Restaurant – Kitchen Roselli, East Bend, NC
May 2012
East Bend, NC isn’t a place one is likely to go to because it’s one of those small towns you generally drive through. But there is a local family owned restaurant that is worth a visit, Kitchen Roselli. The husband is cooking tasty American-Italian dishes and the wife is a friendly, welcoming hostess. The historic building is an old general store and retains the country charm of yesteryear with high ceilings covered in beaded-board, the original wooden shelving and worn planked flooring. The decor is simple and very traditional in a Southern kind of way.
While reservations are not required, you might just want to call and reserve your table anyway since it’s likely you’ll be driving at least 30 minutes to get there. Plus, they are only open Thursday, Friday and Saturday for dinner…lucky chef!
The menu isn’t huge, but it hits all the necessary and traditional Italian dishes you might desire, lasagna, scallopini, gnocchi, antipasti and cannoli, cream puff or sorbet for dessert. The red table wine is totally drinkable, the focaccia is crispy and oily on the outside and soft and tender inside – the best I’ve had in ages. I ordered the gnocchi, which was expensive at 16 USD, but totally worth it in my opinion. I’ve never had such light airy gnocchi in my life, and with their house red sauce was enough for me to feel filled after my antipasti starter of marinated meat, cheese and vegetable. The cannoli was almost as good as those from the best NY deli. We even sampled the lemon sorbet which was house made by Mrs.Roselli, who has won awards for her amazing sorbets. She mentioned one of Riesling with peaches that she had made which won an award in NC, just sounds delicious!
Service was friendly, perfectly paced and respectful. My mother and I shared focaccia, wine, had an entree each, a dessert each and coffee for under 70 USD. It’s the best and most authentic Italian I’ve had in NC, which is probably why my family has been enjoying Kitchen Roselli for the past year. Well worth the drive from Winston-Salem.
105 East Main Street, East Bend, NC. Phone – 336-699-4898 / Email kitchenroselli@gmail.com
Kitchen Roselli on Facebook
Rue d'Odessa 