Ensconced in the Wayne Hotel, Rosalie is yet another entry in Marty Grim's ever burgeoning stable of Fearless Restaurants. A few of his other diverse establishments include such popular eateries as Autograph Brasserie (also located in Wayne), the floating Moshulu at Philly's waterfront, Tucker's Tavern on Long Beach Island, and five White Dog Café outposts.
But Rosalie, if you'll pardon the pun, seems to be a restaurant of a different color, presenting itself as a purveyor of "Italian Soul Food." This, however, is something of a misnomer. First of all, on the basis of what I've managed to glean from both the restaurant's website and other sources, the phrase "Italian Soul Food" is little more than poetic license. In other words, it's a fancy way of describing Italian comfort food.
The various forms of Pizza here - Margherita, Suppressata, Potato, Quattro Formaggi - though hardly exceptional, are quite good. On the other hand, there are other items of infinitely more interest. Several of the starters, for instance... Arancini, saffron risotto balls with meat ragu & smoked mozzarella; Crudo, bigeye tuna, chili-garlic, agrodolce (sweet/sour sauce) & avocado; Sicilian Meatball; and Lioni Burrata with tomato jam & grilled ciabatta. But salads also sounded quite interesting as well. So, my dining partner and I decided to share the Mercato, a tempting combo of baby lettuces, pickled peppers, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and marinated cucumber, all enhanced with the subtle nuances of a parmesan vinaigrette. A wise choice.
With regard to entrées, my dining partner was quite pleased with her Gnocchi (pictured). These are small, soft dumplings traditionally made with potatoes, flour, and eggs. The dough is formed into small ropes, cut into pieces, and then boiled in salted water until the dumplings float to the surface.
Gnocchi are frequently served with a variety of sauces, including tomato, butter & sage, or various creamy concoctions. They may also be pan fried in order to provide a crispy texture. In this case, they are companioned by Kennett Square mushrooms, fontina cheese, and a generous splash of 8-year balsamic. The result proved a delightfully delicious crowd-pleaser.
On the other hand, my entrée of choice, Lasagna alla Norma, has its own rather unique story. A variation on the Pasta alla Norma theme, which was originally called Pasta con le Melanzane, the term literally means "pasta with eggplant."
This dish is typical of Sicilian cuisine, particularly from Catania, the second largest municipality after Palermo. It is made of penne or other pasta (in this case, lasagna) with tomato sauce combined with slices of fried eggplant and served with ricotta salata cheese and fresh basil. The dish was named in honor of Vincenzo Bellini, a native of Catania and composer of the opera Norma.
Interestingly enough, the first time we both ordered this dish, it was something of a disappointment, arriving at table barely lukewarm... And not even a return trip to the kitchen was able to adequately ameliorate the situation. During my most recent encounter, however, the temperature was spot on.
Dessert-wise, my dining partner and I finally decided to share the Limoncello Cheesecake Torte, lemon curd, citrus cake, vanilla meringue kisses . I find limoncello - in whatever form - simply impossible to resist. And the cheesecake torte was certainly no exception. Outlandishly rich... refreshingly tangy... totally addictive. A high point of the evening.
One final word... During our several recent visits, we have always found the service to be first-rate. Young, attentive, and pleasantly personable. And the homey, comfortable ambiance is quite a plus as well.