Rosemary’s
Carlos Suarez of Bobo has decided to open another West Village restaurant. Rosemary’s is not too far from Bobbo and both specialize in upscale comfort food. Bobo is a bit more on the French side while Rosemary’s has many Italian influences. But let’s get this out of the way, Rosemary’s is not traditional Italian food and it knows it. The restaurant itself almost looks something out of the Hamptons and the rooftop garden is perfect for grabbing a drink when having to wait for a table. Rosemary’s doesn’t accept reservations so you may be having 3 or 4 drinks during that 1-2 hour wait period. Lucky for you the beer/wine menu is very reasonably priced. All bottles are $40, wines by the glass are $10 and most beers are $6-$8. This is certainly much more reasonable than the $15-$22 cocktails offered at other chic eateries around the city.
The food is also very reasonably priced as well. The pasta dishes never rise above $15 and you basically can eat at Rosemary’s for under $50 pretty easily. To start we had the Lard Bread to share then the Oricchiette with Braised Greens and Homemade Sausage, the Chitarra Ala Carbonara and the Flank Steak. Rosemary’s makes you pay for the bread but it is worth every penny. This Lard Bread is a much more refined version of traditional Italian lard bread as it only contains small strips of pork fat on the top of the focaccia. But to be honest, we’re not complaining. This is a great way to start off your meal and I strongly suggest paying the $7 for this starter. The Oricchiette was one of the two homemade pastas that Rosemary’s features and it was an excellent dish. The pasta was cooked well and the sauce was almost like a ragu but a bit lighter. The Chitarra was great as well but we still preferred the Oricchiette. The Flank Steak was really the only mediocre dish we had. The steak itself was a little bit on the cold side when we received it though the crispy potatoes and balsamic sauce was a nice addition.
We’d recommend Rosemary’s for anyone who doesn’t want to spend an arm and a leg but still eat well. The portions are generous but we’d recommend making a meal out of the pastas and starters and perhaps leaving the entrees alone. The waits may be long, but Rosemary’s cheap cocktails, wine and beer will certainly keep you entertained throughout that long wait.
Ambiance: 8
Food: 8
Service: 7
Overall: 8
Verdict: Oasis
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