Rossa's

Rossa's Restaurant Review:

Rossa's is not cutting-edge, but its comfortably elegant setting (terra cotta-colored walls lined with art, generously spaced flower-topped tables) is a very pleasant backdrop for a Northern Italian menu with few surprises but consistent quality. Among the predictable starters are beef carpaccio, Caesar salad and calamari fritti, as well as mushrooms stuffed with crab, roasted and finished with a cream sauce. The kitchen's strong suits include pastas, everything from simple penne with spicy marinara, olives and capers to rigatoni stuffed with veal, spinach and Parmesan in a tomato cream sauce. Among generally well-executed main courses, the osso buco disappointingly lacks a satisfying gremolata finish, but good grilled salmon is served with a choice of sauces. The wine list, a Cal-Italian compilation, is not particularly notable, but two dozen wines are offered by the glass. House-made desserts include tiramisu, panettone bread pudding with caramel sauce and crème brûlée.