When we first spoke with chef Aaron Silverman about his plans for Rose’s Luxury, one element he envisioned was a communal table for nightly family-style parties. Guests would pay a set price, and the kitchen would cook for them until they burst (or showed self-restraint, but c’mon, let’s be realistic). Plans shifted pre-opening, but Silverman’s vision never died; it was just put on hold until May, when the restaurant plans to open its private roof garden for reservation-only feasts.
The outdoor space is still in the final stages of construction, but once open it can be reserved two to three weeks in advance for eight to ten guests. The urban oasis belongs to you and your party for the entire evening; you can even choose what time to arrive. A dedicated server will ferry plates and drinks from the main restaurant to your communal table.
“It includes us cooking for you until you say ‘uncle,’” says Silverman, “some dishes from on the menu, some dishes from off the menu. But basically we’re just gonna cook for you until you are full.”
The cost is set at $125 per person, not including alcohol (Silverman estimates it’ll round out to $200 a head after booze, tax, and tip). He notes it’s “not an everyday thing, but not bad for once or twice a summer.” It’s also not bad for the ability to book a table at the ever-packed Rose’s and get fed to your heart’s (and stomach’s) content.
A reservation system will be set up online; the final details are still be ironed out, but stay tuned for more information. In the meantime those looking to dine al fresco can grab one of about ten seats on Rose’s front patio, opening Monday and serving the regular menu.
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
