A Review of Las Vegas: Rosemary's

Last weekend, the Lumberjack and I celebrated his birthday by taking a trip to Las Vegas. We drove out Friday morning, spent the afternoon relaxing by the pool, and enjoyed a perfect meal at Rosemary's, a quaint restaurant located about 20 minutes from the strip.

When you enter the restaurant, you step into a world that is beyond the simple strip mall you entered. The scenery is romantic and classy. A bar on the right boasts top shelf liquors, along with a few specialty beers on tap. A cocktail before dinner is the perfect start to the evening, and I suggest any beer lover enjoy a pint of the Tripel Karmelite.

The dining room reveals comfort and luxury paired with exquisite service. Rosemary's offers all dishes a la carte, or you can enjoy their prix-fixe dinner, containing three courses, for $55. Everyone in our party of four opted for the prix-fixe dinner as most entrees were priced between $30 and $45, so it seemed to be the best deal.

For my appetizer, I chose the Tasso Ham and Crawfish Risotto with Smoked Tomato Jus. The dish was moist but not mushy, with a subtle smokiness from the tomato jus and the perfect amount of salt from the tasso ham. The crawfish was perfectly cooked and decadent--not fishy. I also sampled the Salmon Tartar, which was very fresh and perfectly seasoned. The Twice Baked Parmesean Souffle and the Panko Crusted Crab Boulettes were both rich, indulgent dishes best for sharing. Overall, the consensus was that the risotto was the favorite appetizer of the night.

For the salad course, the Arugula, Endive & Radiccio Salad came with Maytag Blue Cheese, a Riesling Poached Pear, Toasted Hazelnuts & Port Wine Syrup. The pepper in the arugula complimented the tart blue cheese and the sweet poached pear for a perfect combination of flavors. The Caesar for Mark salad came with Parmesean croutons and a fresh Caeser dressing with anchovies. While some of the diners at my table found it to be too fishy, I thought the dressing was exceedingly fresh and a perfect combination. The croutons, while tasty, were too large to be eaten in one bite, and therefore a challenge.

For the entree, I chose the Seared Sea Scallops with Parsnip Potato Puree, Apple Cider Beurre Blanc, Crispy Prosciutto & Fried Parsnip Strips. When I dine out, I often try to stay away from beef, even though I love it, because I am usually disappointed after being spoiled with the Lumberjack's cooking. The scallops were the right choice. They were perfectly cooked--tender on the inside with a slight crisp on the outside--and the parsnip potatoes were rich and creamy. However, I also sampled the Grilled Veal Tenderloin, served with a Sauté of Asparagus, Prosciutto & Maitake Mushrooms & Roasted Garlic Reduction Sauce. The veal was tender and succulent, cooked to perfection and complemented with the reduction sauce. Though not a traditional steakhouse, Rosemary's Roasted Filet of Beef stood up to the rest of the menu after being seasoned and cooked perfectly with a bourbon green peppercorn sauce, and complemented with horseradish souffle potatoes.

For dessert, I enjoyed the chef's special of the night--a Passion fruit cheesecake with pomegranate sauce. I also sampled a platter of miniature desserts, including a lemon bar, peanut butter crisp, and mint chocolate fudge. All were delicious, and the perfect cap to an excellent meal.

In addition to the fabulous food, the service was wonderful. The sommelier was attentive and helpful, as was our waitress. The waitstaff presented each course in sync, serving each dish at the same time and allowing ample time in between courses. Water and wine glasses were kept full, napkins placed gently on laps and every other need met graciously.

Overall, Rosemary's provided one of the most exquisite meals I have ever enjoyed, and it is a Las Vegas restaurant not to be missed.