PETE TITTL: A little less romantic, but still a meal to love
| Monday, May 16 2011 03:21 PM
Last Updated Monday, May 16 2011 03:22 PM
COUNTRY ROSE CAFE
163 H St. 322-5965.
Hours: Lunch 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Reservations recommended.
Prices: House specialties $5.50 to $9.95, sandwiches $5.50 to $8.95, soup and salad $3.95 to $9.25, combo plates $7.95 to $10.50, desserts $5.25 to $6.95.
Payment: MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover and personal checks accepted.
Dress: Casual.
Amenities: Wheelchair accessible (through the kitchen); no alcohol served; some vegetarian options.
Food: Three and a half stars
Atmosphere: Four stars
Service: Three stars
Value: Three stars
Next week: Belvedere Room at the Padre Hotel
The Country Rose Café on H Street once made my list of most romantic restaurants in town, back in the days when it was serving dinner. Not only were the entrees reasonably priced (which often amplifies the romantic mood of the male partner, especially if he's cheap), but it has such an intimate feel to the well-decorated tiny rooms that you're transported, momentarily, to a whole other place -- probably one with better furniture.
But Bonnie Thompson (best known for Bonnie's Best downtown) bought it last October and the restaurant is open only for lunch right now Monday through Saturday. Daylight just isn't as romantic. Business is done during the day, not romance. To make matters worse, my wife was occupied on the day I visited so I had to resort to bringing a male co-worker. To make it less awkward, we talked about home-improvement projects, finances, friends retiring young, businesses, ESPN, putting up solar panels and the latest adventures of our children. Kind of like the pillows moment in "Planes, Trains and Automobiles," only stretched out over an hour.
What the restaurant has not lost is great food, artfully prepared with an emphasis on exceptionally fresh, quality ingredients and scrumptious desserts made on the premises. (If you're not gonna get dessert, don't come here.) And my favorite part of the restaurant is that instead of just ordering one sandwich or one pasta dish or salad, you can mix and match them as part of the combo meals (two or three items, either regular portion or petite). This allowed us to sample so many different items, including the warmed penne pasta, the sesame chicken salad, the Malibu chicken salad, the roast beef and provolone, the grilled turkey panini and the Italian chicken sandwich.
(Reader Ruthi Rayford tipped me off about the ownership change, and she raves particularly about the soups. "Seems we always have to go to Rosedale (for those) but I would much rather visit something locally owned rather than a chain restaurant," she wrote.)
What we ordered was more than enough food, especially if, like us, you don't go the petite route, but it was all so good and it was impossible to pick one as the favorite. The greens on both salads were exceptional -- suitable for a high-end restaurant, and the sesame dressing (like most of the items, made on the premises) worked particularly well with the white meat chicken. Typical of the food we sampled, it was like being at a dinner party of someone who's quite adept in the kitchen. You'd want to come back, but you'd hesitate to extend a reciprocal invitation fearing that your own work wouldn't measure up.
The pasta with broccoli, sun-dried tomatoes and a medium-heavy garlic cream sauce was also good. The roast beef and provolone on a French roll was exceptional with the red onions and tomatoes. The grilled turkey panini was made with smoked turkey and made special by a sundried tomato spread.
We didn't get a chance to try one of the specialties, the cranberry turkey croissant sandwich made with cream cheese. Next time. I believe after the usual companion reads this, I'll owe her a visit.
And the desserts are nothing short of amazing. There are two to share for $6.95 (chocolate potted cloud and caramel turtle sundae) but to commit to just one seems restrictive when the individual $5.25 desserts included Toll House pie a la mode, blackberry cobbler, chocolate peanut butter pie, carrot cake, bread pudding and million dollar cream cheese brownie pie. We went with the tollhouse and the million dollar. Both excellent. The Toll House was like a thick, warm chocolate chip cookie with average vanilla ice cream dripping down the side. Wow. The cream cheese brownie pie was similarly perfect. Who wouldn't like cream cheese and chocolate mixed together?
Service was quiet and efficient and our waitress was very knowledgeable about the menu, helping us with our tougher choices.
One additional note: Like Café Med, the cafe has a take-out dinner menu with prices ranging from $20 to $24.95, and different specials every weekday, including meatloaf, beef bourguignon, macaroni and cheese and chicken Wellington. I'd call ahead.
Country Rose Café can be recommended for a fine dining experience.
