Restaurante Rosa's — Restaurant in Alcalà de Xivert

A Disappointing Experience

On a recent visit to Restaurante Rosa's, I encountered a disappointing and deceptive practice that tarnished what could have been a pleasant meal. This restaurant, located in an area known for its daily menu offerings, fell short of the basic standards of hospitality and transparency expected in such establishments.

The Setup: Many restaurants in the region offer a daily menu, a popular option where a fixed price includes a first dish, a second dish, dessert (or coffee), and a beverage. This beverage can range from a soda to beer or a local low-cost wine. The inclusion of local low-cost wine with "gaseosa" (a local soda for mixing) is a common and beloved tradition. Usually, the wine and soda pairing are provided as part of the package, a straightforward and customary expectation.

What Went Wrong: At this restaurant, however, things took a sour turn. After a meal that was otherwise unremarkable, the bill revealed a surprising charge: the "gaseosa" was billed separately, adding 2,40 Euros to the total. This is highly unusual and felt like a blatant attempt to exploit tourists unfamiliar with local practices.

To make matters worse, my companion, who isn't fluent in the local language, handled the payment. It was clear the restaurant saw an opportunity to take advantage. This left a bad taste in our mouths—not from the food, but from the lack of honesty and respect shown by the staff.

The Takeaway: While the meal itself was serviceable, the experience was overshadowed by what I can only describe as a tourist trap tactic. Charging separately for "gaseosa" when it is customarily included in the daily menu is both deceptive and unfair.

Would I return? Certainly not. The restaurant's failure to respect its customers and adhere to regional norms makes it a poor choice, especially in an area where there are countless other options offering genuine...

Whilst the starters were lovely, unfortunately, for a restaurant with an extensive fish menu and such a high average review score, we were exasperated to have to send two of our main course fish dishes back to the kitchen to have them cooked through, having been served raw on one side. Even then, they were unable to cook the fish properly at the second attempt. The staff response was inappropriate and inconsiderate. Meanwhile, a steak main course which we had asked to be served medium rare, came "blue* and fridge cold in the middle. This is not a restaurant we would ever return to...

Tenemos entradas para el Oceanográfic de Valencia junto a la Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias y no hemos reservado restaurante en las inmediaciones hasta el día anterior a la tarde - fuera del horario de comidas -. A la desesperada buscamos buenas referencias. Una de las que encontramos es ROCALLA arroces y brasas. A esas horas no conseguimos contactar con un par de restaurantes prometedores. Vamos a estar solo 5 días en la Comunidad Valenciana y estamos deseando probar una paella Valenciana. Nos atienden por teléfono inmediatamente y no nos ponen ninguna pega para hacer la reserva ni para elegir la hora. Ya hemos visto en su carta en internet que ofrecen paella y cerramos en esa llamada paella para 3 personas para las 15:00 horas. Llegamos a las 15:05 y nos atiende Hermes - el Maitre - aunque a lo largo de la comida nos servirá con prestanza y buen trato más gente del equipo a su cargo. La paella tarda en hacerse 35 minutos por lo que nos ofrecen unas olivas y pan con tomate y alioli además de una carta de entrantes, nos decantamos por una rica ensaladilla con ventresca como uno de los ingredientes principales. Cuando nos traen la paella y la degustamos, sabemos que hemos cumplido con una de los objetivos de nuestra estancia en la Comunidad Valenciana. La paella está exquisita y llena de sabor - hemos pedido la de pollo y conejo - con sus esperadas vainas, etc. El trato de Hermes es excelente y pese a que rechazamos tomar postre - estamos llenos - nos traen un chupito para cada uno, también para el niño 😉 -. La paella, excelente en nuestra opinión son 19,50 €/persona. Con la ensaladilla y extras como copas de vino, pan y agua comemos los 3 por 80 €.

Si volvemos a Valencia nos acercaremos a...