It's actually amazing how I've managed to live in NYC for 15 years and have never been to Rosa Mexicano before. It's a staple of the New York Union Square scene due to its central location but I've just always heard mediocre things about it and with so many other places to try in the city, it just never made it to the top of my list.
However, when the holiday season rolled in and Jenn and Eric were in town, we tried to find a fun place to go for dinner but it was almost impossible to get a reservation anywhere in the city for dinner for a large party, so this was the best option for a party of 12 in December. This place is actually perfect for large parties because it's so freakin large. The space is cavernous and it seemed like every table was at least a party of 5+. We were seated in a huge circular table in the back - but it was so hard to hear that the only people I could talk to were the people seated immediately to my left and right.
The menu is what you would expect in a place like this - very group friendly non-authentic Mexican food. We started off with guacamole ($14) for the table because that's just what you do at a place like this - it's made table side, which honestly doesn't impress me but at least I can see them using fresh avocados and other ingredients. For my main meal, I opted to get the ceviche ($15) and the fish tacos ($19). Most of the other people at the table also seemed to get the fish tacos or fajitas. While I knew that the ceviche was made with shrimp, I couldn't somehow still be a bit disappointed by it. Don't get me wrong, the shrimp in it was actually quite tasty and good but to me, true ceviche is made with fish in it and this didn't have any of it in the dish. I also wasn't a huge fan of the tomatoes or cucumber in it. To me, the perfect ceviche is simple fresh fish, red onion, lime juice and some cilantro - nothing fancy, just a few basic ingredients to really make the fish stand out. This just tasted like a good cold shrimp dish. Unfortunately, the fish taco didn't really make up for it. It was 3 fairly decent sized tacos served with grilled mahi mahi, cabbage, and a spicy tartare sauce. The fish was super bland and unseasoned. The dish was pretty boring - by the end, I picked out just the fish and ate that part because the soft taco shell and cabbage wasn't doing much for me but the whole dish overall needed to be brought up a notch. I wasn't expecting too much from a restaurant that is churning out thousands of dishes a night but it would have been nice to have had one last enjoyable meal with the group before the holiday season.
Despite it all, the overall experience was pleasant enough because of the good company and the killer margaritas. If you're in a tight bind for a place to go for a big group, this place isn't a terrible suggestion because clearly it isn't difficult to make a reservation. But if you're looking for a culinary treat or something cozy and intimate, Rosa Mexicano isn't really your place. Total bill: $64/pp with tax, tip and drinks
Photo Credit: Yelp
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