Roma Garden: 184-22 Horace Harding Expwy., Fresh Meadows; 718-359-2002

Cuisine: Italian

Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday to Thursday; 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday

Handicapped Accessible: Yes

Credit Cards: All Major

Walking into Roma Garden, one quickly forgets the hustle and hassle of the neighboring Long Island Expressway. With its simple but warm decor, and as the sweet-smelling fruits of the chef’s labors waft in from the kitchen, one cannot help but feel as though they have risen to grace. Truly a garden of earthly delights.

While Roma has been a fixture in the neighborhood for many years, under the ownership of Mike and Christina for the past two, its loyal following has expanded beyond the boundaries of the borough.

The secret to this garden's success is their philosophy – catering to, not for, their customers. Of course, chef Tony Friaz’s nearly two decades of experience, and the impeccable service of the wait staff do not hurt either.

Order a bottle of Merlot from Roma’s extremely reasonable wine list, and then sample one of the Garden’s delectable appetizers.

The Baked Clams ($5.95) and the Stuffed Mushrooms ($4.95) both came highly recommended, and are not to be missed.

Roma also boasts a wonderful selection of soups and salads. And while some may be tempted to scrawl proofreaders marks on much of the menu, rest assured that the real thing is more telling than the spelling.

One of Roma’s most popular dishes is the Veal Marsala ($13.95), served with garden fresh mushrooms and onions in a brown sauce.

The chef also recommends the Seafood Platter ($24.95), which is a mammoth plate of lobster tails, shrimp, clams, mussels, calamari, and scallops, sautéed in garlic and oil.

There is also an extensive selection of chicken, beef, and pasta dishes. Try the Chicken Sorrentina ($12.95), which is tender filets served with eggplant prosciutto in a marinara sauce, and baked with mozzarella cheese. If you’re more of a pasta person, there are many a penne to remember.

Roma also offers several terrific daily specials. For lunch time diners, don’t miss out on the Roma Lunch ($4.95), which entitles you to soup, drink, and any one of 19 entrees including Filet of Sole, Fried Calamari, Eggplant Parmiagana, Baked Ziti, Fettucini Alfredo, Lasagna, or a selection of terrific heroes.

Forget the worm, early birds should head directly to the Garden and enjoy terrific specials seven days a week, starting under ten dollars. You get soup, salad, a side dish, and main courses like Chicken Cacciatore, Veal Milanese, Filet of Sole, Eggplant Parmiagana, not to mention coffee and dessert.

So if you are craving a lunch that is more fulfilling than the usual slice of pizza, or searching for a cozy spot to enjoy a traditional Italian dinner, just start driving — All roads lead to Roma.