The Rose RestaurantSouth Cortez St. in Prescott, AZ grew up in the Victorian era. Gracious old homes have been lovingly restored and, in many cases, converted to commercial use. The Rose Restaurant has flourished in its antique digs. The recipient of numerous awards and nationally recognized designations,
OK, Ok, I'm sorry I couldn't resist the whole "The Rose has bloomed" thing. It is a nice place and it has done well. There are numerous parking places available along Cortez and we found one with no trouble. One caveat - South Cortez is one of the numerous streets in Prescott on which the curbs are a foot or more in height - so mind your bumper! There are a couple of steps on the way to the front porch, another of those features of the Victorian era that I love, where the menu is prominently posted next to the entry door. Entering through the tiny bar, our party of 6 is warmly welcomed and shown to our table in one corner of the small, intimate dining room. The room is decorated to the period with numerous prints of Victorian ladies in all of their finery. Adjacent to the dining room are two dining alcoves. The first has two 2 top tables that are perfect for an intimate meal, although the somewhat infrequent traffic to the restrooms does pass by. The second has three tables and is also nicely separated from the main room. The tables are covered with white table cloths and a single red rose sits in a vase in the center of the table. A nice touch.
Our server, Isha, introduced herself and supplied us with menus and the wine list. She also informed us that here was a special that night, Cornish Game Hen, for $21.95. The wine list at The Rose Restaurant is as good as or better than any that I have encountered in Prescott. We ordered a split ($8.75 for about a 6oz serving) of Domaine Chandon Brut Cuvee' for my Mother in Law.
For the rest of the table we ordered a "Chris Ringland Ebenizer Shiraz. Mr. Ringland is a superstar wine maker from the Barossa Valley, Australia with a long history of making quality wines. This wine was no exception. Well balanced, lots of fruit - very good, especially for the reasonable price of $40.00. Among the 6 of us we ordered 2 appetizers, Spinach and Artichoke fondue and House Bruschetta and 5 different entrees. Lamb shank, Seafood risotto, rib-eye steak, Cornish game hen and Veal Teresa. The fondue was excellent. Served with toast points it was rich and creamy with a nice balance of flavors. The Bruschetta was, in my opinion, a bit too much good stuff in one place. The, Calcutta curry aioli, Chick peas, scallions and melted Havarti were all quality ingredients and well prepared. It just seems that it would have been better to divide the ingredients between 2 crostini where the flavors didn’t have to compete. The lamb shank was excellent, tender and flavorful and the beans and vegetables accompanied nicely. It could have used a sprig of something green or any other color for that matter, to enhance the presentation but it was a good value and thoroughly enjoyed at $25.00. My wife had the Jumbo Shrimp and Sea Scallop Risotto with Truffles & Cremini Mushrooms at $25.00. It was ok. The shrimp were perfectly cooked, the scallops – not so much. The risotto was so unnaturally rich, a result, I suspect, of the addition of cream to the risotto, that it would be practically impossible to finish the generous serving. This dish failed to meet the usually high standards of The Rose. The rib-eye, temperature as ordered, and its accompaniments were good. $30.00. The Cornish game hen, must have been good because I know I didn’t even get a taste. Oh well another time!
Made with White wine, lemon, Lobster, Artichoke Hearts and Béarnaise sauce, I think this dish was trying too hard. All of the individual ingredients were prepared well but the lemon and artichoke overwhelmed the veal. The dish certainly wasn’t unpleasant; it could just use a little balance is all. We finished our meal with a couple of desserts between us. Both were good, though nothing spectacular. Finally, a good cup of coffee and we were on our way. Overall a thoroughly enjoyable evening in one of Prescott’s better restaurants. The food was good though uneven, the wait staff excellent and the ambiance very nice. This would be a perfect place for an “impress her” date, a business dinner, or an intimate evening meal with your significant other.
From The Rose Restaurant Review to Dinner in Prescott
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