Review: Rosa Mexicano

It's restaurant week! Restaurants all over the city are vying for consumer dollars by offering their delectable cuisine for insanely low prices. Last Saturday a friend and I went to Rosa Mexicano (I'd been dying to go) for dinner. This participating restaurant afforded us the chance to sample three courses of their finest cuisine for 25 bucks. Nice.

While their modified "Restaurant Week" menu was limited, it wasn't difficult to discern that the food here was delicious. He started off with the Flautas de Pollo while I tried the Sopa de Tortilla, a soup composed of grilled chicken, avocado, tortilla strips, and a creamy sauce. Light but filling - it was a good starter. Next, I had the Salmon en Manchamanteles. Organic salmon served over black beans and corn, dressed with tropical fruit. Mouthwatering. Our waiter added rice with cilantro, which was a perfect compliment to the entree. The mango and pineapple flavors blended nicely with the medium-well seared salmon. Though the restaurant is Mexican by name, the cuisine extends far beyond the normal realm of burritos and enchiladas. Every dish, both his and mine, was exquisite in presentation, form and taste. Even the food itself had aesthetic quality.

The Flan de Coco for dessert was decadent. I mean, you have to travel abroad to find flan this good. He tried the "Pastel de Cueso" (cheesecake) which was equally remarkable. Light, creamy, and fresh... unlike the stuff you get at Cheesecake Factory (no disrespect - I like that place too). It was a perfect ending to a tasty, filling meal.

The service was great. Our waiter checked on us frequently enough, but not so much as to interrupt our conversation. Our water glasses were never empty, and his response to our needs was always timely.

The atmosphere was very inviting as well. It was definitely a family restaurant, though couples and large groups of friends could be spotted anywhere. The restaurant is best known for it's homemade guacamole (which, for some reason, we didn't try) and their authentic margaritas (which my friend tried, and enjoyed).

Overall, the place was a winner. It's a little pricey for an otherwise broke girl, thus "Restaurant Week" was the perfect opportunity to finally try their food. And, my pockets may hate me for it... but I will definitely be back.

http://www.rosamexicano.info/