For an early Mother's Day treat, Maxine Gordon heads to Bettys in York with Mum and daughter in tow.

THESE days, it is rare I get to spend Mother's Day with my mum, who lives some 200 miles away in Edinburgh.

So when she came to York last weekend, I decided to hold our Mother's Day celebrations a week early.

I wanted to take her somewhere special and my heart was set on Bettys tea rooms, but when we visited last Saturday lunch time the queues put us off.

I quickly re-directed her elsewhere, promising we'd pop back on Sunday for afternoon tea - but my daughter's extended afternoon snooze put paid to that.

And so Monday arrived. Mum was booked on the 12.55 back to Edinburgh, so it had to be an early lunch, come hail or shine.

In the end, we had snow, but the flurries were light, and so we togged up and trekked across town back to Bettys. This time, there was no queue, but then it was 11.30am.

Bettys had never struck me as a child-friendly caf. For starters, the loos are downstairs (although there is a changing area with mat) and you are politely asked to leave your buggy folded by the entrance.

What persuaded me to try again was the naming last month of Bettys as the best caf for kids in our region in the annual Observer Food Monthly magazine awards.

For wheelchair-bound visitors, there is a lift down to the disabled toilet, although you need to ask for a ramp to gain access through the main door.

When we arrived, with Eva snoozing soundly in her buggy, staff waved us straight through to a table.

Mum and I decided to order from the Spring Specialities menu, which featured small snacks such as warm roasted tomato and onion tartlet (£5.95) as well as more substantial meals including salmon and prawn pasta (£9.25) and smoked chicken and avocado salad (£8.95).

However I was tempted by the chicken and leek pie (£9.75) which came in a tarragon, cream and white wine sauce. Mum plumped for the Florentine rosti (£8.80), a grated potato and cheese pancake topped with spinach, poached egg and ham.

We also ordered a pot of tea each and sat back and watched the world pass by through the huge glass windows facing St Helen's Square.

Our food arrived just before noon, by which time we were ready for it. Service is on the slow side at Bettys, but the food was wide-awake fresh and piping hot, which makes the wait worth while. And our meals were delicious too.

Mine looked the more substantial and featured succulent chicken chunks in a thick, creamy sauce subtly flavoured with leek and tarragon. It was absolutely gorgeous. The best I'd had. On top was an oval of puff pastry, its crown glowing honey brown. The veggies were irresistible too: baby potatoes cut in half and sauted to perfection and an unusual combination of grated carrot and courgette cooked in herb and garlic butter. I cleaned my plate.

Mum's combination was equally knock-out. The potato pancake was nicely browned and served as a sponge for the toppings of just-wilted spinach, slices of pink-as-a-tongue ham and a perfectly poached egg, just oozing yellow loveliness.

At this point, Eva woke up and announced she was ready for lunch.

A waitress quickly produced the Little Rascal children's menu from which we selected a roast ham sandwich (£3.10) and small ice cream milk shake. Chocolate, of course (£1.95).

Mum and I also decided to share a treat from the spring menu: Rhubarb Crumble Tartlet (£4.95) which came with organic vanilla ice cream.

Eva's snack arrived promptly and was the perfect sandwich for a child - crusts cut off and sliced into three fingers. It may seem pricey for a ham sarnie, but Eva ate every bit of it: that's money well spent in my book. The milk shake was thick and had a rich chocolate flavour. There was a ball of ice cream bobbing in it, making it a drink and dessert in one, and so doubly good value.

Our dessert was another hit. Finger-sized pieces of rhubarb sat enticingly in a shortbread-like pastry case, with a sprinkling of almond crumble on top. The coolness and plainness of the ice cream worked perfectly against the shocking sweetness of the tart.

By now it was 12.30 and Mum's date with GNER beckoned.

Our bill came to £33.70 - not cheap, but worth every penny considering the quality of the food and the unrivalled joy that a visit to Bettys provides.

Which leaves me to deduce that when it comes to providing that perfect treat for Mums and daughters, Bettys knows best.

Bettys Caf Tea Rooms, 6-8 St Helen's Square, York.

Tel: 01904 659142

Maxine visited on Monday, February 28, 2005

Food: scrummy

Service: busy

Value: good

Ambience: posh caf

Disabled access: Yes

Updated: 16:43 Friday, March 04, 2005