rosebud

SweetWater Brewery's Brew Your Cask Off Competition

2011-03-03T09:15:00.008-05:00

Jason and Nick recently visited Atlanta's local SweetWater Brewery to create their own SweetWater beer for their annual Brew Your Cask Off Competition, which they named Rebel Yell. They started by adding all of their chosen ingredients to the cask: sweet potato, chipotle, vanilla bean and oak chips. After adding sugar and hops, they filled the rest of their cask with their SweetWater base of choice, Georgia Brown Ale. The casks are left for six weeks until they open them up for tasting on March 5th.

Come out and try Rebel Yell, and about 80 other entries with us this Saturday from 6 to 10 p.m.! You can purchase tickets now ($35) by visiting their website or at the event ($40). We hope to see you there!

Should Restaurants Enforce Tip Pooling?

2011-01-03T17:28:00.006-05:00

Recent legislation in New York has provided rules regarding how tipped employees should divide the money that they make, effective February 1st, according to The New York Times. While businesses, including restaurants, are able to determine their method of fairly diving tips – pooling with the entire staff or having servers share a percentage of their tips or sales with bartenders, hosts, food runners and bussers, they are required to keep track of all tip sharing, and if investigated these records are subject to inspection. The law also defines which employees should be included in tip sharing (in a restaurant this is everyone with the exception of kitchen staff and management). This legislation is in response to the numerous lawsuits over restaurants not paying their tipped employees what they felt they were owed, including the famous Batali-Bastianich Hospitality Group.

Of course there are two sides to everything. Sharing tips encourages teamwork for those who view helping each other as benefiting them personally. Others view it reducing the motivation for individual employees, since they may be able to slack off, while still making the same amount as the rest of their co-workers. A friend and former co-worker of mine currently works at a local restaurant, where the entire front of the house staff splits all tips evenly after every shift. After working at many different Atlanta restaurants throughout his career, he described it as creating “a more positive work environment for everyone.” As anyone who has paid their rent or do pay their rent with the tips they earn know, there are plenty of gracious restaurant patrons out there who have no problem stiffing a server whether it is deserved or not. A table like that can ruin a server’s night financially (not to mention their mood) and tip pooling can alleviate some of that burden. Yet, it would be unfortunate for one server’s mistakes to negatively affect another server.

There is one other (illegal) option for restaurants – keeping all of the servers’ tips. I recently discovered that one of my favorite Indian restaurants do not let their employees keep tips. It is safe to say I will not be returning, and I certainly hope that this is an uncommon practice.

What do you think: Should restaurants enforce tip pooling or sharing? Should the government be getting involved?

Ron Wins "Innovator of the Year" at the GRA Grace Awards!

2010-12-14T20:20:00.001-05:00

We are thrilled to announce another outstanding accomplishment of our chef/owner, Ron Eyester. He won the title, “Innovator of the Year” from the Georgia Restaurant Association. This award reflects his commitment to his profession and acknowledges his patronage and support of local farmers. More specifically, the award recognizes Ron’s innovative techniques in reaching out to his community by being active in fund-raisers, local farmers markets, and other volunteer work, as well as his unique communications with the masses through his use of social media. Being named Innovator of the Year is just one more way the Angry Chef shows that not only is he a dedicated contributor in the greater Atlanta area, but he loves his food, his people and the rapport he has established with our community. Take a look at his tips for success; they say it all.
http://peasforprosperity.com/events/the-georgia-restaurant-association-grace-awards-glitz-goes-green/
http://www.garestaurants.org/GRACE
http://www.discuss-gra.com/June15thAgenda.pdf

Recycling Rocks Brunch

2010-11-08T23:22:00.003-05:00

To celebrate National Recycling Week, bring in a non-perishable food item in recyclable packaging to brunch on Saturday, November 13th. All food collected will be donated to the Atlanta Community Food Bank, and each person who brings will get a CD of "recycled tunes" from Ron! We will be open from 10 am to 3 pm, and debuting a new, "recycled" brunch menu.

Reservations are recommended and can be made by calling 404.347.9747.

Thanksgiving at Rosebud!

2010-11-08T22:27:00.003-05:00

This Thanksgiving, leave the cooking to Ron and join us at Rosebud for your turkey dinner! We’ll be taking reservations from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Thursday, November 25th. We will have turkey, ham and all of the fixins served family-style. Cost for the dinner is $38 per person (children 5-12 are $20) plus tax and gratuity. If you are flying solo for this holiday, join us for a plate at the bar for just $20. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 404.347.9747. Check out the menu below:

If your family is cooking the holiday meal, you can give them a break the Friday after Thanksgiving. We will be serving our regular weekend brunch menu from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.!

Happy Holidays!

Slowbud Family Dinner

2010-10-21T15:49:00.011-04:00

On Sunday, October 17th we hosted the first of a quarterly dinner series called Slowbud. A portion of the sales for the night are donated to Slow Food Atlanta. The weather was perfect and everyone got to share eight dishes of fresh, local food!

Jeff made a cocktail that paired perfectly with the lovely fall weather - brandy, pear brandy, local apple cider, sorghum & ginger soda, cinnamon & nutmeg.

