Home to some of the country's top rock music royalty, it's hardly a surprise that Richmond's restaurants tend to bring a little bit of glitz and glamour to the table. Surrey Life restaurant reviewer JOHN HUGHES pays a visit to Rock & Rose

Originally published in Surrey Life magazine October 2009 Restaurant reviews: Rock & Rose Restaurant, 106-108 Kew Road, Richmond, Surrey TW9 2PQ. Tel: 0208 948 8008

***

Verdict

Food and drink 7 Service 10 Venue 9

What we ate

Starters Rock & Rose Glazed Baby Back Ribs �6.95 Duck, Watermelon & Cashew Nut Salad �7.95 Main Courses Miso Cod Fillet �15.95 Ultimate Surf & Turf �21.95 Desserts Chocolate Brownie �6 Passion Fruit & Strawberry Pavlova �6 Drinks Rock & Rose Martini �8.50

***

Our review: The strapline of the glitzy Richmond eatery Rock & Rose is 'food, passion and glamour' - and as soon as you walk in the door, you can see why. Lots of candelabras and chandeliers, glass and silver, blacks and pinks (including a wonderful pink sofa) and brashness galore. In fact, the d�cor is as much a talking point as the fare. "A tart's boudoir," I can hear my old mum saying, with a twinkle in her eye; "shabby chic," I think Rock & Rose would prefer. Either way, it's an amazing place. Only two years old, business is obviously good at Rock & Rose and on an ordinary weekday evening it was heaving. Had it been warmer, the glass front would have been rolled aside, uniting the terrace with the interior. As it was, we were seated just inside with a corner seat from which to observe. We also got Rebecca - a gem of a waitress. The menu (in flamboyant pink and black type) has starters, grills and house specials, including vegetarian and sharing options, and is potted with signature dishes. Perusing the menu For my starter, I went for Rock & Rose Glazed Baby Back Ribs, served on a wooden platter; the ribs were delicious though smothered in a sauce not dissimilar to good old tomato ketchup. My guest Helen plumped for duck, watermelon and cashew nut salad - an odd combination that, in our opinion, didn't quite work and was in fact spicier than anticipated. Dithering over the main courses, I was rescued by Rebecca who recommended the Miso Cod Fillet, served on a bed of asparagus with pak choi, spring onion and sesame seeds, and rice. This did work - tender vegetables that didn't interfere with the fishy flavour, perked up nicely by the miso. Great! Equally, Helen did well with the Ultimate Surf & Turf - an Angus rib-eye steak and giant prawns pan-fried in garlic butter and served with chunky hand-cut chips. Meanwhile, influenced by this heady atmosphere, I chose a cocktail rather than wine, a Rock & Rose Martini - vanilla infused vodka, fresh passion fruit and sugar, served with a side shot of champagne. It went straight to my head and I decided against another after-dinner house special concoction or 'rocktail', as they are known. Chocolate to die for To complement the cocktail, my dessert was a passion fruit and strawberry Pavlova, airily light and fluffy, while Helen was inevitably pulled like a magnet towards the chocolate brownie with 'to die for' white chocolate ice cream. It looked great and presumably tasted as good. The adjectives come flowing to describe Rock & Rose - glam, punk, whimsical, quirky (I've read other reviews!) but the bottom line is it's a great, fun place to eat, not as expensive as you'd imagine, and the service is excellent. Food, passion and glamour indeed!

***

3 other 'rose-tinted' restaurants...

Red Rose 87 High Street, Egham TW20 9HF Tel: 01932 355559 Premium Bangladesh and Indian dining, with some fabulous house specials. Rose Theatre 24-26 High Street, Kingston KT1 1HL Tel: 0871 230 1552 Irresistible refreshments coupled with art exhibitions and concerts at the Culture Caf�. The Rose Valley 50-52 Chertsey Street, Guildford GU1 4HD Tel: 01483 572572 The Rose Valley has been providing diners in Guildford with Indian cuisine for 45 years.