DINING FEATURE Dove Creek Cafe Restaurant brings comfort food with a Western air W hen Rose Lai became a self-described “corporate dropout” after leaving her cosmetic marketing job in New York City in the mid-1980s, she said she knew she wanted to own her own business. “My husband’s friend said, ‘There’s a breakfast place in Roanoke available for sale,’ and I wasn’t really sure,” Lai said. “A year passed, and nothing else came up, but it was a God thing. I was sup- posed to have it.” Lai said she had a real hobby for cooking and reading recipes but did not have any restaurant experience. She had to learn on the job. Lai took over the cafe about 29 years ago, though it had been open for far longer, she said. Lai kept the name, the sta , the food and the Western decor, though the Roanoke location has changed. The space now o ers a little more room, Lai said. “Lunch used to be our busiest time, ve days a week, but other [fast-food chains] started to pop up,” she said. “Now breakfast has really become big for us. We’re more of an actual cafe now.” Dove Creek also used to o er dinner but had to reduce the serving time due to short sta ng. “I wouldn’t bring it back though,” Lai said. “I’m happy with what we have, and there are a lot less issues.” Lai said the cafe’s Southern vibe translates to the menu too, which o ers what Lai calls Texas-style comfort food. Items include hand-battered chick- en-fried steak with homemade gravy, country meatloaf with tomato sauce, fried okra and Western omelets. “We’ve been around forever, so everyone has been to Dove Creek at least once,” Lai said. “It [o ers] a country [and] Western feel with a friendly atmosphere, and most importantly, you get a good value.” BY SAMANTHA VAN DYKE
FOUR DISHES TO TRY
1 Hand-battered chicken-fried steak ($9.49) 2 The Egg Classic ($7.99)
3 Side salad ($2.49) 4 The B.E.L.T. ($8.99)
Dove Creek Cafe owner Rose Lai visits with Glen Threlkeld, who has been a customer since 2003. The Roanoke cafe specializes in Texas-style comfort food. (Photos by Samantha Van Dyke/Community Impact Newspaper)
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The hand-battered chicken-fried steak includes homemade gravy, green beans and mashed potatoes.
The Egg Classic includes two over-easy eggs, hash browns, bacon and a biscuit.
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A side salad is available with the cafe’s housemade honey mustard dressing.
The B.E.L.T. consists of bacon, egg, lettuce and tomato on sourdough bread with pan fries.
Dove Creek Cafe 204 S. US 377, Roanoke 817-491-4973 www.dovecreekcafe.com Hours: 7 a.m.-2 p.m. daily
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KELLER ROANOKE NORTHEAST FORT WORTH EDITION • MAY 2022
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