Rosmarino in Sheffield – where the food is as heartwarming and delightful as the welcome

It is apparent from the moment that you enter this new establishment that this is a place that has been built on the foundations of a love for good food… and family.

I had been patiently awaiting the opportunity to make my way to this fairly new addition to Sheffield’s extensive range of Italian restaurants. Sadly a family emergency put a temporary pause on my initial plans, but family must always come first and it’s that familial love that over the course of my time here was evident in every dish.

When I arrived I was greeted by Lidia, who oversees the front of house and table service duties with a friendly and charming approach, while her other half, Abdel, maintains a steady yet skilled hand in the kitchen. The mood is instantaneously friendly and charming with a relaxed vibe. You really can’t help but feel at home as soon as you’re seated… it’s really chilled out and that’s a rather welcoming feeling.

To start things off, I ordered a glass of Pinot Grigio (white not rosé) and the Crispy Calamari. It was delicious, perfectly crispy and served alongside an amazing jalapeño and lime jam that delivers a wonderfully balanced combination of sweet with a warming hook. If I were to say I could have eaten more - I absolutely could have - you would know how I felt about it.

For the main dish, and after much deliberation between this or the Squid Ink Spaghetti, I settled on the Linguini Seafood… a stunning selection of seafood, mussels, calamari, clams, king prawns, tomatoes, fresh parsley, all served with spaghetti and an amazingly put together sauce with a perfectly delivered spicy kick that wasn’t overpowering but seemed to amplify all of the ingredients with a flavoursome depth I haven’t tasted since my last trip to Rome many a year ago.

I don’t think I’ve ever been in the position where I have wanted to make a toast after a meal, but this was such a delightful dish that I felt compelled to a raise a glass in silence… no words would suffice. It was simply a most exquisite dish. Bravo Abdel… my compliments to the chef without a doubt.

To bring things to a close, for dessert I decided on the White Chocolate and Baileys Cheesecake, as with all their other desserts (and well, everything) this is homemade and it really is a sweet treat. Topped with powdered sugar, crumbled meringue (again, homemade) and blueberries, every single mouthful of the perfectly mouse-like topping complemented by the dark chocolate ganache was a joy. In short, I very much recommend it.

A rather prominent American chef, Thomas Keller once said, “A recipe has no soul. You, as the cook, must bring soul to the recipe”, Rosmarino is a testament to this perspective and Abdel delivers food for the soul with each mouthful.

In total everything came to £40.75, not exactly cheap but certainly not overly expensive either. Especially when you consider it was a three-course meal with perfectly balanced portions, expertly delivered with exceptional presentation and frankly glorious combination of flavours.

In conclusion, when it comes to great food, cracking service and that all important value for money, Rosmarino is definitely time and money well spent. It’s safe to say that I shall be returning without hesitation.