Dinner at Rose Water

I went to Rose Water Restaurant (787 Union Street, between 5th & 6th Avenues, 718-783-3800) to celebrate the anniversary of a very long friendship. Wouldn't that be nice if we acknowledged the lengths of our friendships as well as our romantic/intimate relationships? Surely they are just as important (sometimes more so) as our boyfriends and girlfriends, so why don't we? We headed to this lovely spot in Park Slope and shared a few dishes that surpassed the many accolades I had heard before this first visit of mine.

The only thing is that I was so engaged in the conversation with my friend, that I neglected to take photos of two of the dishes! I know, I know. I almost didn't even post about this meal, but the food was SO amazing, I thought the photos I did have would make it worth it. The food is superb; thoughtfully prepared with seasonal ingredients; local and organic when possible. The owner's philosophy of sustainability and community makes perfect sense and results in fabulous food served in a warm and cozy atmosphere.

We started with a Mixed Greens Salad with Shaved Fennel. The combination of the flavors created a new, delicious experience while individually, the ingredients sang out in their own unique way. We also shared the Pork Belly appetizer. This was incredible, but so decadent; it was a perfect dish to split with a friend. The fresh bread was good with this as well.

We split the Snapper entree, which came with mashed parsnips on a bed of spinach with a spicy Asian sauce that was incredible. Again, each ingredient retained its flavor, but combined created something even better. The sauce had a distinct zing to it, with a mild hotness underscoring the mild fish and mellow parsnip. I've been thinking about this dish ever since.



For dessert we had the Coffee Chocolate Pot de Creme with shortbread cookie and a dollop of whipped cream on top. The coffee flavor added a nice bitterness to the sweetness of the chocolate and the mint leaves were a cleansing, refreshing way to end the meal. This dish was so amazingly dense and rich though, the two of us couldn't finish it off!