Rosevale Kitchen has a lot going for it, starting with the decor--it's a beautifully designed space, though I wish they had better control over the lighting. The dimmed lights are so low that it was a struggle just to read the menu. Another downside is the noise level. The tile walls amplify every sound, making the place much louder than it needs to be.The food itself is a mix of highs and a few missed opportunities. The bread is a great choice --it comes with excellent ricotta and tomato spreads, which are fantastic and definitely must-haves. I prefer paying for good bread like this rather than being served the usual supermarket fare. The cauliflower steak appetizer was incredible; the hummus it came with was perfectly seasoned and truly delicious. For entree, the ribeye steak was flavorful and cooked just right to a medium-rare, with roasted tomatoes and garlic providing a nice touch. And the mac and cheese? Amazing. Plenty of lobster, with a crunchy topping that was the icing on the cake.On the flip side, the tuna tartare needed a bit more acidity and salt--it just didn't have that brightness to make it sing.Now, for the real issue: the waiter. This was, unfortunately, what took the whole experience down several notches. The service was overbearing and intrusive. I was still standing and waiting to be seated when the waiter was already asking me about what kind of water I wanted. When I was finally able to sit and read the menu (albeit with difficulty due to the dim lighting), he kept hovering and breathing down my neck asking for my order. I asked for some time, and within two minutes, he was back again. I even said, "please don't push," but he returned just four minutes later.To make things worse, while I was talking with my partner about what we were going to order, he was eavesdropping and felt the need to jump in with his suggestions. It wasn't just that--he had to come back to the table repeatedly, asking if everything was okay, and while it was nice to be checked on, this felt more like a drone circling overhead. Every action he took, he felt compelled to announce as if performing surgery: "pouring water now," "changing your silverware." It was excessive and made us uncomfortable. I had barely rested the silverware and he was already cleaning the plates.I want to be clear--I wasn't lingering or taking up extra time. The restaurant was mostly empty, and maybe he had nothing else to do, but I felt so uncomfortable that I just wanted to leave. The whole dinner lasted only about 40 minutes, and I didn't even look at dessert because I wanted out.The food has potential, and the ambiance could be enjoyable if they improved the lighting and the overbearing service that really soured the experience.
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