Restaurant Review

Cranston partners celebrate Rosalina’s 1st anniversary

Don Fowler
Posted 4/30/15

One of my joys in life is discovering a great new restaurant, even if it takes a year.

Cranston resident Lauren Lynch and her partner, Tom Bovis, opened Rosalina exactly one year ago at 50 Aborn …

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Restaurant Review

Cranston partners celebrate Rosalina’s 1st anniversary

Posted

One of my joys in life is discovering a great new restaurant, even if it takes a year.

Cranston resident Lauren Lynch and her partner, Tom Bovis, opened Rosalina exactly one year ago at 50 Aborn St. in Providence, the former site of Cuban Revolution. Vintage lighting, elegant but never pretentious décor, comfortable seating and soft music in the background give Rosalina an intimate NYC-SoHo atmosphere.

They have created their own revolution in fine dining, serving Italian cuisine with some special Greek dishes influenced by Bovis, whose brother ships him olive oil from his olive grove in Kalamata, Greece.

Lauren is the granddaughter of the late Marie Lynch, a long-time popular Cranston city employee. Her photo hangs on the restaurant wall, along with other vintage photos. The restaurant is named after Lauren’s 6-year-old daughter.

Rosalina is a popular spot for Trinity Rep and PPAC patrons, located right around the corner from Trinity in a historic building housing three other dining establishments and offering free valet parking.

Lauren and Tom treat their customers warmly, as does their competent staff. During the day Lauren recreates many of her grandmother’s recipes, assisted by an evening chef. Souse Chef Phil graduates this month from Johnson & Wales. He and our waiter, Kevin, have been with the restaurant since it opened and both hope to be around a long time.

Fresh Italian bread with that ever-present extra virgin olive oil and a delicious feta cheese spread appears instantly on your table.

Rosalina has become our favorite spot before or after reviewing a play at Trinity and PPAC. There are still a number of menu items we can’t wait to try, but here are our favorites.

Pizzette Frite is fried dough topped with pomodoro sauce, pecorino romano cheese and shaved scallions, drizzled with house extra virgin olive oil. The appetizer is $9 and could serve as a luncheon meal. Similar to a doughboy and inspired by the famous Cranston “feasts,” it puts the doughboy concept in the gourmet category.

Another must-try is the eggplant parmesan, served in a bowl with fresh Narragansett Creamery ricotta cheese and crostini ($12).

Rosalina uses local products whenever possible, including Matunuck oysters grown in Potter’s Pond, plus bread and cheese from local small businesses.

We have shared Tom’s special “Insalata Greca,” the traditional Greek salad of fresh tomato, cucumber, green pepper, red onion, Kalamata olives, capers and “Dodoni” feta cheese dressed with that extra olive oil and oregano ($10). Joyce and I fight over the feta cheese, which is out of this world.

Entrees range in price from $15 for spaghetti with asparagus, sweet cherry tomatoes and peas in a white wine cream sauce topped with herb oil, pine nuts and shaved parmigiano reggiano, to $29 for a New York strip steak seared on a cast iron pan, served with asparagus and twice baked mashed potatoes.

On our last visit, Joyce enjoyed the Pappardelle Bolognese with pancetta, beef, veal, pork and wine, simmered with a touch of milk. Joyce enjoyed the spiciness of the sauce ($16).

I chose the Burratta cheese ravioli and house meatballs with pomodoro sauce and fresh basil at the same price. Yes, we shared.

Rosalina has a menu item we have never seen or tasted before: squid ink spaghetti. We asked Phil if we could try just a taste of the dish, which also includes crabmeat, green chilies, garlic, fresh parsley, white wine and olive oil. We looked at the black pasta and wondered. We tried it and put it on our list for next time. For $16, it is a real treat.

Rosalina has a full bar, and our usual martini and black Russian test passed with flying colors.

If you have room, the chef is very creative with desserts. Try the chocolate polenta crème brule with strawberries and whipped cream.

For reservations call 270-7330.

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