RESTAURANT REVIEW / THE HERB GARDEN CAFE : Food With Healthy Dose of Flair : The soups, sandwiches and salads boast fresh ingredients and tasty combinations of vegetables, spices and sauces.

The Herb Garden Cafe is one of those restaurants that has evolved over the years in concept and cuisine, as well as structure. Like an add-a-pearl necklace, the restaurant has spread out in increments. Today, the kitchen is in one unit, while the coffee bar, called Espresso Bollo, is in another.

The place started out serving sandwiches from the herb shop nestled behind the Ojai arcade. Now the cafe and the shop share the same veranda but have separate owners. Most of the tables are set outdoors on the wisteria-covered veranda that encircles the buildings.

Despite its proximity to a gas station, the spot is quite lovely, dominated as it is by stunning elm trees. I imagine the winter rains put a great damper on the outdoor dining here, but in these days of green afternoons and balmy evenings, I can’t think of a nicer spot to have lunch or dinner.

The cafe’s owner, chef and sometime waiter, Bob Northrop, adds a genial note to the casual ambience. He learned to cook as a kid, he said, because his mother worked. But years in the software business in Silicon Valley allowed him to indulge his taste for fine food and fancy cooking classes.

The menus at lunch and dinner are identical--save for the prices--and feature mostly salads, soups and sandwiches. The ones I tried were simply delicious.

At dinner the specials tend toward appetizers such as homemade vegetable pate, chicken and fish dishes, pastas and various exotic stir-fries.

Although the place gives the impression of rustic simplicity and food with a healthy bent, the palate is fairly sophisticated. For instance, there are 17 kinds of beers to choose from.

My impression that this is a great place for salads was confirmed by a salmon salad made with fresh poached salmon, mashed and served on a bed of delicate greens, chopped vegetables and nuts. The flavor was inspired by bits of green olives and capers, and the light tahini dressing was kissed by a whisper of raspberry--unexpected but appealing.

I certainly never expected to eat the best enchilada ever at such an upscale, anti-red-meat, pro-veggie establishment. But there it was: ground turkey (naturally)--but very tasty; also the softest, freshest corn tortillas, a hardly discernible amount of cheese, a covering of wonderful tomatillo sauce, fresh salsa, avocado slices and that delicious salad. I made the mistake of letting my son taste it. That was the last I saw of it.

An open-face antipasto sandwich came with grilled or marinated vegetables including zucchini, peppers, carrots, artichoke hearts and a touch of cheese. One thing you can count on here is a minimum of detectable fats.

Even better was a curried chicken salad sandwich on a whole-wheat croissant. The texture was perfectly moist, the flavor more lemony than cuminy; and the croissant was simply perfect.

Potato shrimp scampi made a marvelous meal, with small, sliced new potatoes and firm shrimp engulfed in garlic. Pesto pasta tasted like a triumph of home cooking and had the simple originality of chopped fresh tomatoes.

A dish mysteriously called “Jungle Evil Prince” consisted of moist white chicken, straw mushrooms, cabbage, rice and a sauce that was utterly Thai and utterly delicious. Peanut saute was another Thai-inspired dish with innumerable vegetables and a sweet coconut-milk sauce.

My only complaints over a number of visits were with the cheese: once the Brie in an appetizer was a little dry and on another visit the Roquefort oil and vinegar dressing seemed to be missing the Roquefort. But when we issued a complaint, the owner came out and assured us the Roquefort chef had been terminated on the spot.

Desserts turned out to be happy endings to fine meals, especially the nutty and moist carrot cake and a pistachio cake consisting of a delectable angel food cake with pistachio flavoring. Apple strudel was crusty and chewy with a creamy cheese filling. I hope this restaurant prospers. It deserves to.

* WHERE AND WHEN

The Herb Garden Cafe and Espresso Bollo at the Herb Garden, 109 N. Montgomery St., Ojai, 646-3733. Breakfast (coffee and baked goods) Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. Full breakfast, Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m.-11 a.m. Open everyday for lunch, 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Dinner, Friday and Saturday, 6-9 p.m. Wine and beer, Visa and MasterCard. Dinner for two, food only, $20-$43.