COURTHOUSE CAFE ON THE courthouse square in Fairfield opened for business Monday and was treated to a ribbon cutting by the chamber of commerce. Pictured are owner Rozanne McKinney, wielding scissors, and Helen Strickland, and chamber representatives. Courthouse Café opened this week on the west side of the square, and offers mostly "nocook" gourmet breakfast and lunch fare.

Owner Rozanne McKinney opened the café Monday and says she wanted to offer light, but higher-end sandwiches, salads and soups for lunch, and cinnamon rolls, scones and muffins for breakfast, along with juices, great coffee, she says, coffee drinks, and a couple of dessert choices.

The restaurant is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. and is deli-style. Sandwich descriptions are posted on a board for customers, who then choose their item from a refrigerated case. Everything is made fresh daily.

Patrons can eat in the café, or take their selections to go.

Mrs. McKinney, a former attorney, retired after her husband died in 2006, and dabbled around a little, she says.

"When Jackie closed Downtown Bistro, I started looking into opening a small restaurant, but I didn't want to work 80 hours," Mrs. McKinney says. As a former lawyer, Mrs. McKinney knew how important a lunch spot is to courthouse workers, so the café was a natural decision.

"We have simple, easy, quick-but-nice sandwiches, salads and soups, and gourmet iced teas," Mrs. McKinney points out.

"They are really tasty, reasonably priced, and ready for those who need something quick," she adds.

To prepare as a restaurant owner, Mrs. McKinney and assistant Helen Strickland worked with chefs in Dallas who helped them come up with unique, gourmet sandwiches that would appeal to everyone, and she offers a number of selections.

One sandwich, the "Granny Smith", is a carryover from Java Jack's, a café owned several years ago by Jack and Karen Allbright. The "Granny Smith", a turkey sandwich with Swiss cheese and slices of apple, was invented by Mrs. Allbright, and was a Fairfield favorite.

Courthouse Café also offers kettle-style potato chips and seasonal fresh fruit.

A "salad symphony" is available, and has a scoop each of three types of salads: chicken, pasta and fruit.

"And, then we ruin it all by having good desserts," she laughs.

The business held a ribbon cutting Monday as they joined the Fairfield chamber of commerce.