Roasted tomato soup that reminded me of Italian bread soup ($3.50) was rough-textured tomato puree, enthusiastically laced with garlic and herbs that may be too spicy for some palates.
Excellent mesclun salad with cherry tomatoes, thick cucumber slices and carrot needles were topped with alfalfa sprouts and dressed with homemade toppings - creamy-thick blue cheese and sweet roasted red-pepper vinaigrette.
Crusty, napkin-wrapped white bread was lightly warmed.
Pan-seared pompano ($21.95), a Provencale-like special, was moist white fish topped with spinach and three good-sized shrimp and showered with black olives, tomatoes and roasted red pepper in gentle guava-sweetened white wine sauce. It was prettily garnished with watercress, crunchy broccoli and an edible orchid.
Honey-glazed grilled salmon was another moist, nicely cooked fish ($17.95), its flavors enhanced by spicy-sweet peach-apple chutney with golden raisins and almonds.
Served on wild rice, it came with whole roasted red peppers, broccoli, watercress and "April squash" - a hollowed zucchini boat stuffed with minced mushrooms, blue cheese and walnuts.
Unfortunately, the pastry chef was on vacation, but lighter-than-air mango torte from a nearby bakery ($6.95) was a pleasant confection of triple-layered yellow cake with mango filling and cream cheese icing, garnished with fresh raspberries and blueberries, raspberry puree and whipped cream.
My super-friendly waitress was attentive and knowledgeable about the cuisine.
The countryish main dining room has bare hardwood floors and steel-gray walls with huge contemporary paintings offered for sale by Barbara Grant, a local artist - splendidly appropriate for an area known for its artistic community.
Tiny potted plants fill the sills of mullioned windows facing a side patio.
Too-small tables are set with white cloths, white napkin fans, a cut-glass picnic candle, large cobalt-blue water goblets and commercial wood chairs with light-red vinyl seats.
John V. R. Bull's e-mail address is jbull@phillynews.com
Cedar Hollow Inn
2455 Yellow Springs Rd., Malvern, 610-296-9006.
Open: Lunch 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Mon-Sat; dinner 5-9 p.m. Sun-Thu, until 10 p.m. Fri & Sat.
Price range: Appetizers average $8.50, entrees $19.
Credit cards: Major cards.
Nonsmoking section: Yes.
Facilities for handicapped: Yes.
Atmosphere: Country charm.
Web site: www.cedarhollowinn.com
