Tomaselli's at Rosario — Restaurant in Providence

THE SERVICE:

The restaurant is unassuming and the dining area is reminiscent of a VFW hall. You’re able to seat yourself where comfortable selecting from an array of banquet style tables; or you may opt to sit at the oval shaped bar in comfortable office style chairs.

Although untraditional, the venue manages to create some warmth, and there’s an observable sense of camaraderie amongst the locals. Several patrons were playing card games at their respective tables while enjoying cocktails as they dined.

Our waitress was very friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. As new customers, we appreciated her orientating us to the menu layout- in addition to reviewing local favorites/specials. We went with her recommendations which didn’t disappoint.

THE FOOD

The baked stuffie topped with baby scallops and bacon was savory and delicious. The stuffing mixture was the highlight. The herb and butter crust and crispy bacon provided a welcomed contrasting texture from the stuffing. The scallops were a miss because they were overcooked and chewy.

My main course consisted of their famous chicken parmigiana, side penne with vodka sauce, and sautéed spinach. Sincerest compliments to the chef. That vodka sauce was an absolute stunner. Every element of each dish was flavorful and complimentary.

I loved the spinach with peppers. The crunch of the red peppers, the spice blend, and the perfectly cooked spinach rounded out a memorable bite.

The chicken parmigiana is cartoonishly enormous which made me worry it would taste like a frisbee- false alarm. The flavorful breading adhered to the moist and lightly seasoned chicken. The tomato sauce was robust, and the cheese was plentiful. This dish can easily feed 3-4 adults. I shared with my table-mate and still had ample leftovers.

THE VALUE:

Excellent value for the price points and quality of food. A neighborhood gem I’m thankful to have...

First of all, the full name is Tomasellis at the Rosario Club. This should tell you that it's not your typical restaurant. It's located in a K of C or VFW type place. Secondly, the Tomaselli family has several restaurant locations in and around the Providence, RI area. This one just happens to be in the Rosary Club but is open to the public except on Fri, Sat, & Sun. And thirdly, this was a church dinner sponsored by St Patricks Catholic Church. Now having said that. This place is very good for food but isn't the place if you are looking for fine dining or romantic atmosphere. Full bar, several big screen TVs, super waitstaff, Just good home style Italian qusine and plenty of it. I like their Chicken Parmigiana but have never been able finish it in one sitting. There is enough for 2 or 3 meals...

Came for RI Food Fights #BestwingsRI. This is one of our favorite places. On Friday they have music and you can definitely cut it up on the dance floor while you wait for your food.

We had the bouriyaki (amazing flavor) wings & the red pepper relish wings (spicy) and what a treat! Definitely different flavor profiles you won't find anywhere else.

We also got the antipasto salad, small cheese pizza, chicken parm & bowtie pasta with pink sauce. The chicken parm is massive, super thin and crispy!

One of our favorite things about this place is it is a function hall and it's a party everything we come. If you have kids they can dance, be loud & have a blast! The servers are outstanding and if you are a sit at the bar person, they have comfy computer...