Some co-workers and I were on the lookout for something different for dinner during a work trip. I'd seen this place on the way in and we decided to check it out on a whim. I guess since we had no expectations, it didn't take much to impress us, but we were nonetheless.
It's a lot larger inside than the strip mall corner restaurant appears when you look at it from outside. It's got a recognizable Italian feel, with textured walls, plush booths, and warm lighting. I thought it was part of a chain, but we were pleasantly surprised to find out it was a family operated business that prides itself on fresh, local ingredients. We decided to start by sharing an order of the bbq chicken nachos. They. Were. Fantastic. I'm still drooling thinking about those nachos. Crisp chips were loaded up with cheese, a sweet and smoky BBQ sauce, tons of chicken, and fresh peppers, tomatoes, and onions. We devoured the entire plate and I almost wished I had ordered the dinner-size portion for my main course.
Almost. I'm glad I hadn't, though, because the chicken fettucinni alfredo was one of the best I've had in a restaurant. I find that at most restaurants, you get a couple of bite-sized pieces of chicken and a couple of hidden pieces of bacon in your pasta dishes, but Rossano's loaded up on theirs. It was full of juicy chunks of chicken and crispy bacon, so that every bite held all the flavour the dish intended. The sauce was creamy and portioned just right, so that while my noodles were coated, they weren't swimming in a pool of greasy sauce. I was a little worried about getting a peppercorn pasta, because I strongly dislike biting into huge hunks of peppercorn and being overwhelmed with the flavour, but it was blended so well into the pasta that it was a subtle note in the background. I would have preferred that my pasta be a little less al dente, but that was my only complaint. I had asked for the rest to go, fully intending on eating my leftovers for lunch, but it didn't even last an hour in the hotel; I just couldn't wait to finish it. My co-workers were equally impressed with their meals. Drinks were surprisingly affordable. Two of us had Singapore Slings at less than $5 a drink, and the other had a glass of wine at $4.
Service was a little slow, and our waitress a little awkward. I think she was fairly new, and didn't quite seem comfortable yet with the menu or dealing with customers. She did come by and offered us three different kinds of bread to choose from (multigrain, cheddar, and crusty white), and while it was good, it would have been exponentially better if the bread was still hot, or even warm.
I'm very glad we took a chance on this place, and I would definitely go back again. It was nice to get away from the concentration of restaurants in the downtown core of Main Street, even if we were only a 5-minute drive away. read more