CONTRIBUTED BY ELIZABETH DE JESUS
One thing my husband and I missed when we were stationed in Europe was a big, greasy American-style breakfast (think IHOP). The best we could get at a European breakfast café was some coffee and toast. Oddly enough, now that we are here in Japan, we found just the type of breakfast we have been missing at an Italian restaurant.
The breakfast at the Rose Garden was recommended to me by a friend who left the island last year. My husband, kids and I went for a Saturday brunch this weekend and it was great!
My meal came with the French Toast, scrambled eggs, seasoned potatoes and bacon. It also came with iced tea or coffee to drink, along with water. My husband got the Eggs Benedict and my kids got the bacon/sausage with scramble eggs. Everyone liked their food and we would definitely go back there for breakfast again.
Menus were in English and is more extensive than the one menu in the picture. However, the prices were a little high which took me by surprise since it was a breakfast menu. Each menu item cost about 1000 to 1200 Yen. We ordered orange juice and apple juice which was 300 Yen each not realizing the meals came with free coffee or iced tea and water. Next time, I’d just drink the iced tea or coffee with my meal and skip the juice.
There was no kids menu but my kids could have easily shared off one plate and still not finished their food. The portions were huge! Neither my kids nor I could finish all of our food although I wanted to savor every bite. For my family of 4 we paid 5600 Yen. But this included my kids getting separate plates and all the juice orders. Next time, knowing what we know now, I think we could probably easily spend only 3500 Yen.
They bake their bread fresh every day and I did see some bakery items for sale by the register to take home and one American family sitting next to us looked liked they had ordered some kind of bakery item (a muffin? scone?) for their kids but I didn’t see anything like that on the menu. One cool thing –they serve breakfast from 8AM – 5PM! They also have a lunch and dinner menu but I can’t comment on that since we did not eat off that menu.
You can pay with Visa, Mastercard, US Dollars or Yen.
Phone: 098-932-2800
Breakfast: 0800-1700
Lunch: 1100-1700
Dinner: 1700-2400 (last order taken at 2300)
They have a website http://www.rosegardenokinawa.com/index.html for more information.
Directions: (taken from their website) From Kadena gate 2, go to 330 and turn right. Straight shot approximately 5 Km passing Awase Golf course on your left. Down the hill A&W on you left side The Rose Garden is just prior to crossing under the large Okinawa Expressway overpass. From Camp Foster exit out the Legion or PX gate turn left. Straight shot approximately 2 Km passing McDonald's on the right then coming up to the large Okinawa Expressway, The Rose Garden is on the right side. You need to go to the first light and make a U turn then back to The Rose Garden on the left.
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My family met up with some friends here once for breakfast. The food was pricey but I’ve been dreaming of their scones ever since we went. They were amazing!
Mmmm, my family and I LOVE Rose Garden.
To add to this review, I usually get a lighter breakfast when I go: 2 eggs, 2 strips of bacon, the equivalent of Texas toast – huge pieces (or English muffin or scone for added fee), and home fries. If you can call that ‘light’. I order my kids a plate of just French toast, and we all share. My husband usually orders one of the HUGE omelets that even he has trouble finishing. The coffee is the Real Deal. I normally drink decaf at home, and after one cup here I get the jitters. They also provide real heavy cream to put in it.
We tend to go for brunch, because that way it fulfills both our AM and noon meal requirements. As a warning, this place is almost always packed on weekends, so either get there early or be prepared for a wait. It’s not quite as busy on weekdays, though, if that’s an option for you.
Also, there’s a limited amount of parking right out front of the restaurant, but if you drive to the intersection just past it, take a left and follow until you come up on a lot on your left with a sign for Rose Garden Parking. It’s about a quarter mile away from the restaurant, and a little bit of a hike up a small hill.
I’ve eaten here a couple times and I know people who eat here more than once a week. You definitely do get a huge amount of food. I love their sausage and jellies.
Food was decent but the service was terrible, even by Western standards.
We went there for dinner and it was the worse Italian food I ever had. No Italian flavor at all. And we all got sick after eating there. It might be good for breakfast but I would not go there for dinner. If you want a great Italian meal, with homemade pasta and sauces I would go to Italiono’s by Araha beach.
The problem I have w/this restraurant is how impersonal the waitstaff is. Especially, after they take your order, I felt that they were relieved like they don’t have to deal w/you anymore. No refills unless you take your glass/coffee cup up to the main barista station. Even more so w/dinner tonight, with a waitress named Tangy. Drinks were delivered, meal was served and that was it until we paid for our meal at which she was also our cashier. Very expressionless, very impersonal. Will not return for dinner, and may not not even return at all. Rose Garden left a very negative impression on me and I know it prides itself on good service along w/great food, but have not experienced this on last two occasions.
