where jess ate

After having a memorable brunch at Rose and Sons (@Roseandsons), I promised myself I’d be back for dinner. Serving up comforting diner fare, I couldn’t think of a better place to go for a Sunday dinner with Mike and his parents.

The restaurant is located on Dupont, just west of Davenport, and is brought to you by Anthony Rose and Chris Sanderson who both previously worked at the Drake Hotel. Over the summer, they opened their second restaurant, Big Crow, which is located outdoors behind Rose and Sons. They’ve weather-proofed the space, so if you’ve got a BBQ craving, you can still check them out throughout the fall.

Rose and Sons occupies a small space, which I can’t imagine seats more than 30 people. Although reservations aren’t taken for brunch, they take them for dinner, so take advantage of it.

We started off with the Brother Junipers Corn Bread Griddle – with hot sauce & maple syrup ($8). I’m not always a fan of cornbread since it can be a little dry and mealy but this dish really won me over. A thick slice of corn bread was first grilled which added a nice crispness to the edges and was subsequently doused with maple syrup and hot sauce. Top it off with a generous handful of green onions and you’ve got a winning dish! Who doesn’t love a good sweet and spicy combination?

We also shared the French Fries & Gravy ($8) to start. I have to admit, this is pretty pricey for a plate of fries with gravy. But I bet you can’t eat just one fry. These thin fries were covered in a layer of creamy gravy and there was just something about them that was really, really addictive.

Something else that caught our eye was the Chicken Liver – with dill, cucumbers, onions, egg, schmaltz & rye ($12).

It arrived with a bowl of liver with cucumbers, onions and hard boiled eggs which our server proceeded to mix together table-side. She drizzled some schmaltz (aka rendered chicken fat) into the concoction and left the container at our table in case it wasn’t rich enough for us.

Spread some of the smooth liver onto the accompanying slices of rye and you’re set! I really like chicken liver so needless to say, I enjoyed this dish, as did the rest of the table.

Just like how we shared the appetizers, we shared a few of the entrees including the Fried Chicken – sour pickle brine, warm mushrooms & potato salad with a soft egg ($22). The chicken had a nice crisp batter without being too greasy and the meat maintained all of its juiciness. It was a very solid fried chicken but it just wasn’t as memorable as some of the other dishes.

Next up was the Special Fried Rice – with egg, pork belly, ginger, peanuts & Chinatown sauce ($14). I’ll be honest, I was a little skeptical about ordering this since the Asian roots in me were a little reluctant. But I’ll be damned… this was a killer bowl of fried rice!

I enjoyed the combination of the salty bits of pork belly, the subtle ginger flavour, the crunch from some of the rice bits and the sweetness from the sauce. A must-order!

Something we fell in love with during our previous visit was the Patty Melt Burger – grilled cheese, fried onions, ff & chili mayo ($16). Mike’s dad loves burgers so we insisted he try this version. The patty melt burger is essentially a cross between a burger and grilled cheese, so you get the best of both worlds.

The juicy, medium-rare patty and cheese is sandwiched between two slices of buttery rye toast. It also comes with a side of the same addictive fries we started with (minus the gravy).

Unfortunately we didn’t have room for dessert but if you feel like ending your meal here with something sweet, I recommend their bread pudding with wild blueberries. We really enjoyed it during our last visit.

After our dinner here, I’m happy to report that I’m still a big fan of Rose and Sons. Sure, their prices might be on the high side for diner-style fare and yes, you’ll have to sit in cramped quarters but their food is pretty damn satisfying. Definitely worth it.

At a glance:
• Previously had a memorable brunch experience; this dinner visit was also excellent
• Diner-style comfort food
• Small space; not the most comfortable seating – cramped and most of the seating is communal
• Brought to you by Anthony Rose and Chris Sanderson who also opened up Big Crow BBQ, an outdoor restaurant behind Rose and Sons
• Takes reservations for dinner

Ratings (out of 5):
• Food: 4 stars
• Service: 3 stars
• Atmosphere: 3 stars