Openings

What to Eat at Rosa Mexicano West Hollywood, Open Today

Mole will mosy over to West Hollywood
Mole will mosy over to West Hollywood Photo: Rosa Mex

When we first moved to Manhattan from SoCal in the mid-nineties, the only taste of home we pined for was acceptable Mexican food. Every once and awhile the kind of great Poblano taco trucks now scattered throughout Queens would roll up on 14th Street with excellent eats, but in the eternal moments in between, the choices came down to cheap Tex-Mex at places with discouraging names like San Loco and The Big Enchilada, or uptown restaurants like Gabriela’s and Rosa Mexicano, where one could almost approximate the more upscale and diverse selections found in fine-dining restaurants around Mexico City (okay, well, almost).

Rosa Mexicano has been a much harder sell, for pretty obvious demographic reasons, in Los Angeles, but today a new location is opening in West Hollywood, where we seriously know dudes who think Poquito Mas is the shit. So if Rosa Mexicano is needed anywhere in this city, one could make the strong argument it’s in West Hollywood, where it’s shiny, disco polish could actually tear some of the kids away from Cabo Cantina, and where residents are undoubtedly looking for an improvement on their lame options.

The new Rosa is a 215-seat beast with both indoor and outdoor dining available. According to its press agent, there’s even a waterfall made of glass inlaid with fluttering mariposas and a metal ceiling with glowing points, plus a bunch of other crazy design elements like patterned multi-colored lighting and a wall of vertical colors that already sounds like someone slipped mescaline into the mezcal.

Though it’s taken a small drubbing by local critics (who like to imitate those dudes sitting around the campfire in the old Pace Picante commercials screaming in disgust, “This stuff’s made in New York City!”), Rosa is ambitious in its approach not to churn out limp enchiladas and rellenos, but introduce frequent menus highlighting regional Mexican cuisine, ingredients, and celebration feasts, while stocking the menu with white fish pibil, hiuitlacoche quesadillas, and far-flung moles that we don’t see enough of in L.A., and especially in West Hollywood.

Dishes exclusive to the new location include a diced yellowtail tartare with tomato-habanero, tacos filled with braised pork belly and sea scallops, roasted bone marrow on garlic toast served with chipotle-piloncillo, grilled steak with chipotle shrimp, and a torta de camarones with achiote, alternately described as a Mexican shrimp roll.

Rosa may have riled up a few disgruntled voices when it appeared in the fall of 2009, in spitting range of East L.A. and the surrounding landscape of genre-pushing and traditional Mexican eats. But in West Hollywood, it just might be become an essential component of the Mexican-starved dining scene. See the full happy hour, lunch, and dinner menus below.

Rosa Mexicano, 8750 Sunset Blvd. West Hollywood.

Earlier: Bucking Its Critics, Rosa Mexicano Plans a Second L.A. Location [GS]
Rosa Mexicano Opening Soon on the Strip [GS]

Happy Hour Bar Menu

Half Price Select Entradas/Appetizers 4pm-7pm

Queso Fundido/Melted Cheese Fondue
Melted Chihuahua cheese topped with crumbled chorizo sausage, cilantro and rajas (slow-cooked Mexican peppers). 4.90

Flautas de Pollo/Rolled Crispy Chicken Tacos
Three rolled crispy chicken tacos topped with salsa pasilla de Oaxaca, salsa verde, queso fresco and crema. 4.75

Ensalada del Mercado/Market Salad
Mixed greens, avocado, radishes, tomatoes, carrots, red onions and orange segments tossed with honey-lime vinaigrette. 4.25

Tacos de Pollo/Chicken Tacos (2)
Pulled chicken seasoned with oregano, orange zest and garlic. Served with warm tortillas and chile de arbol salsa. 4.50

Tacos de Panzo con Callos de Hacha/Pork Belly and Sea Scallops Tacos (2)
Braised heritage pork belly and seared diver scallops served on warm corn tortillas with a citrus-habanero salsa. 7.25

Lunch

Entradas/Appetizers

Guacamole en Molcajete
Since 1984 we have been serving freshly made guacamole with avocado, jalapeño, tomato, onion and cilantro (prepared tableside).
Served with warm corn tortillas, tortilla chips, salsa pasilla de Oaxaca and salsa de tomatillo y habanero. 14.00 per order (serves two-three)

Sopa de Tortilla/Tortilla Soup
Pasilla chile soup with grilled chicken, avocado, shredded cheese, crema and crispy tortilla strips. 8.25

Ensalada del Mercado/Market Salad
Mixed greens, avocado, radishes, tomatoes, carrots, red onions and orange segments tossed with honey-lime vinaigrette. 8.25

