A eating automobile redo at Rosebud
A Chana Kati roll with masala mashed potatoes on the Rosebud American Kitchen & Bar in Somerville’s Davis Sq.. (Photograph: Tom Meek)
The Rosebud diner has been a go-to in Davis Sq. on and off because the the Nineteen Forties. A well-liked weekend nosh spot for the hungover grungy-hip within the Eighties and early Nineties, it languished within the late Nineties and early 2000s because the sq. tilted towards upscale, then discovered a reprieve when it turned a part of Alpine Restaurant Group, house owners of the close by Painted Burro and Posto. Reworking and care have been utilized; the inside, past the retro-cool eating automobile facade, was remade as an inviting and heat cosmopolitan lounge. Given the group’s recipe for fulfillment, rebirth appeared sure, nevertheless it by no means flourished like others within the portfolio and was in the end offered to Bindas Ideas early final summer season. That appeared promising for the eatery, listed on the Nationwide Register of Historic Locations since 1999, however in late September the Rosebud shuttered – allegedly for renovations – with a loud, resonant slam. Employees have been laid off and the destiny of the eatery was left to social media hypothesis.
Actual solutions got here three weeks in the past, when Rosebud American Kitchen & Bar reopened its doorways with a brand new soft-opening menu that boasts a transparent Indian accent utilized to American diner fare and past. It’s a curiosity, to make certain, with some good hits and just some tough spots – which bodes properly in a gentle opening stage. Not a lot inside Rosebud feels modified; the renovations have been largely systemic (HVAC) and structural (roof).
As to that culinary shift, there’s Kashmiri deviled eggs, tandoori masala steak frites and Kerala fried rooster and inexperienced chili waffles, in addition to pork stomach curry tacos alongside classics reminiscent of mac and cheese and buttermilk pancakes. The lads is attractive and overwhelming. Adhering to the diner’s roots, Rosebud nonetheless promote pies and muffins from the host-stand show case.
To start out with, let me say that the workers listed below are all in. When you don’t really feel properly served, you’re having a foul day. The menu, beside its cross-cultural delicacies curios, contains brunch, lunch, tapas and big-plate effective eating. My recommendation can be to not assume an excessive amount of and simply dive in, which is what I did.
The Rosebud retains a traditional diner really feel. (Photograph: Tom Meek)
What wings ought to one select at an Indian-accented place providing variations with mango chutney, Mike’s Scorching Honey or gochujang sauce? I’ve large love for all issues gochujang, however within the spirit of the brand new Rosebud went with the mango chutney. The wings got here out plump and succulent. At first I feared the batter was going to be a bready distraction, however these have been surprisingly mild – and delectable. As for the sauce, I knew candy was within the combine by definition, and I typically shy from it, however this gained me over with a coconut signature and mango smoothness. Get the larger order, as a result of these go down approach too straightforward.
However the cause anybody ought to head to Rosebud is the Chana Kati roll with its spiced chickpeas, Bombay chutney and pickled veggie slaw. It comes with traditional or spicy fries, however do your self a favor: Insist on the masala mashed potatoes as an alternative and get the wrap upgraded with rooster tikka. What arrives is a tightly wrapped mix of a light-weight masala sauce, heart-warming chutney, these heat, pickled veggies and tender chunks of rooster. It’s like consuming a gloriously scrumptious burrito with out the tummy-filling overhead of beans and rice. And people mashed taters, wow! Basically a vegetable samosa with out the fried outer shell, these potatoes don’t have anything creamy occurring like most can have at Thanksgiving, however a splendidly dry, curried masala smokiness. It’s not your New England mother’s mashed, however a distinct mash that’s properly price coming again to.
Rosebud American Kitchen & Bar, 381 Summer time St.Davis Sq., Somerville
Tom Meek is a author residing in Cambridge. His opinions, essays, quick tales and articles have appeared within the WBUR ARTery, The Boston Phoenix, The Boston Globe, The Rumpus, The Charleston Metropolis Paper and SLAB literary journal. Tom can also be a member of the Boston Society of Movie Critics and rides his bike in every single place.
