Parsley, Sage, Rosemary's, and Pete Wells

photo by dan kriegerPete Wells files on Rosemary's this week, after waiting an hour and a half to get a table.  The restaurant opened in June, and while its big windows play nicely with the warm summer breeze, the host stand is still learning to play with the droves of guests fluttering to the corner of West 10th and Greenwich Ave.

Wells finds flavor and value in chef Wade Moises' food, "Mr. Moises is adept at working vegetables and seafood into antipasti that bring your appetite to attention," and "each vegetable antipasto is $5; the pastas are $14 or less."  It sounds like a page from Batali's book, where a dozen $5 verdure and cheap pastas live on a stones throw away at Otto.  This affordable approach is no coincidence, Moises worked at both Babbo and Eataly.

The gimmicky wine list at Rosemary's is hit or miss.  Offering 40 wines all for $40, it leaves Wells feeling, "some chagrin at paying $40 for the kinds of bottles that might be opened at an office party."  Rosemary's has their own rooftop garden, "the urban agrarian notion does seem to have provided a theme for the decor," which is rustic and plant riddled and gives Rosemary's "the feel of a trllised patio in some corner of Italy that's heavily populated by Upper East Siders."  Wells gives one star to Rosemary's.