Flautas de Pollo/Rolled Crispy Chicken Tacos
Two rolled crispy chicken tacos topped with salsa pasilla de Oaxaca, salsa verde, queso fresco and crema. 8.25

Tartar de Serviola */Pacific Yellowtail (Hamachi) Tartare
Diced yellowtail, watermelon, cucumber and jicama served with tomato-habanero sauce and jalapeno ice. 12.50

Empanadas de Jaiba/Crab Turnovers
Three crispy corn empanadas filled with jumbo lump crab meat,
Served with seasonal fruit pico de gallo and avocado-tomatillo salsa. 12.75

Queso Fundido/Melted Cheese Fondue
Melted Chihuahua cheese served in a cast iron skillet with your choice of: Chorizo and peppers (rajas) 9.25
Wild mushrooms and fresh huitlacoche 10.25
Garlic shrimp and chile 11.25

Tacos de Panza con Callos de Hacha/Pork Belly and Sea Scallop Tacos (2)
Braised Heritage pork belly and seared diver scallops served on warm corn tortillas with a citrus-habanero salsa. 12.00

Quesadilla y Tortas/Quesadilla and Sandwiches

Quesadilla de Pollo/Chicken quesadilla
Grilled flour tortillas filled with Chihuahua cheese and grilled chicken. Served with guacamole and pico de gallo. 12.75

Mexican Club Torta/Mexican Club Sandwich
Pressed Mexican club sandwich of ham, grilled chicken, bacon, pickled jalapenos, avocado and Chihuahua cheese with a black bean-chipotle spread. Served with sweet potato fries. 13.25

Pelona/Steak Sandwich
Pulled beef short rib sandwich on a crispy roll with oven-baked tomatoes, pickled jalapenos, salsa verde and pasilla de Oaxaca dressing.
Served with sweet potato fries. 13.75

Puebla/Chicken Sandwich
Orange and garlic scented pulled chicken served on a crispy roll with chipotle dressing and house slaw. Served with sweet potato fries. 12.25

Torta de Camarones/Shrimp Roll a la Mexicana
Top split bin toasted and filled with chopped achiote shrimp salad.
Served with French fries and slaw. 16.50

Ensaladas/Salads

Ensalada de le Calle con Atún al Pastor*/Mexican City Street Salad with Barbecued Tuna Loin
Mexico City street salad with barbecued tuna loin tossed with mango, pineapple, jicama and toasted pumpkin seeds. Served over red-leaf lettuce with a honey-lime vinaigrette. 16.75

Ensalada Cobb/Mexican Cobb Salad
Grilled chicken, chorizo sausage, Cabrales blue cheese, cherry tomatoes and habanero pickled onions over mixed greens with an avocado-dill dressing and chile-crusted croutons. 16.25

Ensalada de Pollo Rosa/Rosa Chicken Salad
Roasted chicken salad with carrots, apples, raisins and tomatoes over romaine, frisee and watercress salads, with jalapeno-parmesan dressing. 16.25

Enchiladas

Mole Xico/Beef
Two soft corn tortillas filled with shredded chipotle beef. Topped with Veracruz mole made with raisins, plantains, hazelnuts, pine nuts and ancho and pasilla chiles, Garnished with crema and queso fresco. 15.50

Suizas/Chicken
Two soft corn tortillas filled with pulled roasted chicken, topped with a creamy tomatillo sauce and melted Chichuahua cheese. 14.75

Rancheras/Vegetable
Two soft corn tortillas filled with corn, chayote, mushrooms and spinach served in a mild tomato sauce. 12.25

Served with family-style house rice and refried black beans.

Tacos

Pollo/Chicken
Grilled and marinated in ancho chiles, garlic, cumin, cloves and cinnamon. Topped with slow cooked peppers and melted Chihuahua cheese.
Served with chile de arbol salsa. 14.25

Carne Asada*/Steak
Grilled skirt steak marinated in guajillo and pasilla chiles, garlic, cumin and black pepper. Served with melted Chihuahua cheese and chile de arbol salsa. 20.50

Pescado Pibil/White Fish with Chile Rub
Grilled whitefish marinated in achote, orange and garlic. Topped with habanero-lime marinated onions. Served with chile de arbol salsa. 15.25

Vegetales a Brasa/Skillet Roasted Vegetables
Skillet of seasonal market vegetables, topped with fresh herbed cheese.
Served with flax seed tortillas, red beans and tomatillo molcajete salsa. 16.00

All tacos are served in a cast iron skillet with red bean-chorizo chili, corn esquites and freshly made warm corn tortillas.