If you are new to the island, definitely go elsewhere unless you’ve $40-50 to burn on a unpleasant experience.
Very disappointed from JDS in Okinawa City
I just had to post here since the time given for breakfast is wrong. The menu says breakfast menu ends at 17:00. Actually it ends at 16:30.
JDS,
The Japanese don’t like to bother patrons unnecessarily during meal times.
Unlike American restaurants where the waiters hang about and serve you (mainly in hope of a good tip). We have come to expect them to serve us, treat us special, smile, warm up to us, and earn their $.
In some restaurants on Okinawa, you may get a more ‘personal feel’ as they try to cater to American culture, but do try to remember this is a foreign country and their dining etiquette although vasty different from American dining etiquette, is unique and has its own intentions and benefits.
A little cross cultural understanding, open mindedness and checking expectations at the door may enhance your experience of Okinawa.
FYI: The website has expired.
I’ve eaten at the Rose Garden several times for breakfast. It was a nice experience as the food is good and the serving sizes are filling. Most of their baked goods are made from scratch and delicious. The atmosphere is nice with a small hometown feeling. If you haven’t been there, you should try it. I think you will enjoy it.
Just ate lunch there today with my sister and her toddler. It was around 1330 or 1400 (Saturday) by the time we got there, and we were directed to the one remaining parking spot by a traffic man.
Once inside, we were given a corner table and quickly situated with a high chair (wooden, no straps nor attached table) for the little girl. The menu is in Japanese and English, though there aren’t detailed descriptions. I was tempted by the steak lunch special (came with steak, choice of side AND salad AND soup AND dessert) but thought 1800Y was a bit much for lunch. Also tempted by the beef stroganoff at 1300Y, but it looked like I would have to choose between soup or salad.. . so I ordered the Imperial chicken set at 1300Y, which was described as ‘chicken with white sauce’ when asked.
My sister was a copy cat, but immediately regretted not ordering breakfast when the table next to us got their plates of french toast. .. I refused to feel bad but their platters did look good.
We both had tea and water, and thankfully there was liquid sweetener in addition to regular sugar. They brought us the homemade soup first, which was a tomato based vegetable broth (it was good, but not wow). Then small salads (tasty, but not wow). Seconds before our main plates were presented, we got the appetizer I had taken a chance on: fried green tomatoes at 340Y. Four tomato slices breaded in cornmeal. Good texture, and hot, but no favoring besides the small cup of ketchup included (just tasted like cornmeal and tomato, and although the taste was improved with a little salt they weren’t good enough to stuff myself with).
Our meals were given to us, and though generous and well prepared were bland: yellow rice with pine nuts, two pieces of asparagus, 3 baby carrots, and 3 chicken breast pieces with a white sauce. The baby didn’t like anything, which was odd. For dessert, we were given a modest slice of cheesecake topped with a thin layer of marmalade. It tasted just like cheesecake should, though the texture was more ‘gel’ than any other version we’ve ever eaten before.
All in all, not bad, but not great. I think we will only try again for breakfast.
An update on their website, it’s now http://www.rosegardenokinawa.net/
What’s the address? not just the directions. I mean the literal address.
Per the Okinawa Yellow Pages the address is: 165-1 Aza, Yagibaru, Kitanakagusuku
My husband and I love the breakfast at the Rose Garden especially their omelets and spicy Italian sausage. We’ve eaten their about a dozen times since we’ve been here and our last visit (about 2 weeks ago) I began looking around while we waited for our food. That’s when I noticed how DISGUSTINGLY dirty this place is. There are spider webs on the display shelves, the vases and trinkets were covered in dust, there were ants crawling on the wall, and the straw that broke the camels back were the ceiling fans. The dust and mold on them were so thick I would bet a million dollars it was an inch thick. Seriously, disgusting. I can only imagine how sanitary the kitchen is!
My husband, newborn and I went to check this place out while we were running our errands this past weekend. We were immediately seated and the wait staff was very friendly. The menu has a very wide variety so its good for big groups with different tastes. The prices were a little on the high side but our portions were more than enough! My husband had an eggplant and meat sauce pasta and I had the chicken and eggplant curry. We both really liked the dressing on the salads and our only complaint is that we were too full to try the delicious looking baked goods. We’re definitely going back to try them though!