Rose Cafe has taken on new life in Venice. The space was revamped by Bill Chait and Chef Jason Neroni of Catch & Release and the former, Superba Snack Bar. Rose Cafe has expanded the interior to fit a casual bar, raw bar, bakery and outside dining. The open feel and large kitchen give you a bird’s-eye view of the cooking going on inside. Breakfast and lunch service have been open since November of last year, but dinner is now being served Tuesdays through Sundays.
Rose Cafe offers fresh bread, yes without a charge, that is prepared by the pastry chef Jacob Fraijo daily. The warm baquette and salty butter arrive at the perfect time, while sipping wine and pondering over the menu. 
There are fun Bites and Snacks for the sophisticated palate including; Foie Gras Donuts and Yakitori Bone Marrow, but for the greener at heart a Veg.Grain.Lettuce section with Grilled Avocado layered with Tuna Proscuitto and Grilled Radcchio Salad with Smoked Provolone and Chiles to name just a few. However, if you want something outstanding, order the Winter Vegetable Tart. This tart is so delicately delicious with its rolled layers of roasted vegetables, herbed ricotta set in a thin buttery crust.
As for the rest of the menu, the housemade charchuterie always excites me, especially when I see Fried Rabbit Mortadella and Porchetta di Testa Pastrami. However, Chef Neroni is a genius at pasta and his signature Bucatini Carbonara shouldn’t be missed, even if you are on a low-carb diet. The noodles are perfectly al dente and the freshly poached egg on top, when broken, gently enhances the decadent flavors.
The Rotisserie and Grill offer Lamb Osso Bucco and Hearth Roasted Chicken, but the Crispy Suckling Pig with Black Garlic and Roasted Apple Jus was magical. The pork is cooked low and slow and then shredded and formed into a rectangular shape and seared for a crispy crust. I had a similar dish at Jean Georges in NYC, not long ago and it was just as fabulous.
For some larger options, Rose Cafe has a Tomahawk Ribeye and Whole Branzino with Pickled Shishito Peppers that looks delicious as well. The reinvention of Rose Cafe is genius and with a flood of new Westside restaurants, this one can hold its own.
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