Loved It
TLDR: Rosella is a Good Time™ with a good heart. This sustainability-focused Japanese restaurant’s only flaw is not being bigger; if it had more seats, you might be able to go more often. But with such amiable staff and perfectly executed, fresh food, you’ll find an excuse to go to Rosella even if you do need to plan ahead. Date night anyone?
Rosella is the kind of place that reminds you why New York is the best restaurant city in the world. It strikes the impossible balance of high-end, instagrammable dishes and feeling like you’re eating at your friend's kitchen counter. Really, where else in the world does fine dining feel so fun?
While I can (and will) applaud the food, what really makes Rosella shine is the staff – they are extraordinarily friendly and kind, and just as instrumental in making the meal feel special as the perfectly placed mint leaves on your salad. Not only were they helpful, but they were truly considerate of our experience and really went the extra mile to make sure we enjoyed everything; arranging the dishes to come out in the ideal order, giving out extra sides, and even pouring an extra splash of sparkling wine, just so we could try it. They certainly know how to create a loyal clientele!
To get into it, Rosella has a killer menu and an even better ethos: sustainability. Where most high-end Japanese restaurants are flying in tuna from Tokyo and scallops from Hokkaido, Rosella is finding top quality cuts closer to home – New York trout, Maine scallops, and North Carolina tuna are called out on the menu. That freshness comes through in everything you’ll eat here.
Starting with the dragonfly salad. A deceptively simple (but beautiful) arrangement of endive with ginger dressing, this dish knocks the socks off your typical izakaya offering. I literally drank the leftover dressing at the bottom because it felt like a sin to waste even a drop. Of the nigiri we got, I particularly liked the pickled mussel, which had a totally unique flavor – almost mustardy with a satisfyingly thick texture. Best of all was the spicy dungeness crab laksa, a wonderfully punchy curry with soft bits of crab and noodles.
I don’t usually get into drinks or dessert in my reviews, possibly because they seem to pale in comparison to the main meal, but I think they’re worth mentioning here. As a burgeoning sake connoisseur, Rosella’s lengthy menu of sake options was really exciting. I think the drink menu is well considered and has some interesting wines and ciders as well. On top of that, the miso carrot cake stole my heart. I don’t normally like the words “orange marmalade” and I definitely don’t think they belong on my cake, but Rosella made me eat my words and boy did they taste good.
While not everything is the best of its kind you’ve ever eaten (the big rolls are a wee bit underwhelming) you can’t go wrong with your order. The menu changes seasonally to keep only the best ingredients in use, and the chefs here clearly know what they’re doing, so just point and pick something and I’m pretty sure you’ll be happy.
There is a catch (and it’s not the fish of the day 😉). It’s tempting to go for the easy reservation – the outside space. Rosella’s is a pretty tiny restaurant with mostly counter seating around the central kitchen and maybe two actual tables, so the outdoor seating is often all that’s left (especially if you’re trying to book for more than two people). Don’t do it. You lose all the vibe and the fun that you get to experience inside, and while the food is still delicious, it’s not nearly as exciting when you can’t watch the chef assemble it all together with your own two eyes. Play the long game and find a time a few weeks out. Your date will thank you.
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