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Chicken Piccata from Rosalina’s Kitchen

Chicken Piccata from Rosalina's Kitchen on Hamilton Street in Worcester, MA

Chicken Piccata from Rosalina's Kitchen on Hamilton Street in Worcester, MA

Simply put – Rosalina’s Kitchen is a neighborhood gem. You may miss it driving by as it blends right into the neighborhood but that is part of the charm. I always love frequenting small restaurants that have that local casual feel – like I am sitting in a friends house having dinner and that is exactly how I felt there. It was a Wednesday evening but the place was filled with large groups of friends and families enjoying their meals and a nice bottle of wine. Did I mention its BYOB?

I think everyone heard that they make their home made ravioli on Tuesday nights. While I didn’t try the ravioli this first visit they are must for my next visit. I could see the pillow like raviolis piled high on a friends plate filled with such unique items as lamb and grape leaves. While the home made ravioli is what first attracted me to Rosalina’s Kitchen I ordered a very traditional chicken piccata. Normally when I go to a new restaurant I try to order a favorite dish to help me compare to others I have had at other places.

At Rosalina’s Kitchen you could order the piccata with chicken, haddock or veal. My dish of chicken piccata came steaming hot with lightly browned pieces of moist chicken slices sautéed with lemon, butter, white wine, capers and their special touch – spinach. Bringing the whole dish together was the nice strong lemony flavor balanced with the slight crisp from the white wine. What I liked about this dish was while it was sautéed with butter, like a traditional piccata, I didn’t feel that the butter was the star of the dish which made it much more pleasurable. Overall a great meal and enough to take home for a great dinner the next night.

I am already planning my next trip there with a group of friends.  Try your best to make this your next dinner destination.

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Shrimp Scampi from Rosalina’s Kitchen

Shrimp Scampi from Rosalina's Kitchen on Hamilton Street in Worcester, MA

Shrimp Scampi from Rosalina's Kitchen on Hamilton Street in Worcester, MAApparently, the whole reason Rosalina’s Kitchen is closed on Tuesdays is to make ravioli. There were a variety of specials concerning those Italian pockets of warmth and happiness including unique sounding ravioli stuffed with lamb and grape leaves. So of course, I ordered the shrimp scampi. I felt guilty even as I did it. But, it was the first dish I saw upon opening the menu and I haven’t had it in a while. Maybe even since last summer. And, unfortunately, once a decision has been approached, I cannot turn back. I’ve gone too far. I was not disappointed when it arrived. Although the shrimp could have been cooked a bit less (or maybe they were just previously frozen), the pasta was amazing. We were told that all the pasta is homemade, though only the ravioli is made in-house. The texture of the linguini was definitely not boxed Prince or Barilla. It was thick and almost slightly doughy-the sauce adhered to it in the most useful way. I could’ve eaten that linguini for days. In fact, I did eat every strand of the large portion. I had no regrets then, either. The scampi sauce was garlicky and lemony, as expected, but not overbearing. It was light and coated the pasta without leaving a puddle of oily leftovers. Now that I know how great their pasta is, I will definitely need to return for those famous raviolis. Just looking around a packed restaurant on a Wednesday night speaks to the quality of the food. Oh, and do not forget dessert. Nutella and peanut butter dessert raviolis? As great as they sound.