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The bad news: If you're a lover of Chicago style cuisine, the last time I checked, the driving distance from Roseville to Chicago, driving via Interstate 80, is just a few miles under 2000, which is a long drive anyway you look at it. The good news: You don't have to drive all the way to Chicago to enjoy Chicago favorites, as Roseville is home to Rosati's, home of the "Authentic Chicago Pizza." Yes, Rosati's serves authentic Chicago pizza, and much more...
Photo: It's early Wednesday afternoon, March 08, 2017, and we're ready to enjoy some of the best pizza that Roseville has to offer at Rosati's.
Photo: The dining room is large, very clean, and offers a "sports bar" atmosphere, due to the many television monitors, and the sports photos, trophies and posters. You walk in, seat yourself, and a staff member will be with you shortly.
Photo: Rosati's menu offers many varieties of pizza, as this menu is only one page of the offerings. We seriously considered ordering a Chicago-style deep dish pizza, but honestly, we just thought the Combo" seemed right today. Actually, everything in Rosati's revolves around a Chicago theme, including much of the decor. There are many items not on the menu, including the best Chicago style hot dog I've enjoyed in the greater Sacramento area. If you want anything Chicago, and you don't see it on the menu, just ask the friendly staff, and they can make it happen.
Photo: Our friendly server, Pat brings our "Classic Combo" pizza to our table. Great hostess!
Photo: Thanks Pat, for snapping our photo. Left to right, yours truly, Eric Rench, Greg Wilson, and Michael Rench ready to enjoy a "Classic Combo" pizza.
Photo: "Classic Combo" pizza in all of its glory. I had to fight my brother, and my brother-in-law to get this photo, as they were ready to dig in, pig out, and enjoy. We opted for the 14" size which the menu advertises will feed 3 or 4 people. Actually, we ate every bit of it, including the crumbs, as it was that good. We'd just spent a couple of hard hours practicing our marksmanship at the local shooting range, so were very hungry.
Photo: One piece of a "Classic Combo" pizza, along a glass of amazing delicious Stella Artois beer. The menu advertises a "Classic Combo" pizza as, "Gourmet Italian sausage, pepperoni, mushroom, onion, bell pepper, and black olives." Yes it's got all of that, and a lot more. The crust... oh the crust! A pizza is like a house, in that it must have a strong foundation in order to survive, and what the foundation is to a house, the crust is to a pizza. This crust was amazing! We couldn't exactly figure out what set it apart from other pizzas, but all we can say is that we absolutely loved it! Oh, I almost forgot to mention the toppings were amazing. I can't say who makes the best pizza in Roseville, or for that matter, anywhere else, but if you want a pizza that stands head and shoulders above the crowd, head over to Rosati's on Foothills Blvd. in Roseville. Back on May 09, 2016, I enjoyed one of the best Chicago-style hot dogs that I've eaten in the greater Sacramento area. Chicago dogs aren't on the menu, but all you have to do is ask, and you'll be treated to one of the best hot dogs the world has ever seen.
Photo: Rosati's is located in an upscale strip mall, in west Roseville. The current owner of the restaurant, Christine Grau, has owned and operated the restaurant for a little over a year, and has made significant changes from the previous owner, and actually has expanded the menu to include many Chicago favorites, including authentic Chicago hot dogs! It's 3 o'clock on Monday afternoon, May 09, 2016, and after... how many years? ... I'm finally getting around to enjoy a mid-afternoon lunch at Rosati's. Just to clarify the matter, Rosati's is a link in a chain of restaurants, and Christine is the owner of the Roseville store. However, don't think that Christine's franchise is just "another link in the chain," as Christine has applied lots of personality to the restaurant, and has made it a unique outlet, among the 14 or so restaurants that specialize in pizza, which are located along a one mile stretch of Foothills Blvd. Note: Your author feels the aforementioned section of Foothills Blvd. should be renamed to "Pizza Blvd." If you're a regular reader of this web site, you're probably aware that I avoid chain restaurants, but Rosati's is part of a chain, yet it's unique, and the great food, the decor, and the personality of the staff, particularly the owner. Christine, make this fine restaurant unique.
Photo: You walk in the front door and you face the cashier's station, or is it the front counter? Rosati's is a "sit down" restaurant, so if there isn't anybody at the counter, just ring the little "ding-a-ling" bell on the counter, and a friendly staff member will be johnny-on-the-spot to seat you, and hand you a menu. Or, just seat yourself in the open dining room, just to your left.
Photo: The dining room, sports a mixture of booths and tables, along with a full-service bar. The walls are plastered with sports memorabilia - much of it Chicago oriented - but actually "sports" NorCal sports teams, including Oakland Raiders, San Francisco 49'ers, Giants, A's, Sharks and more. The bar is new with the current owner, and a very welcome addition. The restaurant owner, Christine, told me she's been "tweaking" both the decor and the menu, and I think she has achieved the right combination. I arrived between lunch and dinner to a mostly-deserted restaurant, which is what I like, when I have my camera, and intend on doing a write-up and a photo-shoot. When the restaurant traffic is light, I get more time to chit-chat with the staff, and I greatly reduce the risk of annoying other diners, with my photos, and my persistent questions.
