Roseland Apizza

[TrishCT]

Wesza, you begged me to go here and I finally did! We had a terrific time. Roseland is an Italian family-style place that has been in operation for 40 years, and it looks like it has never changed. Welcome to a delicious time warp.

And the pizza is indeed very very good!

The house specialty is a white clam pie...but one in our party has a seafood allergy... so we opted for sausage and garlic. If you like thin crust, it doesn't get much thinner than at Roseland's, yet the crust still retains chewiness. The sausage and garlic were fresh and plentiful, the sauce (in my opinion) is a standard cooked plum tomato sauce, and the cheese tasted like standard mozzarella. The sum of these parts however equalled a delicious pie. I would imagine that the specialty pizzas listed on the blackboard are even better than the one we opted for-- they contained a lot of fresh ingredients. I will definitely re-visit for another pizza.

Salads included with our entrees featured a good lettuce/greens blend, tomatoes, and some marinated mushrooms, olives, and small slices of provolone. Nice little touches.

Lasagna was made with homemade noodles and was excellent. I snitched just a bite of it and the fresh pasta was so good I think next time I might order one of their homemade raviolis (about 5 different ones to choose from). Chicken Parmigiana was good, but not spectacular. What was spectacular is the size of the portions. There seemed to be at least half a pound of mozzarella on the cutlets. I took 80% of my dinner home.

A pitcher of birch beer was the perfect match for this meal, but beer and wine are also available. Surprisingly, although you can get wine by the glass, Roseland's wine list contained some $30 -$50 bottle choices. I was surprised they had wines in that price range considering the casual atmosphere.

We ate early...around 5:30 pm...by 6:00 pm the place was full and people were waiting in line for tables. No reservations accepted. If ever a place was all about the food, this is it. Definitely worth a visit and easy to find off of Rt. 34.

Thanks again, Wesza!

[Fat Guy]

Gary Zemola, the owner of Super Duper Weenie, is a big advocate of Roseland. He's told me many times to go there. I guess I really have to listen.

[wesza]

Trish:

I'm glad that you finally got to try the place out and it didn't disappoint. I'm pretty sure that the current owners are the second people to operate the business since it began.

My son-in-law who grew up in Bensonhurst eating Pizza from Coney Island, Flatbush, Bensonhurst and all over New York City felt that since he moved to Cortland Manor in Westchester County that the only places to eat APIZZA were in Brooklyn or New Haven. He now takes his Brooklyn buddies to eat there because they are much more then just a Pizza Place. I feel that they embody what we all think about when remembering out visions of a traditional Southern Italian Restaurant that has become a rarity. It's different then the Arthur Avenue Restaurants but because it does many things well plus ad's the New England touches are what makes it special to me.

Even in New Haven and Brooklyn there aren't many Restaurants that specialize in a full menu along with Pizza.

Every time I visit them I do my best to try and eat several times at Roseland. Last year when I visited my daughter during the summer at her house in the Hamptons I made a round trip to Roselands for dinner.

Irwin

[TrishCT]

Irwin, what do you recommend ordering there? So many things to choose from...in particular what do you enjoy?

[wesza]

Trish:

In any place similar to "Roseland", [seems like there are less every day] I always ask if theres anything special today, if there is I'll order whatever it is just to taste and enjoy.

Then I'll order whatever I'm vaguely in the mood for at the time, plus dishes that I've been craving.

Every time a make a visit down memory lane I deliberately over order, knowing that it will be welcomed at home for the kids and snacks or whatever. But then I'm guilty of coveting many of the tastes and flavors that I've been missing while away and intentionally over compensate trying to taste as much as possible since I'm not sure when I'll be returning. It's not gluttony it's just that often just a taste or two suffices in providing a feeling that satisfies nostalgia and memories.

Even the owners understand my feelings on these rare occasions and I always try to do this without being obvious since many items are actually for take out only after the meals done.

I'm curious about how many eGulleters may feel the same way, but don't allow themselves or even one time have ever behaved this way.

I only do this at places like "Roseland" and a few Chinese Restaurants where I'll order items like Congee's and Dumplings that I anticipate enjoying during the next few days. After my stop at "Roseland" I'm generally pretty sure that there will be extended family coming to visit the next day or so, where everything will be eaten with pleasure.

Now I'll tell you my favorite. "White Clam Pizza".

Bet you didn't expect this answer, but it's the one thing that I've never been able to capture on the west coast. My bags when I return to Seattle are loaded with Cannonli, Corn Bread [Jewish] and Knishes, everything else I'm able to have sent or find comparably local, except for the APIZZA experience.

Irwin

[TrishCT]

Irwin:

Jewish cornbread?? What is that?

Back to Roseland...

You are not alone in your admiration of their White Clam Pie. It is printed on their pizza boxes as their house specialty. So Mr. Steven Shaw, I recommend that to you for your first trip to Roseland. I also concur about asking about the specials. The chalkboard was chockful of them and next time, that's where I will order from.

[kellymonaghan]

Another must-try at Roseland is their rosemary pizza, which consists (if memory serves) of just a light brushing of oil and fresh rosemary. exceptional!

[wesza]

Irwin:

Jewish cornbread?? What is that?

Back to Roseland...

You are not alone in your admiration of their White Clam Pie. It is printed on their pizza boxes as their house specialty. So Mr. Steven Shaw, I recommend that to you for your first trip to Roseland. I also concur about asking about the specials. The chalkboard was chockful of them and next time, that's where I will order from.

Trish:

Jewish Cornbread is a traditional type of bread often prepared by Jewish Bakeries that still do bread the old fashioned way.

It's a combination of Rye Flour, Hi-Gluten White Flour and Corn Flour, that combined with a natural starter and often made into a large round bread, it's fairly dense and the loafs often weigh about 5 pounds. There are several places that make it into smaller loafs of about 1 1/2 pounds. It made with caraway seeds or without.

I like the bread because when I was growing up I used to go to the bakery and order a section of the large loaf that was generally cut to the customers order and bring it home. I like the denser finish and taste and find it's better with Smoked Salmon then any other bread. It keeps very well and can be sliced very thin with a good bread knife.

If I keep writing about this bread I'm going to have to order some to be sent to Seattle.

Irwin

[TrishCT]

Okay, Irwin....

Where can I find this cornbread....?

Now I have to get some.

[wesza]

Okay, Irwin....

Where can I find this cornbread....?

Now I have to get some.

Trish:

I'm not sure which Bakeries actually are still selling the Traditional Jewish Corn Breads. There were still some Bakery's located in all the Boroughs of NYC, especially Brooklyn that still Bake it but some New York Maven will be able to advise you, or your have to resort to the phone book. It was sometimes sold at "Zabars" where the also carried "Moisha's Pumpernickel" another winner.

Irwin