Off Menu by Amy Rosen
Reviewed by Naomi MacKinnon
Food. That is the number one reason to read this book; it is full of delectable descriptions of food. (Even if you’re vegan and the characters poke a bit of fun at veganism.) Think French onion soup and lobster and potato dauphinoise. Think “fried soft-shelled crabs with a tarragon-lemon aioli” and “red cabbage and turnip gnocchi in a horseradish broth” and “chocolate cake layered with a creamy tofu mousse, rhubarb gelee, strawberry sauce, and fudge crunch.” Off Menu, after all, is written by Amy Rosen, an award-winning food writer and cookbook author.
“….this novel is good, clean fun.”
Off Menu reads like Bridget Jones’s Diary if Bridget Jones was a foodie who didn’t whine about her body size. (“I can’t believe I’m journalling. I feel so Bridget Jones, circa 1996.”) I love that, with all the rich food and eating of said food, the characters don’t ever negatively talk about their bodies.
So, if Ruthie Cohen is like Bridget Jones but doesn’t whine about her body, what does she whine about? Men, mostly. She’s definitely not above whining about men. In fact, like Bridget Jones, she has two men in her life: Jeff and Dean. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves.
The story starts when Ruthie’s Bubbe Bobby Grace dies and leaves Ruthie an inheritance of $62,873.42. This is her chance to quit her stagnant job and follow her dream of becoming a chef. Enter Jeff, the tall, handsome, and talented man who seeks her out as a partner on the first day of cooking school. Too bad he comes encumbered with a perfect girlfriend. And what about Dean, the ideal man Ruthie met on vacation six months ago? Now that there’s the possibility of Jeff, is she still hoping Dean will contact her?
Ruthie’s best friends—Trish and Lilly--are the best. They are in her corner every step of the way, even if it means they need to dish out some tough love. And they are not without their own side stories: Trish finds herself falling for a woman for the first time, and Lilly is learning to live without her boyfriend of many years. The trio of friends is there for each other. Most of the time.
The further along you go in Off Menu, the faster the pace gets; when the end arrives, it’s almost a relief to stop worrying about Ruthie’s life decisions. The reader gets caught up in the turmoil right along with Ruthie and forgets (right along with Ruthie) that there might be a simpler solution to everything; something that feels just right.
At the end of each chapter, Ruthie updates us on the balance remaining of her inheritance, including the cost breakdown. Bubbe Bobby Grace’s “life lessons” are scattered throughout the novel, imparting wisdom to Ruthie from beyond the grave. And there are a few treats for 80s movie buffs and John Cusack fans. These are just a few of the details that make Off Menu a delight to read. Most importantly, at the end of the book, recipes are provided for some featured dishes. Yum.
Despite all the butter, cream, and bacon fat, this novel is good, clean fun; solid evidence that there’s no need for nasty behaviour to create conflict in a romantic storyline. I hope there will be more foodie novels in Rosen’s future.
About the Author
Amy Rosen is an award-winning food and travel writer and cookbook author who writes for publications such as Food & Wine, Bon Appétit, and TheGlobe and Mail. A former editor-in-chief at Modern Farmer and food editor at Chatelaine, she’s the author of seven cookbooks. Amy’s also the proud founder of Rosen’s Cinnamon Buns. She lives in Toronto, Ontario.
About the Reviewer
Naomi MacKinnon lives in Nova Scotia with her husband, three kids, a dog, three cats, and a bunny. She works in the children's department at the beautiful Truro Public Library, where she loves to read all the picture books and play with the puppets. She blogs about (mostly) Canadian and Atlantic Canadian books at Consumed by Ink.
Book Details
Publisher : ECW Press
Publication date : June 17 2025
Print length : 280 pages
ISBN-10 : 1770417869
ISBN-13 : 978-1770417861
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