Rosemarys Restaurant closes and ends an era of Gourmet Dining off the Strip in Las Vegas, Thanks for the Memories

Las Vegas suffered yet another tremendous loss with the closing of Rosemary's Restaurant. This piece will be difficult at times to write. As journalists we try not to let emotion and opinion creep into our writing , but this is very personal and we feel we have suffered the loss of a great friend. We have received many emails and phone calls from as far away as New York and esteemed winemakers from California saying " Please say its not so " . But sadly it is.

Rosemary's Restaurant was a one of a kind and an icon off the strip for 14 years. We personally have celebrated Anniversary's , birthdays , Holidays , Artist receptions , Wine and Beer dinners and sent a son off too Iraq and brought him safely home with Chef Michael Jordan and his staff at our table side. We have had countess great times and as we prepared for theCourt of Masters Exam did blind wine tastings all with this very good friend. The servers were not just servers and bartenders not just bartenders but friends for years. We have shared our lives with them and them with us. Rosemary's was not just your ordinary restaurant but a very special place where we knew our good friend would take care of us year after year, with consistency.

Our last visit was a typical one. We were greeted with the effervescent smile of the hostess, "good evening Mr and Mrs Harris we have your table ready to go " . Walked by the standing room only Bar with all the "usual" gang that we have seen there for years and seated at "our table " . The always pleasing Shannon and Michael Jones " Mr Jones " waving from the bar and getting ready to pour our usual Bombay Sapphire Dirty Martinis . Server after server would stop by just for a quick "hello, how are you Mr Harris , Mrs Harris ? " even though we were not in their section and we have told them for years to please call us by our first names. Chef Michael would stop by to say hello and then back to the kitchen to create some of the best dishes Las Vegas had to offer on and off the strip.

Yes, Rosemary's is closed and will never be forgotten by us. It was the last of the "TRUE" gourmet restaurants complete with linen table cloths and simultaneous service not to be found too many places off the strip. We are in mourning not just for us but for Las Vegas as well. The days of the gourmet fine dining restaurants off the strip are over and being replaced by chain restaurants with questionable service and mediocre food at best.

Good Bye to our good friend and best of luck to Chefs Michael and Wendy Jordan and thank you for the years of great dishes and most of all Thanks for the Memories.