The Roosevelt

Located on a roundabout in the Church Hill area, The Roosevelt has a fantastic atmosphere with classic southern charm.
 

A very refreshing watermelon smash concoction that reminded me of a watermelon milk shake in Taiwan.
 

Steak tartar, egg yolk, pickled mustard seed, grilled bread.  The beef was very high quality but pieces were on the larger side compared to the typical beef tartar that I am accustomed to.  The yolk was seasoned well and added a smooth and silky texture to the dish.  The pickled mustard seeds popped in your mouth while the celery added nice crunch and acidity.

Virginia oysters on the 1/2 shell. What I liked about this dish was how briny it was. Also the bed of sea kelp that the oysters sat on was visually impressive. 

Check out how large these oysters are.  They made the Tabasco sauce looked so tiny. 

Roasted mussels, vermouth, garlic, grilled bread.  The mussels were cooked just right.  The broth was mild but had a great roasted garlic flavor.

Roasted catfish, creamed corn, smoked bacon, green tomato chow chow.  The fish was cooked to perfection, still moist and tender.  Green tomatoes and fennel added some crunch and acidity while the bacon added a hint of smokiness.  The creamed corn brought everything together and rounded off the dish nicely.  I also loved the presentation of the dish, very light and delicate.

Double cheeseburger, cheddar, bacon jam, rooster sauce.  It was very meaty and hardy.  The beef was sourced locally from Sausage Craft, needless to say it was very high quality.  The rooster sauce mayonnaise was spicy and creamy, while the bacon jam injected some sweetness to the burger.  The burger also came with a side dish.  I decided to go with the roasted potatoes.  They were lightly seasoned with a nice hint of sage.

Kentucky fried quail, potato puree, sausage gravy.  This reminded me of country fried steak.  The quail was very moist inside with a nice crunchy batter on the outside.  The potato puree was smooth and creamy.  A very simple dish with an elegant presentation.

Peanut butter pie.  For me it was a bit too sweet and the pie was a bit dense.  It was like a peanut butter cookie on top of pie crust.  The house made whip cream was fantastic.

Buttermilk panna cotta.  Presentation was amazing, loved the canning jar.  Inside the jar was delicious, soft, and creamy panna cotta with just the right amount of sweetness paired with seasonal fresh fruit.

Overall I had a fantastic experience.  The atmosphere was amazing with great southern charm and elegance.  Service was great and the price was reasonable.  All of the dishes were well presentented without being overly embellished.

View from the front window.

I love the hardwood floor btw. 

623 N. 25th Street, Richmond, VA 23223

Rating: ●●●●○