Simply Delish is a ''unique cafe,'' according to its business cards. Sounds about right. There isn't much that's typical about this quirky charmer in Wilton Manors, from its gilded frames to its eclectic menu. Classical pieces provide the background music in rooms with lots of mauve and gingerbread woodwork. Victorian-style paintings, including a nude or two, and assorted antiques, line the walls.

Despite the formal tablecloths and delicate sconces, don't expect any formalities. Simply Delish is as homey as its name, thanks to owners Henry Clarke, Rudy Cistaro and Jason Mazza, also the chef.

On Sunday morning, patrons stroll in from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. for a lazy breakfast that stretches into lunch. The evening menu offers a bit of the all-American diner, with pot roast and meat loaf, bumped up by dishes like chicken Valentino, topped with a mandarin orange glaze, or filet mignon. There's also a list of specials, familiar dishes like Italian sausage with marinara sauce and shrimp scampi. Choices are limited, but carefully prepared, and varied -- there's even a vegetable primavera ala marinara. The prices are tough to beat -- most entrees are $9.95 to $16.95 and come with soup or salad, dinner rolls and a homemade dessert of the day. The $7.95 early bird dinners Tuesday through Thursday are an even better bargain, including soup or salad, dessert.

HELPFUL WAITER

''How did you hear about this place,'' asked our friendly young waiter, who looked a little surprised when my husband, daughter and I sat down; most restaurants in the area have a largely gay clientele. I'd heard about the cafe from a reader, an answer I couldn't divulge, but we quickly moved onto other issues, like what to order. No problem there. Get the pot roast, our waiter confided.

There are a few worthy distractions before the main course. First, there are the warm rolls from a local French bakery. If you want an appetizer, here's hoping you like shrimp. Choices are shrimp cocktail ($6) and shrimp-stuffed chiles ($5.95), our choice. The popper-style snack wraps a crisp breading around shrimp, cream cheese and jalapeño, nestled upon a mound of shredded lettuce and lemon zest, served with a Melba sauce. The sweet, elegant raspberry sauce was an odd match for the zing of the popper.

FRAGRANT SOUP

The soup of the day was a fragrant bowl of Italian-style chicken noodle with a little spaghetti, pieces of chicken and chopped tomatoes in a peppery chicken stock tweaked with tarragon and oregano. As for salad, forget the fancy greens. It's a fat wedge of iceberg, but at least it's a fresh, crisp serving, with two black olives, sliced juicy tomatoes and pepperoncini with a dressing of balsamic vinegar.

The savory pot roast ($9.95) alone is worth the trip, the perfect comfort food: generous chunks of fork-tender meat, served au jus. On the side, roasted rosemary potatoes with buttery sliced carrots.

The (prize) catch of the day, available broiled, blackened or pan-fried, ($16.95) was a first-rate serving of snook, mild and lean, black-peppered and crisp outside, but deftly moist inside. On the side, carrots and white rice tossed with chopped red peppers, onions and mushrooms.

The Chicken Valentino ($11.95) romances the palate with its thin slices of boneless chicken breast stuffed with sour cream and mild Italian sausage, with a whisper of tarragon. Though a little bland, it gets help from a mandarin orange glaze that surprisingly isn't too sweet, with slices of mandarin oranges.

For dessert, the Key lime pie ($3.95) was topped with plenty of whipped cream but the filling tasted somewhat sour and thick; the chocolate mousse cake ($3.95) was better, velvety smooth and sinful, but best of all was the complimentary homemade tapioca pudding, a creamy, grandmotherly creation and most of all, simply delish.