Tag: Rosalina’s Kitchen

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Roman Chicken from Rosalina’s Kitchen

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

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

Roman Chicken: Chicken sautéed with artichoke hearts, diced tomatoes and basil in a white wine sauce.

Blue cheese Wedge Salad: A crisp wedge of iceberg lettuce topped with blue cheese crumbles, bacon and chopped tomatoes.

Atmosphere: Located on Vernon Hill, Rosalina’s Kitchen is literally a corner Italian restaurant. The restaurant is the second career for the owner-slash-head chef. This place has everything you would expect in a small hole in the wall – a cozy atmosphere, an unrestricted menu, and a nice warm smell that meets you as you come into the front door. The only thing that could be improved is the décor – it’s the kind of place that begs for local artistry or photographs.

Food: The food at Rosalina’s is what really stands out. The blue cheese wedge salad is an impressive mound of fresh produce – so fresh, it’s barely been touched by a knife. The Roman Chicken was commendable – the pasta was slightly al dente, which I like, and topped with a thin, buttery sauce which was just a little tangy from the artichoke hearts. I would have liked to see a few more selections on the dessert menu but the specials offered did sound delicious.

Price and Servings: I’m a fan of the inexpensive dinner that does double duty as lunch the next day, and Rosalina’s dishes did just that.

Waitstaff: The only hitch of the evening was our servers, who seemed to be a little put off by our large group. First, while we had brought our own adult beverages, and there were pitchers of cold refreshing water on the table, the wait staff was very slow to give us glasses. Secondly, two servers handled our table. While one server took orders from the other half, the second server didn’t take our order for quite a bit later. She must have run to the kitchen faster, though, because our food appeared first.

Review: The food and the atmosphere of Rosalina’s made up for the waitstaff awkwardness. I would come here for another go, but next time in a smaller group. And next time I’d try the house specialty, the homemade ravioli. Also, this isn’t related to our visit, but Rosalina’s gets extra points for offering pasta-making classes.

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Three Cheese Ravioli and Veal Parmesan

Three Cheese Ravioli and Veal Parmesan from Rosalina's Kitchen on Hamilton Street in Worcester, MA

Three Cheese Ravioli and Veal Parmesan from Rosalina's Kitchen on Hamilton Street in Worcester, MAWhen hearing that Rosalina’s Kitchen was closed Tuesday for the sole purpose of making their homemade raviolis, I knew exactly what I needed to order before I even glanced at the menu. The waitress happily read off the ravioli specials for the day, and all of them sounded delicious. Given the fact that it was an Italian eatery, I had to go with a classic…three cheese ravioli and veal parmesan ($26). Anxiously waiting our meals, I took in a beer (courtesy of the restaurant’s BYOB policy), some delicious table bread and the ambiance…all of which reminded you of an Italian grandmother’s with the familiar décor and smells permeating from the kitchen. When my meal arrived, I could not believe that size of the portion! The piece of veal was the size of the plate itself. Underneath, gigantic raviolis the size of post-it notes were covered in bright red tomato sauce. I had already dug in before I had a chance to count the number of raviolis in my order but I would have to guess between 6-8. The red sauce was sweet and seasoned perfectly. The raviolis were cooked al dente and the three cheese filling was creamy and flavorful.

I have been lucky enough to make my own raviolis at home, and while they have been tasty in their own right, I am not sure I could ever obtain the consistency and quality of these raviolis. The veal was cooked to a crispy, golden brown and draped in gooey mozzarella cheese. The meat was still tender and the breading was thin and didn’t take away from the veal’s flavoring. I enjoy a nice hearty portion and this certainly was right up my alley. By the end of my eating extravaganza, I was surprisingly full but yet finished my dish…it was that good! A more conservative eater could easily get a second meal out of this dinner. I went home happy and full and that is always a good thing, especially when you are eating hearty food that is made from scratch and with love. I cannot wait to go back and try more of their ravioli variations or any number of Italian classics on their menu.