Some down-home cookin'

                On my way to church on Sunday mornings, I pass in front of Roper's, a small cafe in Simonton where the parking lot's always overflowing. I've often wondered why a small restaurant that's well off the beaten path would be so crowded early in the morning.

                Breakfast is one of my favorite meals on the weekend. The smell of hot pancakes and sizzling bacon always makes my mouth water, and nothing's beats sitting down with the newspaper, a hot breakfast and a full cup of coffee.

                I'm usually too lazy to pull out frying pans and griddles to cook for myself and I hate leaving the house early in the morning for breakfast. But last Sunday morning, I was once gain intrigued by all the vehicles in front of Roper's and pulled in to see why so many people visit this place.

                Thanks to Maria Silva, a friendly cashier at the front counter, I found out Roper's has been open for six years. Owners Marty and Lauren Gillespie aren't just names on the sign; they work alongside their staff in both the country store section and the cafe.

                The name Roper's has nothing to do with cowboys – it's a tribute to a friend's cattle dog. When ole Roper died, Lauren and Mary thought naming the cafe after that faithful pooch would be a great way to keep his memory alive.

                To the left of the front door is an almost hidden area where a dozen small tables are nestled. Red checked tablecloths create a homey atmosphere, and framed pictures look like what you'd find in your living room.

                Although the cafe is cozy and the staff is welcoming, what hits guests first are the delicious smells from the kitchen. Lauren and her team stay busy in the back, hand peeling dozens of potatoes that go into the tacos and creamy potato salad.

                What they do best, though, is making almost everything from scratch, from breakfast tacos to omelets where the diner decides what ingredients go into a light egg-based delicacy to a hand-pounded chicken-fried steak that not only covers the plate but leans over the side.

                Entrees range from a chicken tender basket to fried catfish. Side dishes like mashed potatoes, purple hull peas and fried okra are reminders of what our moms and grandmothers served at family get togethers.

                Lots of restaurants have great food, but what makes Roper's different is the family atmosphere. Maria said whenever she hears a vehicle pull into the parking lot, she glances out the window and, as she recognizes the person getting out of the vehicle, starts pouring their coffee, fixing it just the way they like it.

                In the mornings, the cafe fills quickly with "the regulars," people who stop in for a home-cooked breakfast before heading out to the work world.

                Men wearing blue button-down shirts chat easily with guys wearing faded denim shirts and starched jeans, and children are always welcome. Marty usually stays in the front, making small talk with customers while Lauren and her crew stay busy behind the scenes.

                When crawfish season arrives, the staff at Roper's hauls out big pots and hosts giant crawfish boils on Saturday evenings. Lauren's dad boils up the mudbugs, and customers love to sit at a table and dive into a pile of steaming hot crawfish and temper that Louisiana hot sauce with a cold Shiner.

                Good times, good food and good friends. That's what Roper's does well – allows old-timers and newcomers to sit a spell, talk about the weather, share a few laughs and leave with a smile and a full tummy.

                I'll take that dinner over caviar and candlelight any day of the week.

 This column was originally published in The Fort Bend Herald.