Dinner at Roessler's - Delicious Food and Good Friends

Last night, my wife and I enjoyed a very nice dinner at Roessler's (http://www.roesslersrestaurant.com/) with three couples whose company we really enjoy. The company and food were wonderful.

Roessler's is family owned and operated. It has been at the same location since 1985. It is divided into two areas - a bistro and a restaurant. The items on the bistro menu are less expensive than those on the restaurant menu. The selections on each menu are not extensive and they are standard dishes. However, they are all beautifully prepared. Except for my wife's soup, we all enjoyed our meals very much.

My wife started with a bowl of vichyssoise soup, a "house specialty," for $7. It was so salty that it overwhelmed the other flavors. (Many think that Vichyssoise is a French soup. However, it was probably served for the first time at the Ritz-Carlton in New York in 1917 by French chef Louis Diat, whose creation was inspired by a soup his mother used to make when he was growing up in France. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vichyssoise)

I started with a different soup - lobster and crab bisque for $9. It was delicious.

My wife's entrée was Steak Diane for $35. She loved it.

My entrée was equally delicious - beef and pork meatloaf with mashed potatoes and small onion rings - for $21.

For dessert, my wife had Parfait Roessler - vanilla ice cream rolled in almond brittle with orange liqueur and whipped cream for $8. She enjoyed it very much.

I had Crepes Suzette for $11. They were delicious. This dish must be oordered by two people. Fortunately, one of our friends was also interested.

One couple both ordered the Wiener Schnitzel Holstein. They loved it. Both have lived in Germany and affirm that this schnitzel is genuine.

The wine list was decent. We had a bottle of Bouchard Aîné & Fils Pinot Noir for $26. I have had this wine a number of times and have always enjoyed it. It is at the lower end of Bouchard's many offerings from Burgundy. My wife and I had the pleasure of a tasting at Bouchard's tasting room in Beaune, Burgundy in 2003.

There was a mixup in the wines ordered by two of the other couples. They both ordered the same Catena Argentine Malbec and were both served an Italian wine. It turned out that the wine list had two wines with the same number. Our server quickly admitted the error and profusely apologized. He then brought them the correct wine.

(The on-line wine list is out of date. There are wines listed on that menu that are not available, and there are wines on the wine list at the restaurant that are not on the on-line list.)

Our server did a superb job.

There were a couple of clues that Roessler's may cater to an older crowd:
1. When we left at 9:30 pm, we were the last couples in the restaurant.
2. The dishes offered are very standard fare.
3. The parking spaces are nice and wide.

The restaurant is located just off U.S. 41 at 2033 Vamo Way. At night, it is not easily visible from U.S. 41. It might be a good idea to use GPS in order not to miss the turn.

Phone 941-966-5688. I recommend reservations.