Friday, April 15, 2005 Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

RESTAURANT REVIEW: Rosemary's Restaurant

Plenty of Goodwill: Cheap prices and ladies' night specials keep locals coming back to the fine food at Rosemary's Restaurant

On Wednesdays, Rosemary's Restaurant takes 50 percent off the bill for tables of women. Photo by Jane Kalinowsky

OK, it isn't that unusual for me to be a little shocked when I look at my bill in an upscale restaurant, journalists being notorious for having an uneasy relationship with even the most basic math. But it's generally not because the bill is low.

That was, however, the case at Rosemary's Restaurant recently. Soon after we were seated, I couldn't help overhearing the two women at the next table enthusing about how low their bill was. Since they looked more like regular folks than once-and-future Mrs. Trumps, I was a little bemused. Kind of silly, then, that I should have the same reaction. But there we were.

People often express to me their surprise that Rosemary's has managed to prosper in the 'burbs, especially when so many others have struggled. Much of that has to do with the creativity of the restaurant's American regional menu and the quality of the food that comes out of its kitchen. But much also has to do with chef/owners Michael and Wendy Jordan's knowing their market and bending to it.

Case in point: Our bill was comparatively low for two reasons. One, we took advantage of the restaurant's prix-fixe option, which offers any three courses at dinner for $39.95 (our waitress even suggested it when she realized we were ordering appetizers). Two, as it turned out, it was ladies' night, so 50 percent was taken off the price of our food. We didn't plan it that way, but we were there on a Wednesday. Since I had taken a female friend instead of my husband, we received the discount (which applies to food only, tables of women only, on Wednesdays only).

Like any other business, restaurants have to make a profit in order to survive, and in a traditionally low-margin business, offering deep discounts can adversely affect their ability to do so. But this sort of thing can engender tremendous goodwill (which in turn tends to prompt return visits, even when such discounts are not in effect).

As, of course, does an entree such as crispy-skin striped bass. The bass itself was fresh and sweet and, yes, just crisp enough, but my heart really lay with the hash of andouille sausage, fingerling potatoes and chunks of rock shrimp that accompanied it. The Jordans worked for some time in New Orleans and Michael Jordan opened Emeril Lagasse's Las Vegas restaurant, and all of that experience shows in a dish like this. Crisp-crusted fluffy hush puppies completed the picture.

There was a touch of Southern flavor, as well, in a nice little amuse-bouche of asparagus bread pudding, and in quite a different type of bread pudding -- chocolate-pecan -- that we had as one of our desserts. This one actually showcased Rosemary's American regional theme, with a scoop of Midwestern-favorite rocky road ice cream. Candied pecans and drizzles of chocolate and caramel sauce kept things sweet, but not overly so.

I've always liked Rosemary's Texas BBQ shrimp with Maytag blue-cheese cole slaw (although the andouille hash could make me forget it), but I resisted this time in favor of the carpaccio. Carpaccio might seem mundane by comparison, but this version turned out to be rather innovative, with the beef rolled with Maytag blue before being oh-so-thinly sliced and topped with a pile of lightly dressed arugula salad, with its faintly bitter flavor and delicate crunch providing textural and flavor contrasts.

We also chose another of the evening's specials, a salad of mixed baby greens dressed with a light balsamic vinaigrette and topped with sliced smoked duck breast and sprinkled with fresh blueberries and candied nuts -- pistachios, this time.

And we'll do the last-but-not-least thing here with the pepper-seared sea scallops, which had the kind of sweetness that has earned scallops wide-ranging popularity. The orzo on the side was larger than the usual orzo and enlivened with wild mushrooms, bacon and herbs.

Our only quibble involved the wine list. It was extensive, but it was difficult to find a bottle for less than $50. There are a lot of deserving but all-but-undiscovered wines out there at bargain prices that would be in keeping with Rosemary's other nods to its status as a locals favorite -- and that would no doubt be especially welcomed by those paying Rosemary's regular prices.

It's a small point, though, and easily fixable. Rosemary's remains a trail-blazer, burning through a suburban scape of fast-food joints and plain-Jane chains to prove that fine food can and will be appreciated by locals.

Las Vegas Review-Journal restaurant reviews are unannounced and done anonymously at Review-Journal expense.