Italian
0.5 miles
From the friendly doorman to the lavish decor and courteous staff, Rossi's is a restaurant that impresses from the start. Housed in a former bank, the high ceilings and ornate architecture of this Italian-run restaurant create a grand atmosphere, yet the soft lighting and generously spaced tables lend a sense of intimacy that can often be overlooked in restaurants of this size.
My companion (an Italian herself) and I were excited about the food from the moment a bowl of plump, inviting olives were placed on the table and we tucked in greedily. They tasted fresh and were perfectly seasoned - a good omen of what was to come.
The menu contains a wide selection of meat, fish and vegetarian dishes, and the largest choice of specials I have ever seen. My companion, who doesn't eat wheat, was delighted to have so many dishes to choose from, and opted for asparagus spears with Parma ham in a delicious buttery sauce. The chef had made the most of the freshness of this seasonal vegetable, steaming it lightly and accompanying it with generous shavings of authentic Parmesan. I opted for a light insalata tricolore, which perfectly balanced creamy slices of mozzarella and avocado with the sharpness of fresh tomatoes and a deliciously sweet balsamic dressing. We followed the starters with a mushroom risotto and veal escalopes; my risotto was a fantastically rich affair, with just the right amount of tangy blue cheese melted over the vibrant saffron-coloured rice, while my companion's veal was a hit - the tender meat and slightly sweet, creamy sauce appear to have turned her into a lifelong veal convert.
The desserts - a melt-in-the mouth limoncello sorbet and an indulgent chocolatey creation made with ice cream and Italian soft cheese - were the perfect end to one of the best meals I've had in a long time. With food this good, plus an extensive and reasonably priced wine list - from which we sampled a delicate yet fruity pinot grigio rosé - Rossi's is a restaurant which I hope to return to again and agai
My companion (an Italian herself) and I were excited about the food from the moment a bowl of plump, inviting olives were placed on the table and we tucked in greedily. They tasted fresh and were perfectly seasoned - a good omen of what was to come.
The menu contains a wide selection of meat, fish and vegetarian dishes, and the largest choice of specials I have ever seen. My companion, who doesn't eat wheat, was delighted to have so many dishes to choose from, and opted for asparagus spears with Parma ham in a delicious buttery sauce. The chef had made the most of the freshness of this seasonal vegetable, steaming it lightly and accompanying it with generous shavings of authentic Parmesan. I opted for a light insalata tricolore, which perfectly balanced creamy slices of mozzarella and avocado with the sharpness of fresh tomatoes and a deliciously sweet balsamic dressing. We followed the starters with a mushroom risotto and veal escalopes; my risotto was a fantastically rich affair, with just the right amount of tangy blue cheese melted over the vibrant saffron-coloured rice, while my companion's veal was a hit - the tender meat and slightly sweet, creamy sauce appear to have turned her into a lifelong veal convert.
The desserts - a melt-in-the mouth limoncello sorbet and an indulgent chocolatey creation made with ice cream and Italian soft cheese - were the perfect end to one of the best meals I've had in a long time. With food this good, plus an extensive and reasonably priced wine list - from which we sampled a delicate yet fruity pinot grigio rosé - Rossi's is a restaurant which I hope to return to again and agai
