Situated in a row next to several other American-themed eateries, Rosemary Bites stood out from the rest by looking quite homely from the outside.

New York Strip Steak with G Sauce.

Driving along Jalan PJU 1/43 in Aman Suria, which ends with the Kayu mamak shop at the corner, the Rosemary Bites signage was difficult to see at first as it was faded.

They had a menu on display out front with some details of the day’s specials and a friendly waiter came outside to help highlight what was available.

This was because the Rosemary Roast Chicken (RM16.90), their flagship dish, had run out for the night – we were advised to book ahead next time.

The diners were raucous for a Monday night and the shop’s acoustics contributed to the noise levels which explained why management did not include background music.

The dining experience was pleasant enough with prompt service, attentive staff, and lots of American paraphernalia adorning the walls.

Slices of onions dipped in breadcrumb coating and deep fried to a crisp, their onion rings (RM6.90) proved to be a satisfying appetiser.

Nine large onion rings came on a platter with a dish of house-blended mustard and mayonnaise.

The rings gave way with a hearty crunch – little did we know, the rest of the night was to be full of crunchy bites.

Their New York strip steak with G-Sauce (RM35) sounded interesting with the “G” standing for gorgonzola cheese.

As it was hard to decide between medium and medium-well, the waiter again stepped up to suggest a useful way of looking at grilled steak levels: 40, 60, or 80 per cent.

Nutty Brownie and Ice Cream.

While the steak is highly recommended, a point to note is the servings here are pretty large – after the main meats, the fries and salad on the side can be very filling.

One more interesting-sounding item on the menu, the chicken schnitzel with apple coleslaw (RM16.90) was also another crunchy dish.

The flavour of this dish fell short of our expectations – or perhaps after the culinary treat of the steak, the chicken felt not quite as tasteful as it could have been.

The apple in the coleslaw provided a tangy twist to the contemporary cold mayonnaise-filled vegetable mix.

Billed as a “San Francisco-inspired creation”, the honey miso salmon (RM20.80) was to have been marinated in miso sauce and topped lightly with honey mustard.

While the aroma of the salmon permeated through the air and eventually in the mouth, the miso sauce and honey mustard flavours were quite faint.

Onto the desserts of the day, the nutty brownie and ice cream (RM7.90) was a sweet way to end the meal with the warm pastry leaving a pleasant feeling in the tummy.

The apple crumble and ice cream (RM6.90) tasted more homely and filling with the combined textures of warm sweet apple slices and crunchy crumbly bits.

A drink which was out of the ordinary was the Rosemary lime (RM3), which contained ice, juice, and a whole leafy twig of rosemary.

The herb balanced out the acidity of the fruit, making for a tasty must-try drink.

The hot café mocha (RM7.00) also stood out for the bold flavours of its espresso and the dull, slightly bitter, taste of cocoa.

Overall, Rosemary Bites is a place one could get used to, with its friendly staff, pleasant and filling food, and its cozy and warm atmosphere – definitely worth a second visit.