721 South Weir Canyon Road
Anaheim Hills, CA 92808
We try to be there for our families, even though I've become a real homebody the last few years. I've gotten into binge-watching tv, listening to audiobooks, and of course, trying to write as many restaurant reviews as possible for all of you. We were wrangled from our home cocoon by my niece Lillie, who was performing a comedy show at her high school. Always a patron of the arts, you could not keep me away. It was also a great chance to try another restaurant.
That restaurant is Rosine's. I'm almost ashamed that it has taken this long for me to make it here. It's arguably the most popular restaurant in Anaheim Hills. I can't tell you how many people around these parts have asked me if we have done a review at Rosine's yet. They have earned a four-star rating on Yelp, with close to 1,000 reviews. Not bad for a restaurant that most of OC overlooks because it's not geographically desirable unless you live in the area or are visiting someone around here.
Rosine's has been in business since 1995, and in those 27 years, they have expanded from a single unit to take over the adjoining Starbucks that used to share this detached building with them. So now there's only a Subway sandwich shop left in their way if they want to expand even further. Rosine's is named after Executive Chef Rosine Najarian. She and her son, Hagop, are still involved in the day-to-day operations of this bustling Mediterranean restaurant in the rolling foothills of Anaheim.
Back when they started out, this Mediterranian restaurant was mostly unknown to most people in OC. Rosine's got by selling their rotisserie chicken, an instant hit from day one. As the years have rolled along, much like their square footage, their menu has expanded as more people have become accustomed to this food. It's also helped that many more Mediterranian restaurants are operating these days. As a result, people have become much more comfortable with food from this world region.
We arrived at Rosine's on a busy Friday evening at half past 5. The restaurant was crowded, but there were a few empty tables. The host asked if we had a reservation, and when we replied we did not, he said he'd seat us but only if we were done eating by 7, as they were booked for the evening. We agreed that we had to be at the comedy show by then. He led us to a table adjacent to the packed horseshoe-shaped bar in the center of the space.
Rosine's menu is broken up into hot and cold starters, soups and salads, sandwiches, and mains. They also have a burger, but I couldn't find a picture of it online, so I assume they don't have too many coming out of the kitchen. I was not going to be having a burger here, but let's check out what we consumed this evening.
We started with a duo of their cold starters. If you've followed along on this food journey with us for any length of time, you know that Katie is a garlic spread fiend, and when she spotted the Rosine's Famous Garlic Spread ($10.95) on the menu, she had to order it. This could be the most potent garlic spread we have ever experienced. After I learned of this potency, I pulled back, which was much more enjoyable. I used it with the provided pita triangles and my entree. The Hummus ($9.95) was a nice contrast to the garlic dip. It was much more mellow, with a silky smooth texture that was nicely achieved. I'd suggest both of these dips, which were good-sized, so you can use them when your main meal arrives.
Speaking of main meals, Katie selected this Chicken Pita ($15.95) as hers. This pocket bread was filled with lettuce, tomato, garlic sauce, and shredded chicken. Katie liked this sandwich but would get something else the next time she visited. It was bland, as all the sauce settled at the bottom. This was remedied with the extra sauce that we had from our appetizers. The chicken to vegetable ratio was also off, which detracted from the chicken standing out. For her side item, she went with the rice pilav, which she enjoyed, especially when mixed with the hummus.
I do not eat enough lamb, so I tried to rectify that at Rosine's by getting this Lamb Kebab ($26.95). This California lamb ate more like steak than any I have had previously. It was not gamey but still had the outstanding flavor one associates with lamb. It was spiced nicely and grilled expertly. This came with ratatouille and garlic mashed potatoes. This ratatouille was more like the Turkish dish saksuka, rather than what most people expect to see when they think of the French version, which is way more common. This version was okay. It gets a lot of love from the people on Yelp, so I think I might not be a ratatouille person, as I found it too mushy, and the flavor did not appease me at all. I did enjoy the garlic mashed potatoes way more. They were fluffy and light and went well with the lamb.
Even after this one visit, it's easy to see why this neighborhood loves Rosine's. Their food is well executed, authentic, and fresh. I look forward to visiting again and trying more of their kebabs and maybe even their rotisserie chicken which helped to put them on the map. The service was friendly and cordial. Their prices were not too outrageous. It took us a long time to visit Rosine's, but with another three years of high school plays, shows, and musicals, we will have plenty more opportunities for return visits.
Out of five banjos (because the city of Rosine, Kentucky, is the birthplace and home of the father of bluegrass music Bill Monroe, a type of music usually involving a banjo), five being the best to zero being the worst, Rosine's Mediterranian gets 3 banjos.
For more information about Rosine's Mediterranian, head to their website by clicking here: http://www.rosines.com/.
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