Jack and Mimi's Cheap Date: The Rosewood Cafe
Welcome to the latest installment of Jack & Mimi’s Cheap Date. Here are the rules: Each week, my girlfriend Mimi and I go somewhere in the Tacoma area for a cheap date where we spend $20 or less. This does not include tips because service is unique and can’t be universally quantified. This week we take a look at The Rosewood Café.
The Rosewood Café is a quiet little place on the corner of North 26th and Warner near the Proctor District. They’re primarily a sandwich shop with a relaxed style that’s both comfortable and familiar. It feels nothing like a franchise.
One day last week, Mimi and I stopped by for a cheap lunch date. The Proctor area is notorious for being expensive. The Safeway a few blocks away recently tried to start charging for parking in their lot, but public outcry stopped them. Simply put, the Rosewood isn’t the first place I’d think to go if I only wanted to spend twenty dollars or less.
Mimi and I looked over the menu. She decided on the Rosewood Deluxe. The menu describes the Rosewood Deluxe as “Oven roasted all natural turkey, smoked bacon, Havarti cheese, fresh lettuce, tomato, and red onion. Served on grilled peasant bread with mayo.” It was $8.00.
I chose the Big Tuna Melt for $7.50. We each got beverages. I got a Coke. Mimi got a decaf coffee.
The food arrived fairly quickly. My tuna melt was warm and delicious. It was good sized, but I’m not sure it earned the title ‘Big’. The Coke was from a can, but though I had two, they only charged me for one.
Mimi said that her Rosewood Deluxe was alright. She enjoyed the coleslaw side and felt that the fact that the sandwich was toasted really improved the sandwich.
Between the atmosphere and the sandwiches, our cheap date at the Rosewood was very enjoyable. Unfortunately, there was a problem when it came to the bill. Our sandwiches came to $15.50. Our beverages were each $2.25. Our total before tax was exactly $20.00.
Jack & Mimi’s Cheap Date failed to come in under our twenty dollar limit. So while I recommend people check out The Rosewood Café for good food and a quiet local atmosphere, I can’t recommend it for a Cheap Date.
The Rosewood Cafe is located at 3323 North 26th Street, Tacoma, WA 98407
Where should Mimi and I go next? If you’ve got an idea, let us know. Email me at jackcameronis@gmail.com.
- Jack Cameron