08/09/09

Some of the best food and wine in Seattle

by Noma

We've gone to Rovers for both brunch and dinner and in both cases were blown away. Without a doubt the best brunch in Seattle, handily beating out Tilth, which was our previous favorite.

For dinner, we had a fantastic meal, where everything was perfectly cooked, including the best lamb I have ever had. Across the board, ingredient quality was exceptional and everything was perfectly cooked. They also went above and beyond on the wine service, being generous both on the amount and the quality of the wine poured.

• Pros: Amazing food and wine

07/17/08

Amazing place

by sunifyre

Brilliant, brilliant food! 'Nuff said. Ambiance/service == a 3 star Michelin restaurant without the stuffiness. Definitely my new favorite restaurant in Seattle. The best part was talking to the chef in the hat at the end of our meal. He was so funny and cool!

• Pros: Everything
• Cons: None

05/04/08

Unparalleled Dining Experience

by koi29

Rover's is an amazing restaurant. We visited on a weekday night. The tasting menus are expensive, but everything is available a la carte, so if you don't want to splurge, you don't have to. This restaurant IS expensive, but you have to expect that from a fine dining joint. White table cloths, polished/super sophisticated service, orchestrated dining... that all comes with a price! The plates are gorgeous, delicious, and leave you wanting more, and then voila! the next course arrives!!! There isn't any other restaurant in Seattle that serves food at this caliber. Appetizer, entree and dessert, isn't really how Rover's works, but it was a welcome change! This place is for people who know how to dine and have a sense of adventure!

• Pros: Local food, great wine list, unpretentious staff
• Cons: none

03/01/08

Rushed Dining

by ReviewerRestaurant

We recently dined at Rovers. First, we would like to comment that the food was excellent. However, it was either lukewarm or cold when brought to the table.

We were VERY disappointed by our dining experience. Rovers is a very expensive restaurant. We ordered the most extensive tasting menu with wine pairings. When spending over $500 for two on dinner, we would like to savor our meal. Our experience was absolutely the opposite. Eager to get us in and out - we went through approximately 6-8 courses (cannot remember exact number) in 1.5 hours. At one point, my husband held his fork in his hand so that the current course would not be whisked away. It was quite obvious that on a Saturday night, Rovers wanted to use that table. At the end of our meal, with food shoved into us and the wait staff eagerly waiting for us to leave - we did so.

We are two professionals who enjoy dining out. However, NEVER again will we give Rovers our business. If they want to treat patrons that they are unfamiliar with like a McDonalds drive through - then fine, but not for us.

• Pros: Excellent food
• Cons: Rushed Service; Cold Food

10/07/07

Superb food

by petroniusarbiter

The food first of all: nonpareil. A real symphony of tastes, every dish with several: sweet, tart, salty, savoury, fruity. Like giving different combinations of instruments in the orchestra little movements of their own. (Do I wax rhapsodic?) Scallops with soy beans in a soy dressing. Caviar and lobster on a shredded cucumber salad with a champagne dressing. Coho salmon on caramelized turnips with bacon -- extraordinary bacon. Foie gras floating in a sea of savoury goose fat (the gras in foie gras) with fruit coulis that set it off wonderfully. A whole panoply of exquisite tastes, some delicate, some bold. The green apple sorbet was superb and captured the taste of green apple perfectly, although I wouldn't say that it was the best thing on the menu by any means. Excellent presentation for every dish. We were there promptly at 8:15; they seated us promptly at 8:15. Very attentive staff, clearing one course and serving the next efficiently. Very pleasant dining room. Clearly very expensive, but in my estimation worth it. The chef came by every table to talk very personably with everyone. Great service although with one faux pas in our case: When ordering our meals, I requested the cheese plate instead of the Symphony de desserts. When the time came, I got the Symphony -- but to their credit, they had wished us a happy anniversary in chocolate lettering on the plate.

Other reviewers have off-handedly put forward their qualifications as reviewers, so I suppose I should lay out my bona fides as well: I've eaten at the Herbfarm a couple of times, at Chez Panisse, at Spago in Hollywood, at Cal Pep in Barcelona, at La Mansion and the San Angel Inn in Mexico City, at Hacienda Xcanatun in Merida, Mexico, at La Risacca in Milan, at George in Toronto. I lived and ate in LA, San Jose, Boston, in Germany, Spain (in Salamanca, the pisto manchego at the Viuda del Fraile and the lechon at El

Candil were great) and England (forget it).

