Rosewater

Issue: Where to dine with parents in town.

Rule: Dining with parents hopefully means that they are generous and wonderful and willing to pick up the tab. It also means parents are willing to go to a new place and are prepared to be wowed by Brooklyn cuisine. I knew just the place.

Application: Rosewater is a very special restaurant in my life. I have been fortunate to celebrate accomplishments and love with wonderful meals there. When my parents were deciding where to eat on their recent visit I knew it was time to take them to my special occassion restaurant.

Rosewater may be best right about now when the seasonal ingredients are so lovely. The menu was filled with tomatoes, apples, butternut squash and sweet potatoes. Rosewater uses "as much local, regional, organic and sustainably raised ingredients as the season will allow". This also goes for the wine list.

We started our meal in the traditional family way by ordering in a very, very leisurely fashion. First we take a long look at the wine and beer list and then a long look at the appetizer which we order seperately from our main dish. We may even sample a dessert and after dinner drink. Basically, we do it up. For appetizers the four of us split fried goat cheese with proscuitto, figs and honey. The sweet and salty combination was pretty darn great. We also had a small shrimp dish with delicious a delicious corn salad.

For main courses I chose the only vegetarian option on the menu- baked polenta with goat cheese, heirloom tomatoes, olive and basil pesto. It was crunchy, hearty and satisfying. It would have been nice to see one more vegetarian option especially with two fish options on the small menu. The other main dishes that we selected were the grilled pork loin with a giant onion ring alongside cabbage and apples. My nearly-vegetarian Mother looooved it. The duck breast was almost my selection and it was quite tasty with a smoky flavor and a nice mix of grapes and squash. Yes, grapes. We also had the fluke which was mild and flaky. For dessert we sampled a decadent pumpkin creme brulee and a chocolate fig cake. I also had a ruby port as a last minute final drink of the night.

Conclusion: Our meals were amazing without being overwhelming. The food was seasonal and simple but cooked perfectly to showcase the great ingredients. All the flavors were given their due. Our server was well-versed in all things wine and food related and very friendly. We were lucky to sit outside under the canopy and enjoy a perfect autumn night. My parents were duly impressed by the terrific meal and cozy atmosphere. (And the celebrity sighting of John Tutturo) We all got to enjoy an amazing meal and were delighted to share one of the best places in Park Slope with lovely up-staters.