Portuguese food. Oh, wow. Lucky for me Eric is Portuguese (I'm Irish) so I get a lot of Portuguese fare from him and Grandma.
I won't digress too much about Portuguese-American food today (although my mouth is watering thinking about some kale soup.)
Rosinha's Restaurant is owned by Rosinha (imagine that.) She is a lovely Cape Verdean woman, and the restaurant serves both Portuguese and Cape Verdean food.
It's in a large building called the Hope Artist Village which is an old mill. It's in kind of a seedy area, so beware of that when you arrive. The building itself is pretty awesome.
Rosinha's itself has atmosphere for days. High ceiling, beautifully appointed furniture, candle light, and a wood floor to die for. It is truly beautiful, and the perfect setting for an intimate dinner.
Most importantly: the food!
(Photo from Rosinha's website)
I almost always order the paelha (same as paella, I believe) which runs you $22.95. This picture does not do it justice. I think it could literally feed 4 people (if I didn't stab them with
my fork for trying to get near it.)
It's the best paelha I've ever had, and that is saying something.
Another excellent, and less decadent choice, is Eric's favorite: Bitoque, or steak and eggs. No, it isn't breakfast. Portuguese-American restaurants will almost always offer this selection, and I'm told it's pretty popular in good ol' Portugal itself.
I didn't get a picture of the bitoque, so here's the idea:
It's a slice of fried beef (flank steak??) served in a wine sauce, with an abundance of what I call (to Eric's chagrin) vovo fries- grandma fries. They are a thick cut, not deep fried like a fast food restaurant but pan fried (I think) and they are the perfect accessory to sop up all that wine sauce.
In addition, there is a sunny side egg fried on top of the steak, which just adds to the yummy comfort factor of bitoque. AND it's only $10.95!
OH but that's not all. You also are served bread and marinated olives before your meal, which is just about enough of a meal on it's own.
Rosinha's has a solid wine selection. Usually we get Vinho Verde, but it really bothers me to pay $15 for a bottle I can buy at the store for $5. Just me? No? I'll typically have a glass and switch to water.
The only downside to Rosinha is the service can be a bit slow. I've been three times recently. Once was just Eric and I, the second was with another couple, and the third was for my birthday (about 20 people.) If you don't mind lingering over your meal, this is the perfect spot for a 2-6 person meal. The food is always delicious, freshly cooked, and authentic.
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