04/03/07

Very disappointing

by racmac

OK--it wasn't bad, everything was...good. Unfortunately, I had been led to believe it would be great. You know you're in trouble when everyone in the party agrees the most memorable course of the evening was the hibiscus sorbet palate cleanser! We had the same experience as the reviewer who complained that espresso arrived long after dessert was over. Considering the price, the food was unexceptional, and the service was lacking both the flawless timing and the subtle sense of warmth and welcome that is the mark of a real professional. You would be far better off just down the street at either Harvest Vine or Crush, both of which serve superior food, have great wine lists, friendly and knowledgable staff, and ask a more reasonable price, or try one of the other fine French restaurants elsewhere in the city. I will give Rover's another chance based on their reputation, but I am in no hurry to do so.

• Pros: Lovely presentation, great wine list
• Cons: just not worth the price, flawed service

02/21/07

WAY over priced - does not live to up expectations

by wellcraft19

Lived in France for 3+ years. Ate good/great most of the time.

When comapny (in Texas) said "go out and have dinner on us, no limits", we selected and were looking forward to a long evening in Rover's hands, with true French dishes (rich food, no regard to anything than your mental wellbeing) and great meats.

Unfortunately, this place failed grossly to live up to its reputation. We had an "OK" dinner for two, nothing spectacular, apart from the price. North of $400!

Well, the most inspring we got was an asperagus soup,and the inspiration was in the written message (nice/great presentation) on top of the soup, not its taste.

I am always a big fan of lamb when it is avaialable. Few meats can provide such aroma when cooked correctly. This time, it was a r-ck of lamb that was very dry. Wife had some chicken concotion.

Dessert was a few (home made) ice cream boules. Same here, great presentation, but neither flavor or size was anything to beg for. You can actually do better running down to your local Freddies and buying the stuff.

Wine: French OK

After this we ended with coffee/tea. I am a big fan of espresso (un petit noir) and can have a few after a dinner . But I REALLY like to have it TOGETHER WITH my dessert, not a long time/wait afterwards.

At these price levels you really expect PERFECT attention to details and great food. We did not get it. Unlikely to come back again and give Rover's a second chance (can't affort it now).

Other places in the same league, but better is the Herbfarm (very $$$ but worth it) or in my opinion even better yet, due to its more acceptable price and far cosier setting; Cafe Juanita (can be hard to find but that is one of its treats). Both of these places are on the Eastside.

All in all, I am sad to have to give Thierry & Co. such a poor rating, but I really had far better food at many of the small local village restaurants in France - better setting, more memories, and prices that were only 5% (five) of Rover's.

• Pros: Great setting. Love old houses
• Cons: Food and staff's attention (are they maybe too snobby?)

11/25/06

Our Favorite Restaurant!

by ojeda02

My wife and I went to Rover's for New Year's 2006 and quickly discovered that this was our favorite restaurant. We have been there 3 more times since and every time we are more amazed at the excellent, excellent food jampacked with flavor. But that is just the beginning, the service is second to none, the owner is extremely friendly and they will always make you feel welcome and important. In a city were there is so much tough competition, Rover's takes the top spot.

• Pros: Service, Food
• Cons: None

11/13/06

Taste Explosion in a Formal Dining Room

by rwaldheim

I loved my visit to Rovers with my husband for our 2nd anniversary. We quite forgot to talk about anything other than food after our first course and each course was almost 'beyond food'. Talk about a sensory experience - I love to cook, but nothing, ever, in 15 years of daily cooking has come in the remote vicinity of the flavors and texture of the Rovers menu. We walked home in silence - I think we just said wow over and over. Expensive - yes, Formal - very, a 'special event' - indeed... but the best food I've ever - bar non- tasted - DEFINATELY.

Only complaint would be that the dining room is a bit bland. The flowers are lovely, but for a French resturant, it felt 'cold' rather than sophisticated. Would benefit from different lighting.

09/12/06

For this price go somewhere that will wow you.

by onlypsy

The food was tasty and the staff nice, but for the total price of over $400 they should at least attempt to come close to the Herbarm's 5 hours of 7 courses with perfectly paired wines...

Rovers will only give you a fleeting memory of a decent meal, but the Herbfarm will AMAZE.

• Pros: Conveniently located
• Cons: waste of an evening for so-so service, food and an unbelievably high bill.