Photo: Since the current owner, Christine Grau took over a year ago, a previously forgotten corner of the restaurant has spouted a bar, with - at this writing - seven beers on tap, many varieties of bottled beer, and bottled wine. As I chatted with the friendly owner of the restaurant, Christine, she told me the bar isn't quite up and running to capacity, as they have many more things to do. No worries on my part, as I love it, and I chose to sit at the bar to enjoy my wonderful lunch. Note the indirect lighting that illuminates the bar chairs, the television monitors, and the sports photos and posters on the walls. Only Rosati's would dare to post a Chicago Bears N.F.L. poster on the wall, but Rosati's is a Chicago-theme restaurant, so it all works, even in Oakland Raider country.
Photo: From my seat at the bar, I noticed the two television screen monitors; on this Monday afternoon, one of them was tuned to "Rachael Ray," and the other was tuned to national news, but I didn't pay much attention to it. I asked, the question, "During football season, are the televisions tuned to football," and the answer was a resounding, "YES!!!" It would be interesting to watch a Raiders vs. Bears game at Rosati's to see who roots for who, as these conference rivals battle it out on television.
Photo: Amanda brings my order of a "Chicago Style Hot Dog," along with fries, with a smile. Manda and the franchise owner, Christine, met each other in college, and have worked together to build Rosati's to the outstanding restaurant that it is. Rosati's specializes in Chicago-style pizza, but they have many other varieties of pizzas, wings, calzones, salads, pasta, salads, and a hamburger or two. For some reason, the "Chicago Style Hot Dog" is not on the menu, but it's there, and it's the real thing.
Photo: Thanks, Amanda, for snapping my photo, as I sit at the bar, and get ready to enjoy the finest "Chicago Style Hot Dog" that Roseville has to offer. The Chicago Dog does not appear on the menu, and the only way I found out that Rosati's serves this wonderful hot dog was a weekend segment aired on "Good Day Sacramento," a local news/magazine show, that highlighted the restaurant, introduced Christine to the greater Sacramento area, and showcased the wonderful cuisine the restaurant has to offer. I had been considering re-visiting the restaurant for quite some time, but after watching the "Good Day Sacramento" segment, showcasing the "Chicago Style Hot Dog," I had to visit the restaurant... STAT!!! ... as I'm a connoisseur of Chicago-style hot dogs.
Photo: Oh joy! Such an AMAZING lunch! Allow me to start with the fries. In just one word: Perfect. The fries were fried a light golden brown on the outside, and were chewy inside. They weren't either salty or greasy, which seems to be the downfall of many fries. The fries were so delicious that no ketchup was needed. Now, on to the main event, the "Chicago Style Hot Dog." The first thing I must say is the dog "snapped" when I bit into it, which shows the "dog" was made with a natural casing. The "snap" of a hot dog immediately garners my undivided attention. In the pleasant conversation I enjoyed with the restaurant's owner, Christine, she told me all of the ingredients in her restaurant are "imported" from Chicago, as authentic ingredients, such as sport peppers, aren't available in California. So true. If you're a lover of Chicago hot dogs, and a "purest," you know an authentic Chicago hot dog MUST include the following things: * Beef hot dog, made of natural casing that "snaps" when you bite into it And, naturally NO KETCHUP!!! NEVER!! NO LETTUCE! NO WAY!!! A lover of a genuine Chicago hot dog would rather die, than to see the object of his/her attention desecrated with ketchup. At Rosati's, ketchup on their Chicago Dog is not an option. However, if you truly want to desecrate your hot dog, or pour ketchup on your fries, ketchup is available. As a connoisseur of hot dogs, I believe the only people who would desecrate a fine hot dog with ketchup would be kids, or adults with a child-like mindset. The bottom line reads that Rosati's produces a delicious, authentic, "Chicago Style Hot Dog," with the ingredients, and the know-how imported from Chicago. If you want an authentic taste of a Chicago hot dog, Rosati's is your go-to restaurant in Roseville.
Photo: I'm in heaven, as I grasp a draught beer in my left hand, and hold an authentic Chicago dog in my right hand. Heaven, or nirvana, whatever you want to call it, is easy to achieve at Rosati's.
Photo: Am I in Chicago, or am I in Roseville? One bite of this authentic Chicago-style hot dog will instantly transport you to the "Windy City." If you like Chicago hot dogs, Rosati's is the place to visit in Roseville. This dog just screams, "CHICAGO!" I bet if it could talk, it would be a Chicago Bears football fan. I'm glad the hot dog can't root for a football team... Rosati's is definitely the "way to Chicago," if that's the direction that you're heading. The restaurant is definitely Chicago, from the Chicago Bears N.F.L. posters to the authentic "Chicago Style Hotdog." The decor is Chicago, the atmosphere resembles a Chicago sports bar, the food is delicious, and the staff is super friendly. Rosati's is so good, that I almost want to shout "Go Bears!" ... Even though I grew up watching Mike Ditka play some of the best football in National Football League history, and later go on to a distinguished career in coaching, I can't bring myself to cheer for the Bears, as my colors are silver and black. But I will cheer for Rosati's and shout, "Go Rosati's!" Rosati's Copyright(c) 2016 eRench Productions. All rights reserved. We've been on the web since December 22, 2002.
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