Review – Rosewater

This is a very cute café/bistro in Park Slope, a popular Brooklyn neighborhood, that is packed every time we pass by. Our friend recommended it and we were eager to sample its fares.

We went for brunch or lunch, can’t remember what time it really was. My husband, our friend and I sat at a small table near the window. As most NY restaurants, you are cramped in with fellow New Yorkers.

Their menu looked promising as I skimmed over duck confit or roast pork sandwiches, frittatas or baked polenta. I didn’t really want a sandwich and eggs didn’t sound right at that moment so I settled on their garlic roasted potatoes and slow cooked pork, both from the Sides menu. I was told that the minimum order per person is at least $14, so my order did not meet that requirement. Highly annoyed I ordered the duck sandwich instead.

My husband ordered custom eggs with potatoes and bacon and our friend got the butternut squash sandwich. They also ordered fresh pear and ginger juice.

The juice tasted a bit bitter and salty instead of the sweetness expected, so they both returned the juice and got something else instead. The hostess was very apologetic and assured us that usually the juice is more palatable however that day the pears weren’t playing along.

The food arrived and we dived in. My sandwich was actually quite good but as expected heavy and greasy cause of the duck. And here I didn’t want a sandwich to begin with. The eggs my husband ordered with the bacon were good but according to him, not worth $14. Keep in mind you can order the same thing (eggs, bacon & potatoes) anywhere else for half that price. My friend’s squash sandwich seemed to be good but she didn’t seem over the moon nor devastated by it. Guess it was ok.

The hostess as mentioned was very nice but our server had a bit of an attitude when asked about some menu items. They also screwed up on the drink order the second time around.

Overall, a lovely interior does not guarantee a lovely experience. I would give them another chance since their menu had some out-of-the-box items but this won’t be a regular food stop for us. And I’m definitely not going back for their $14 brunch when the brunch isn’t spectacular.