Accolades

Northwest Best Places

Featured from 1995 - 2009

The Rosewood has a loyal clientele of grown-ups (and kids) from as far afield as Washington state. Reservations are a must in summer, when tourists flock to Kaslo. The fact that chef Grant McKenzie does much of his cooking outdoors on an 8--foot barbecue helps draw a crowd. Since it opened in 1994, the capacity has expanded to 125 seats, 55 of which are on a spacious patio overlooking Kootenay Lake.

You'll smell the chicken, pork, and beef ribs long before you reach the cafés white picket fence. Portions are typically large; many dishes are available in both half and full size. Everything is made fresh daily and tastes like it, from mayonnaise to bread to sauces. Alberta prime rib, local venison, cedar planked salmon with crab and shrimp, and jambalaya are specialties. Vegetarian selections, such as tortellini with curried tomato sauce, reflect chef McKenzie's multicultural influences. The wine and cocktail menu offer a wealth of choices.

Michelin Guide

$$ Rosewood Cafe - 213 5th St. Kaslo. 250-353-7673. Dinner daily, lunch Thu-Sun. Canadian. Housed in a pink clapboard heritage house in Kaslo, surrounded by quiet gardens, this friendly bistro serves mainstream favourites such as prime rib, Monte Cristo sandwiches and grilled Salmon, along with more inventive fare such as parmesan-stuffed roast chicken.

"Where to Eat in Canada" by Anne Hardy

Kaslo is on the shore of Kootenay Lake, about 40 miles northeast of Nelson via highway 3A and 31. The population is only about 1000, so it took courage for Grant and P.J. McKenzie to open an ambitious restaurant here on Fifth Avenue. They bought a century-old house, did it up in high-style with antiques and a big deck overlooking the lake and started cooking seven days a week. Now, four years later, the gamble has paid off. They've been written up in Western living and the tourists have been coming. They bring in fresh halibut, snapper and salmon from the West Coast, get their lamb and venison locally and buy only the best Alberta beef. They bake fresh bread every morning and make cranberry and jalapeno dressings for their salads. Vegetarians can have a field day here and if you have a small appetite you can have a half-portion of the chicken baked with camembert in puff pastry and served with cranberry gravy or any of the Cajun dishes. Most of the wines come from the Okanagan, many of them from Sumac Ridge