Quickie Restaurant Review: Rosto in Linden

UPDATE (2018): Rosto has closed in Linden and reopened in the far northern suburb of Kyalami.

Linden, a quirky Jozi suburb not far from Melville, has always been one of my favorite dining spots in town. The Cheese Shop is there, as is Hashi. There are at least five great Linden restaurants that I’ve eaten at but never gotten around to blogging about, and at least five more that I’ve heard great things about but haven’t eaten at yet.

So when I received an invite to have dinner at Rosto, I jumped at the opportunity to expand my Linden repertoire.

Rosto is new – less than a year old – and specializes in Italian-inspired roasted chicken and street food.

[Did you know that Leonardo Da Vinci invented the automated spit-roaster more than 500 years ago? I didn’t, until my meal at Rosto.]

This is a Quickie Restaurant Review so I’ll be quick.

What I liked about Rosto:

1. The decor. The restaurant is bright and cheerful and there is enough light to read the menu at night.

2. The staff. The people working at Rosto are nice, responsive, and knowledgeable about the menu, which is important because the menu is extensive and a little bit out of the norm. (Ask your server to show you the yeast.)

3. The rice croquettes. These balls of deliciousness come in three flavors. I loved all three but the spinach, ham, and provolone (back-right) was my favorite.

4. The chickpea-flour fries. I know it sounds weird but trust me – they’re amazing. Apparently chickpea flour is a popular ingredient in Italian cooking.

5. The roast chicken. Okay, that’s a lie. Ray and I tried pretty much everything on the menu except for the roast chicken, which I realize in hindsight was dumb. The chickens can be ordered whole, halved, or quartered, and come with a choice of three sauces.

What I didn’t like about Rosto: Nothing. And I’m not just saying that because my meal was free.

My dinner at Rosto was complimentary. Opinions expressed are my own.