Restaurant Review: Rosemary's

One more NYC restaurant review for you guys -- This was a good one that I absolutely recommend.

Rosemary’s, West Village
I had been eyeing Rosemary’s for awhile before I popped in on a Tuesday night. Luckily, there was no wait, but the restaurant was bumping.  First, I think the décor in this place is so cute – both the exterior and interior.  They do an excellent job of making the restaurant feel cozy and rustic. Not easy to do in a fairly large space with windows lining two of the walls. Rosemary’s is Italian and has rave reviews on their homemade pasta. The menu is really diverse, healthy and sustainable (they have a rooftop garden).

Red wine is always top of mind for me in an Italian restaurant.  Their wine menu is great AND they have a list where every bottle is $40 (they have a separate list for the $80 price range) – pretty amazing in NYC and great for a girl’s wine night. Per the recommendation of our waiter, we got a bottle of the ‘Valle d’Aosta’. It was a complex and smooth combination of a Pinot Noir and Nebbiolo. I was happy.

The dinner lineup:
Course #1: Calamari with celery, almond, raisins, chili oil
The portion was very, very small. The calamari was grilled and served in a really light sauce– probably a little too light. It was good, but I wish the chili sauce had had more flavor or spice.  I would probably pass on this.

Course #2:  Celery Caesar with anchovy, bread crumbs, parmigiano. This is a pleasant spin on the classic salad. I loved the crunchy celery. The dressing was perfectly peppery with a slight anchovy taste.

Course #3: It was really, really tough to choose just 2 of their pastas. We went with a gnocchi and cavatelli.
The gnocchi was served with mushroom ragu, black truffle, and parmigiano – I am a serious gnocchi and truffle lover so this was right up my alley. The gnocchi was doughy, plump, and delicious.  The mushroom ragu with truffle was salty and creamy and it was all topped with 3 large truffles. For only $20 this was a deal.

The Cavatelli came with braised beef flat iron, heirloom tomato sauce, and fresh cherry tomatoes. I can’t go to an Italian restaurant and not get tomato sauce on something.  The sauce was light and mixed well with the flaky beef. Pasta was perfectly al dente.  Both pastas were delicious (and perfectly portioned), but I have to say the gnocchi won out here. 

Course #4: For our final dish, we went with the Skirt Steak. It was served medium-rare with guanciale steak sauce, crispy fingerlings, and arugula.  Fingerlings and arugula are two of my favorite sides.  The meat was actually phenomenal – lean, flavorful, and juicy.  I’m tempted to use the word succulent here, but I think I hate that word.  The meat really stole the show which is not easy to do after 2 pasta dishes.

I can’t wait to go back to Rosemary’s.  I want to try their Orecchiette pasta and focaccia breads.  Rosemary’s is a relaxed, neighborhood restaurant with quality food, wine, and ambiance, and the prices are extremely reasonable.  It’s an easy, go-to, Italian spot for any occasion.