When I was invited to try Rosti's vegan options I was really hesitant because the first thing I saw on their website was chicken. I figured they just had a few boring items on the menu that they could make vegan. However, when I walked in the door I received a great welcome from the owner and immediately felt comfortable in the beautiful restaurant. Most importantly, I was soon stuffed full with over 10 of their fantastic vegan options.
I was really impressed with Rosti and I'm drooling as I write this re-cap. The food was really fresh and flavorful. This isn't the typical vegan experience at an Italian restaurant (i.e.: "can you make this vegan?" "um, sure..."). In fact, most of the options are just a step away from being a vegan - just ask for them sans cheese or meat. When I arrived the owner had a really long list of his vegan offerings (over 30!) and was proud to present them to me, so I felt like he really cared about my dietary restrictions. Not to mention, it was all really delicious and authentic.
I enjoyed:
- Minestrone Soup
- Lentil Soup
- Fagioli Soup
- Butternut Squash Soup
- Insalata Rustica
- Tuscan Hummus Dip
- Spinach, Pine Nuts & Fresh Basil Salad
- Penne All'Arrabbiata
- Whole Wheat Spaghetti
- Arugula & Fig Salad
- Rigatoni & Peppers
- Fire Roasted Artichoke
To top it all off, most of their ingredients are organic (though not certified) and from local farms. And, they are pretty eco-friendly: their used grease/oil is turned into biodiesel, and they use biodegradable containers in their Santa Monica location.
Taste: 9/10
Unique menu & flavors: not sure about unique, but what they have is hard to find
Organic: mostly
Local: yes
Healthy: pretty healthy in that they use light oil and quality ingredients
Eco-Friendly: semi - grease turned into biodiesel, biodegradable containers
Customer service: excellent
Atmosphere: reminiscent of Italy, bright, relaxing
Location: Encino - close to highways; Santa Monica - on Montana Ave
Parking: Encino - free underground; Santa Monica - street
Price: very affordable
Portion Sizes: medium/large
Rosti has 2 locations: Santa Monica & Encino. They just moved to a new space in Encino, and to celebrate that they're offering:
- 25% off your entire meal on your first visit in the Encino restaurant
- If you're a fan on Facebook or follower on Twitter you get 30% off your entire bill.
16350 Ventura Blvd. Encino, CA 91436
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931 Montana Ave, Santa Monica, CA
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