Rosa Mexicano

Restaurant week is always a bit overwhelming. Where do I go? What do I try? So I'm always grateful when someone else makes the decision for me. Together, a group of us ladies decided on Rosa Mexicano in part because there was a solid vegetarian choice for the veggie-lover among us and because it's hard to go wrong with a margarita on a Monday. 

My first impression of Rosa is that it is HUGE. I'm not sure if that's how all the locations are or if this was just a consequence of the space available. The sheer number of table space within and outside on its patio makes it hard for me to imagine this place ever really filling up, but maybe downtown Friday and Saturday nights are more raucous than I'm envisioning. With a solid Restaurant Week offering and a respectable happy hour menu, I was surprised that the restaurant wasn't busier at 6pm.  Despite our being a party of 5, I imagine we didn't really need the reservation. We could have easily acquired a table by wandering in. 

Unlike many Restaurant Week menus, Rosa offers a list of four categories within which you pick three: appetizer, entree, drink, dessert.  This is a great deal, really, especially if you're traveling in a crowd.  We ended up getting a double batch of the tableside guacamole and an order of queso to start and we all enjoyed our margaritas as we nibbled before the entrees arrived. The guacamole was wonderful, and I appreciated the additional sauce sides so that I could up the spice level to my liking. The queso was less inspiring (although I ate plenty of it), but I've never been a huge queso fan.  I would have been happier with a bowl of that chorizo. 

I ordered the carne asada tacos and wasn't disappointed. Served with sides of a thinly creamy roasted corn dish and soup beans (and black beans and rice served family style), the steak was tender and flavorful.  It was served over a melted cheese that seemed out of place.  If there's cheese on a plate in front of me, I will eat it, but I would have happily welcomed instead a bed of peppers or onions instead of the cheese. 

Our server was helpful when it came to decision-making and had several recommendations we appreciated. She did note, however, that Restaurant Week provided a great deal on the steak tacos as they're normally over $20.  I doubt I'd pay over $20 for that dish again.  But it would be worthwhile to split some guacamole and an entree.

There were several things on the menu I'd happily try (mmmm...plantains...) and I think Rosa would be an excellent place for a happy hour, so it is filed away for future use.  If you're curious about the place I'd definitely recommend taking advantage of the Restaurant Week menu, hard to beat a drink, entree, and appetizer for $30 a person. And if you're lucky enough to bring a date, one of you could get an appetizer and the other a dessert and share like the smart, restaurant-hopping couple you are. ;) 

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