Los Favoritos/The Favorites

Alambre de Camarones/Shrimp Brochette
Skewers of grilled shrimp, tomatoes, onions and Serrano peppers. Served over house rice and roasted tomato-jalapeno caper sauce. 20.50

Salmón en Manchamanteles/Salmon Filet with Tropical Fruit Mole
Grilled natural salmon over black beans with zucchini and roasted corn. Served over a mole of ancho chiles and tropical fruits. 17.50

Tampiqueña con Camarones*/Grilled Steak & Chipotle Shrimp
Grilled skirt steak with sautéed jumbo shrimp in a tomato-chipotle sauce, arugula salad and matchstick garlic fries. 25.00

Alambre a la Mexicana*/Mixed Grilled Brochette
Skewers of grilled filet mignon, chorizo sausage. Onions, tomatoes and Serrano peppers. Served over house rice with tomatillo and tomato-chipotle sauces. 23.50

Budín de Pollo/Chicken Tortilla Pie
Baked soft corn tortillas filled with pulled chicken, Chihuahua cheese, corn and roasted Mexican peppers, served with a poblano pepper cream sauce. 16.25

Served with family-style house rice ad refried black beans.

All entrees are served with two condiment salsas:
Pasilla de Oaxaca and salsas de tomatillo y habanero.

Extras

Pico de Gallo 3.00
Sweet Potato Fries 4.00
Plátanos Fritos 5.00
Fried plantains with crema and queso fresco
Red Bean-Chorizo Chile 5.00

Postres/Desserts

Churros Rellenos/Filled Mexican Doughnuts
Hot Mexican doughnuts filled with caramel and raspberry sauces, dusted with sugar and cinnamon.
Served with chocolate dipping sauce.
8.50

Pastel de Queso/Cheesecake
Rich, creamy cheesecake filled with baked apple-cajeta sauce and candied pecans.
8.50

Pastel de Plátano y Chocolate/Banana Chocolate Chip Cake
Banana chocolate chip cake filled with peanut butter mousse, topped with decadent dark chocolate sauce and cinnamon swirl ice cream.
9.00

Tres Leches de Zarzamoras/Blackberry Three Milk Cake
Sour cream pound cake soaked in three milks, lemon and lime, topped with blackberry-hibiscus glaze and toasted meringue.
8.50

Flan de Rosa/Espresso Flan
Vanilla flan infused with espresso served on a warm, thin ancho chile brownie, topped with Mexican cinnamon whipped cream.
8.50

Helados y Sorbetes/Ice Cream and Sorbet
(choose three)

Mexican Chocolate
Mexican Vanilla
Coffee-Kahlua
Sweet Potato & Rum Raisin
Banana-Cinnamon Swirl
Sea Salt Cajeta
Prickly Pear with Blueberries
Mexican Chocolate Mole Sorbet
8.00

Dinner

Entradas/Appetizers

Guacamole en Molcajete
Since 1984 we have been serving freshly made guacamole with avocado, jalapeño, tomato, onion and cilantro (prepared tableside).
Served with warm corn tortillas, tortilla chips, salsa pasilla de Oaxaca and salsa de tomatillo y habanero. 14.00 per order (serves two-three)

Sopa de Tortilla/Tortilla Soup
Pasilla chile soup with grilled chicken, avocado, shredded cheese, crema and crispy tortilla strips. 9.00

Ensalada del Mercado/Market Salad
Mixed greens, avocado, radishes, tomatoes, carrots, red onions and orange segments tossed with honey-lime vinaigrette. 8.50

Flautas de Pollo/Rolled Crispy Chicken Tacos
Two rolled crispy chicken tacos topped with salsa pasilla de Oaxaca, salsa verde, queso fresco and crema. 9.50

Tartar de Serviola */Pacific Yellowtail (Hamachi) Tartare
Diced yellowtail, watermelon, cucumber and jicama served with tomato-habanero sauce and jalapeno ice. 14.50

Tuetanos Rostizados/Roasted Bone Marrow
Roasted bone marrow served with garlic toast and chipotle-piloncillo sauce. 14.00

Empanadas de Jaiba/Crab Turnovers
Three crispy corn empanadas filled with jumbo lump crab meat,
Served with seasonal fruit pico de gallo and avocado-tomatillo salsa. 14.50

Quesadillas de Vegetales/Vegetable Quesadillas (3)
Handmade vegetable tortillas filled with Burns Farms fresh huitlacoche, wild mushrooms and Chihuahua cheese.
Served with salsa verde & crema. 10.50

Queso Fundido/Melted Cheese Fondue
Melted Chihuahua cheese served in a cast iron skillet with your choice of: Chorizo and peppers (rajas) 9.75
Wild mushrooms and fresh huitlacoche 10.75
Garlic shrimp and chile 11.75

