Rosy is located on Church Avenue in Ohio City, around the corner from Jukebox and Saucy Brew Works. Photo: Sam Allard/Axios
👋 Sam here. The best thing I ate this week was the cotechino at Rosy in Ohio City.
State of play: Rosy is the latest project from Cordelia chef Vinnie Cimino and business partner Andrew Watts.
Cordelia is among my favorite Cleveland restaurants, so I was thrilled to attend Rosy's soft opening in the former Alea space in Hingetown.
The vibe: Cozy and buzzy. With only 50 seats, some in communal style, it's a much more intimate setting than Cordelia, centered around a concrete hearth and open kitchen.
Between the lines: The emphasis on ancestral European cuisine — "It's what your grandma's grandma ate," servers attested — didn't quite resonate with the modern small plating and flavor combos.
Disregard the framing. Cimino knocks the menu out of the park.
What I ate: The cotechino, a northern Italian pork sausage sliced into medallions and served with a citrusy mayo, was a highlight.
An array of complementary small plates lets diners mix and match with shareable protein options.
What I drank: "Where There's Smoke," one of the most original whiskey cocktails I've tasted in Cleveland, subtly flavored with almond and mandarin tea.
I'm not a big wine drinker, but I appreciated the selections from Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia, as well as the half-glass portion option.
