At Rose’s, how sweet it is
It's hard to
resist
the call
of the
many decadent
desserts
April 20,
2007
by Mike Bailey of The
Columbian
Desserts
include the "Granny
Apple Tart, $5.95 a
slice, Apples with Brandy
and Nutmeg topped with
an Oat, Walnut, and
Brown Sugar Streusel," foreground
center, and "Tiramisu,
Laced with Coffee Liqueur,
Brandy and Mascarpone
Custard. Finished with
Lady Fingers & Whipped
Cream, All cakes by
the slice $5.95," upper
left, and "Bailey's
Brownie, a Fudge nut
brownie topped with
chocolate mousse and
Bailey's liqueur wrapped
in dark chocolate," upper
right. (The Columbian,
Janet L. Mathews) |
Why: Rose’s Restaurant
and Bakery doesn’t
serve appetizers. The reason:
Why tempt customers with
a first course when the
spotlight is on the last
course? On their way to
be seated, customers must
pass a dessert display case
filled with more than 30
types of cakes, pastries,
cookies and specialty items.
It’s a walk along
a sweet-treat gangplank,
and it’s tough not
to want to dive in. The
10-plus seven-layer cakes
look like art and steal
the show. Most are a chocolate
lover’s dream. Choices
range from a chocolate torte
(nicknamed Death by Chocolate
and made without flour),
to a French chocolate cake
with chocolate buttercream
icing and a chocolate ganache
topping, to a mandarin chocolate
cake with sweet orange cream
cheese and fudge icing.
For nonchocolate fans, the
selection includes banana
Bavarian cake, raspberry
poppy-seed cake, tiramisu
cake and carrot cake. Other
desserts are seasonal or
come and go based on popularity.
All are made in Portland
by an independent baker
contracted to follow Rose’s
recipes. For smaller appetites,
the list includes chocolate
rum balls, eclairs, brownies,
cookies, cupcakes and fruit
tarts.
Cost: Dessert prices range
from $1.75 for a shortbread
cookie to $5.95 for a slice
of cake. A chocolate mousse
cake, with a chocolate crumb
crust and mousse filling,
topped with whipped cream,
and the Napoleon (layers
of puff pastry, Bavarian
cream, raspberry jam and
a fondant icing) are the
exceptions to the price
range. Each is $6.25. The
mousse cake returned to
the menu last year as part
of the restaurant’s
50th anniversary celebration.
Breakfast is served daily,
with crab or salmon cake
Benedict ($12.95) and lox,
eggs and onions ($7.95)
among the specialities.
The restaurant’s signature
dish is the Reuben sandwich
at $9.95. Burgers, other
sandwiches, salads and soups
round out the menu.
Rose’s history: Rose
Naftalin, a widow originally
from Toledo, Ohio, opened
the first Rose’s Restaurant
and Bakery in Portland in
1956. She retired in 1967
with just one site on Northwest
23rd Avenue. There now are
five in the chain, including
the one Clark County location
on Southeast 192nd Avenue.
All continue to serve New
York-style deli items based
on Naftalin’s recipes.
It landed on eBay: One of
two books containing Naftalin’s
original recipes — considered
the restaurant’s cooking
bibles — was stolen
from a display case last
year. One restaurant manager
found the missing book listed
on eBay a few months later
and bought it. He later
surprised the chain’s
owner, Dick Worth, with
an early Christmas present
in December.
Where: 3205 S.E. 192nd Ave.,
Vancouver; 360-891-4865;
rosesrestaurant.net.
Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Monday through Thursday,
10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday,
7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday,
7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday.
|