Tacos de Panza con Callos de Hacha/Pork Belly and Sea Scallop Tacos (2)
Braised Heritage pork belly and seared diver scallops served on warm corn tortillas with a citrus-habanero salsa. 14.50

Platillos Principales/Main Dishes

Ensalada de la Calle con Atún al Pastor*/Mexico City Street Salad with Barbecued Tuna Loin
Mexico City street salad with barbecued tuna loin tossed with mango, pineapple, jicama and toasted pumpkin seeds. Served over red-leaf lettuce with a honey-lime vinaigrette. 22.00

Alambre de Camarones/Shrimp Brochette
Skewers of grilled shrimp, tomatoes, onions, and Serrano peppers.
Served over house rive with tomato-jalapeño caper sauce. 27.00

Pescado Pibil/Butterflied Red Snapper
Whole red snapper marinated in a traditional Yucatan mixture of achiote, orange and garlic served with habanero marinated red onions, roasted garlic and tomatillo salsa. 29.75

Salmón en Manchamanteles*/Salmon Filet with Tropical Fruit Mole
Grilled natural salmon over black beans with zucchini and roasted corn.
Served over a mole of ancho chilis and tropical fruits. 24.25

Tampiqueña con Camarones*/Grilled Steak & Chipotle Shrimp
Grilled skirt steak with sautéed jumbo shrimp in a tomato-chipotle sauce, arugula salad and matchstick garlic fries. 27.50

Tablones/Short Ribs
18 oz. of grilled boneless beef short ribs served with a mestiza sauce (tomatillo-tomato-chipotle) and rajas (slow-cooked Mexican peppers). 27.75

Alambre a la Mexicana*/Mixed Grill Brochette
Skewers of filet mignon, chorizo sausage, onions, tomatoes, and serrano peppers.
Served over house rice with tomatillo and tomato-chipotle sauces. 26.75

Filete con Hongos*/Filet Mignon with Wild Mushrooms
Filet mignon covered with a wild mushroom-tequila cream sauce. 29.50

Budín de Pollo/Chicken Tortilla Pie
Baked soft corn tortillas filled with pulled chicken, Chihuahua cheese and roasted Mexican peppers, served with poblano pepper cream sauce. 19.75

Chile Ancho Relleno/Stuffed Ancho Chiles
Two ancho chiles stuffed with conchita pibil (slow-cooked marinated pork) over back bean sauce and marinated red onions. 24.50

Chamorro/Pork Shank
Crispy marinated pork shank served with red bean-chorizo chili and chipotle creamed spinach. 25.50

Platillos Principales/Main Dishes

Enchiladas

Mole Xico/Beef
Two soft corn tortillas filled with shredded chipotle beef. Topped with Veracruz mole made with raisins, plantains, hazelnuts, pine nuts and ancho and pasilla chiles, Garnished with crema and queso fresco. 19.75

Suizas/Chicken
Two soft corn tortillas filled with pulled roasted chicken, topped with a creamy tomatillo sauce and melted Chichuahua cheese. 18.75

Rancheras/Vegetable
Two soft corn tortillas filled with corn, chayote, mushrooms and spinach served in a mild tomato sauce. 17.25

Jaiba/Jumbo Lump Crab
Two soft corn tortillas filled with jumbo lump crab meat, topped with a creamy tomatillo sauce, melted Chihuahua cheese and pumpkin seeds. 25.00

Tacos

Pollo/Chicken
Grilled and marinated in ancho chiles, garlic, cumin, cloves and cinnamon. Topped with slow cooked peppers and melted Chihuahua cheese.
Served with chile de arbol salsa. 18.50

Carne Asada*/Steak
Grilled skirt steak marinated in guajillo and pasilla chiles, garlic, cumin and black pepper. Served with melted Chihuahua cheese and chile de arbol salsa. 25.00

Vegetales a Brasa/Skillet Roasted Vegetables
Skillet of seasonal market vegetables, topped with fresh herbed cheese.
Served with flax seed tortillas, red beans and tomatillo molcajete salsa. 17.75

All tacos are served in a cast iron skillet with red bean-chorizo chili, corn esquites and freshly made warm corn tortillas.

All entrees are served with family-style house rice, refried black beans and two condiment salsas: pasilla de Oaxaca and salsa de tomatillo y habanero.

Extras

Pico de Gallo. 3.00
Sweet Potato Fries. 4.00
Platanos Fritos. 5.00
Fried plantains with crema and queso fresco
Red Bean-Chorizo Chili. 5.00

What to Eat at Rosa Mexicano West Hollywood, Open Today