To some, it's like heaven.

Actually, that's exactly what the name of the business translates to, if you read it backward, of course.

Some refer to it as a water ice stand with attitude. Others simply see the Roxborough business for what it is - a place to get good food with good company.

Nevaeh's, located at 5925 Ridge Ave., has been offering up refreshing summertime treats, as well as year-round comfort food, for four years. The business was actually an offshoot of a water ice stand called Michael's, located just up Ridge Avenue where a new shopping center now stands.

The business, owned by Scott Thomas and Nick Censi, takes its name from Thomas' 8-year-old daughter's middle name, which is "heaven" in spelled in reverse. When Michael's closed after more than a decade of operation - the property was purchased and the new strip mall was erected - Thomas and Censi decided to relocate. They found Nevaeh's current location, which had gone through many incarnations - seafood grocer, video store, skateboard shop.

It seemed like the perfect spot to open up their revamped business.

One of the first things the owners did upon opening at the new location was hire Frank Childs, an imposing presence who spent 30 years in the radio business. Thomas and Childs had been neighbors in Roxborough for a decade, and Thomas knew of the big man's penchant for cooking.

While Childs had no formal food training, his mother was a professional cook, so he knew his way around a kitchen. When the California native decided to quit disc jockeying, he decided to take on a second career.

"We met Frank," Thomas said matter-of-factly, when asked why he and his partner decided to expand the menu and offer fare besides water ice.

Since Thomas and Childs were longtime neighbors, the rapport was already there, so when the business owner asked Childs to come aboard, the food lover was more than happy to oblige.

"If I had started doing this when I was younger, I might have hated it," Childs said of cooking, during a recent visit to Nevaeh's. "But I love it now."

Prior to Childs joining the team, the business did sell food items besides water ice, mostly hot dogs and sausage sandwiches. When Childs came aboard, he scrapped the frozen food options, and instead decided to make everything fresh.

Today, Childs, who spent much of his time living in the south perfecting his cooking, creates weekly specials like meatloaf, barbecue brisket, chicken enchiladas, pulled pork and a hot turkey sandwich stuffed with smoked turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce.

"We're extremely generous with our portions," Child said as he prepared a cheesesteak for a customer.

Childs first experience with the cheesesteak was when he first came to the city in 1978. Throughout the years, he has managed to develop his own way of crafting the quintessential Philly food, and it seems to keep the customers happy.

At the shop last week, Thomas tried to persuade one regular to try the day's special, but she wasn't having any of it. It's not that she didn't believe the meatloaf would be good, she's just a gal who knows what she wants.

"I like meatloaf, but I really want a cheesesteak," the customer said.

"You don't know what you're missing," Thomas joked.