Friday, August 27, 2010

Restaurant Tipping Guide Around the World

Hello Foodies,

This blog should be of particular interest to those who have plans to travel outside of the good ol' US of A. I came across this handy webpage which provides customary tipping guidelines for 25 countries across the globe.

Bon Voyage and Buon Appetite!

http://huff.to/WorldwideTippingGuide


Until we eat again...
I send you delicious dishes, XO

Denise

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

The Pounded Veal Chop Marsala was "The Best Thing I Ever Ate" at Rosario's Ristorante

With so many restaurants to choose from, it was tough deciding on which one to select to mark the special occasion of my husband obtaining his Master's degree. Given the fact that Rosario's Ristorante in Royal Palm Place had recently been featured on the Food Network's "The Best Thing I Ever Ate" show, I decided to check it out.

I called the restaurant to make a reservation and spoke to Chris Lanza, the son of Rosario, who himself is involved in the family owned and operated restaurant. Upon our arrival, we were greeted warmly and escorted to our reserved table- a nice round table nestled intimately in the corner beside large windows. Our waiter, Pietro, approached our table within moments of our getting settled in our seats. He was extremely pleasant and made us all feel very welcomed.

I had done my research and found that Rosario's was running a summer special that consisted of a three-course complete dinner for $26.95. This included an appetizer, entree (with a side), dessert & coffee. Now, I'm not talking about choosing from a limited menu here. They had not 3, maybe 4 entrees to select from- but 15! This ran the gamut from Chicken, Veal, Pasta, Steak & Seafood. And speaking of Seafood, they also had another special, which I found out is available every night, and that is the 2 pound Live Maine Lobster (served Broiled, Oreganata or Fra Diavolo). This special is served with salad & dessert for $26.95 as well!

My husband & I both decided upon the Pounded Veal Chop Marsala which was amazing, absolutely fantastico! The veal was pounded super thin and breaded and topped with mozzarella cheese, mushrooms & marsala sauce. When it came to deciding on which side to choose, I was torn between the julienned vegetables and the roasted potatoes. To make my life easier, Pietro offered to bring me some of each, which I greatly appreciated. My dad, who is pretty predictable when it comes to what Italian dish he typically orders, didn't disappoint us when he ordered the Chicken Parmigiana. My mom opted for the Lobster Special and ordered it Fra Diavola, which came with lobster, mussels & clams served delicately on a bed of pasta, and seasoned with the perfect amount of spice. Although we really didn't have room for dessert, we did sucomb to trying the Italian Cheese Cake, Tiramisu, and Chocolate Mousse Cake. All three were terrific, but I especially enjoyed the Tiramisu.

Rosario's is famous for serving up family style dishes for 2, but individuals can order up half portions if they so desire. The menu items are derived from Northern & Southern Italy as well as some Sicilian items from where Rosario himself was born. All items on the menu are prepared fresh, in-house and are cooked to order. They have an extensive award-wining wine list and have a full bar with many drink selections available.

I also learned that Rosario's has a Private Dining Room that can seat up to 30 guests. So, if you are looking for a great place to bring the family for a special occasion, a business presentation or meeting, give the folks at Rosario's a call and reserve their private room.

Rosario's Ristorante is located at 145 S.E. Mizner Blvd., in Royal Palm Place 561-393-0758

You can check out their website to view their complete menu and specials at: http://www.rosariosristorante.com/

Until we eat again...
I send you delicious wishes, XO

Denise