic Cafe is something special indeed.
THE FAMILY WAY: Expect to be treated like part of the family. Owners (and brothers) Chris and Curtis Wells take a hands-on approach to their restaurant. On our dinner visit, Curtis was working the dining room like a skilled politician, chatting with diners, refilling coffee cups and generally making everyone feel welcome. His concern was appreciated, though not entirely necessary: Thanks to a well-trained (and highly personable) waitstaff, our every need was anticipated and met almost before we had time to register it.
GET YOUR GOAT (AND GARLIC): The appetizer list features a modest array of New American standards such as stuffed mushroom caps ($8.75) and chilled shrimp cocktail ($10). But on a colleague's recommendation we opted for roasted garlic with herbed goat cheese ($8.75). Good choice. A small ramekin of soft, mellow garlic bulbs was accompanied by sliced rounds of creamy goat cheese accented with fresh minced herbs and served with thin slices of crisp miniature French bread.
SOUP TO NUTS: Soup of the day ($5.75 bowl, $3.75 cup) on our visit was a creamy roasted mushroom with smoked gouda. Full-bodied and studded with meaty chunks of mushroom, the lush brew was worth a trip from Dallas on its own. The classic green salad ($11 for full portion, $5.50 small) was a lovely blend of fresh lettuces with sliced apples, crumbled blue cheese and spiced walnuts dressed with a sophisticated sherry balsamic vinaigrette.
More good impressions were made by the pecan-crusted trout ($19), two long, thin fillets topped with a nubbly pecan and brown-butter sauce. The overall effect was quite nice, although the substantial presence of the pecans did threaten to overwhelm the moist, relatively mild flavor of the ruby-red trout.
CATTLE IS KING: Early last year, chef Youts beefed up the menu with a selection of hand-cut choice steaks, available with either a sauce or a rub (the Stilton crust with port shallot glaze is a customer and critical favorite). In addition to traditional tenderloins and strips, the restaurant features a few free-range offerings that come from hormone- and antibiotic-free grass- and corn-fed beef. The 14-ounce free-range rib-eye ($40) was a beautiful slab of tender meat, perfectly seasoned and cooked medium rare with a warm red center. We ordered it with the five-pepper demi cream on the side, but the meat was so delicate and silken we couldn't bear to mask its flavor with the (admittedly tasty) sauce.
SIDES AND SWEETS: Entrees are served with a simple side of braised red cabbage. Other accompaniments are available in portions big enough to share, including mashed potatoes ($6), steamed asparagus ($7.50) and crisp, buttery sugar snap peas ($5.75).
The closest thing we found to a misstep was the fried apple ravioli dessert ($5.50). Four small squares of dough were filled with a smear of spiced apples and fried till crisp, then served with a tiny scoop of rich vanilla ice cream. Though acceptable, the dish didn't live up to the rest of the meal, mainly because the meager fruit filling couldn't stand up to the taste of the fried dough.
NOTHING TO WINE ABOUT: A less-than-stellar dessert is hard to quibble about, particularly when the rest of the meal was outstanding. Add in the first-class service and a well-appointed wine list (including such hard-to-find niceties as Jordan Cabernet by the glass), and you have the makings for a memorable meal at a restaurant that's a true classic.
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