Marinated Local Radishes

Housecured Tuna, Local Peppers, White Beans, Heirloom Tomato Vinaigrette

Rosebud Mozzarella - Local Sungold Tomatoes, Lemon, Garlic & Fresh Anchovy

Halloween Brunch & Costume Contest

2010-10-18T17:48:00.002-04:00

Join us Sunday, October 31st, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for some Halloween inspired cocktails and brunch specials! Grab your friends and come dressed up in your Halloween costumes. There will be a costume contest at 2 p.m. and some fantastic Rosebud prizes for the winners:

1st Place - $250 Gift Card

2nd Place – Rosebud Alcoholic Survival Kit ($150 Value)

3rd Place - $50 iTunes Card & Mind Eraser

Reservations are recommended and can be made by calling 404.347.9747.

The Eighties Dinner

2010-10-06T22:26:00.014-04:00

Everybody went all out for The Eighties Dinner! Hello mullets, leggings & prom dresses! The picture above displays the best dressed of the night, in my opinion, but there was lots of competition!

Chicken Francese with Truffle Whipped Potatoes, Braised Greens, Lemon & Capers

Rosebud Blizzards - Circa 1985!

Ramen Noodle Bowl with Riverview Farms Pork Belly & Hamhock-Shellfish Broth

Baked Brie & Mesclun Salad Greens & Rasberry Vinaigrette

Matt always looks like this.

Rosebud 80's Platter - Twice Cooked Wings, Smoked Trout Potato Skins & Fried Housemad Mozzarella

Of course, Megan & Geoff make the 80's classy! Think Demi Moore in St. Elmo's Fire.

Natalie dressed up for work!

Kari and Debbie really put everyone to shame! Who else was sporting Team Rosebud cheerleading outfits?!? Our Mayor did her part!

Field of Greens Festival 2010

2010-10-06T12:12:00.010-04:00

Field of Greens was a huge success this past Sunday with a record attendance and more chefs participating than ever before! For those of you who are unfamiliar with this local foods festival, the best part about it is the sense of kinship between the restaurants, farmers and others who support their local community. The event takes place every year at Whipporwhill Hollow Organic Farm in Walnut Grove, GA. Even though it is a 45 minute drive from Atlanta, the event still draws a large group of people from the city. All ages come to sample food, enjoy the farm's beautiful scenery, listen to live music and raise awareness about the importance of supporting the local economy and each other. If you missed it this year, I would definitely make sure to come next year!

Ron with Matt Swickerath of Valenza and Stephen Herman of Haven

We served White Oak Pastures beef & Riverview Farms pork meatballs with a smoked tomato sauce & midnight moon cheese.

Ron, Pam & Mydland enjoying the festival!

Squash bruschetta prepared by La Vigne at Montaluce.

Pimento cheese deviled eggs prepared by Woodfire Grill

Ron on Good Day Atlanta

2010-08-26T14:28:00.002-04:00

Good Day Atlanta asked Ron to come on the show and make sandwiches since August is National Sandwich Month! He also stayed to participate in Good Day Extra's Male Bag, which can be seen below!

Upcoming Documentary: GROW!

2010-08-16T18:55:00.003-04:00

Check out this blog about the making of GROW!, a documentary about organic farmers and farming in the U.S. and Georgia. The blog includes over fifty clips from the footage that they have shot so far. The best part is that most of the farmers in the movie are from right here in Georgia. A few of them are the farmers that provide us with much of the produce that we serve at Rosebud.

Enjoy!

Jerry Lives!

2010-08-15T16:03:00.007-04:00

We had a great time at The Garcia Dinners last week! Everyone celebrated with lots of food, booze and most importantly, music! Thank you to those of you who joined us, and for those of you who missed it, we hope that you will be there next August! Here are a few photos from the first night. Pictured above is the electric band, gr8FLdüde & frenz.

"Dragged Through The Garden" Chicago Dog

Ron & Brian singing with Parker Smith & Michael Chesin, playing an acoustic set.

Miguel working on the line. He's been with us for 4 Garcia dinners!

Jerry loved junk food and we do, too! This is our version of Houston's Rio Verde's Taco Truck Frito Pie!

Happy Hour to Benefit The Giving Tree

2010-08-15T15:32:00.003-04:00

We will be hosting a happy hour on Thursday, August 26th, from 6-8 p.m. to benefit The Giving Tree, a non-profit organization that assists in helping find adoptive homes for orphaned children. For a $20 donation, each person gets a cockail, beer or glass of wine and appetizers. One-hundred percent of donations will go directly to The Giving Tree. There is nothing better than enjoying a few cocktails in the name of supporting an important local charity organization!

2010 Jerry Garcia Dinners!

2010-07-19T19:35:00.004-04:00

Our annual tribute to Jerry Garcia is back! The much-anticipated Garcia celebrations will be held Wednesday, August 4th and Thursday, August 5th. This year we will be offering an a la carte menu of dishes inspired by the song “Truckin,’” as well as a tasting menu for $60, plus tax and gratuity. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 404.347.9747.

Come in for brunch on Jerry’s birthday, Sunday, August 1st wearing your heady gear and get a free cocktail made with Jerry’s favorite drink, Dr. Pepper!

Rosebud Celebrates One Year Anniversary

2010-07-13T13:55:00.004-04:00

This past week Rosebud celebrated its first birthday…Although, it may not be a milestone; considering the current economy, it’s definitely an achievement in which I am quite proud. Obviously starting a new a business can be a daunting task, and when people hear it’s a restaurant (especially people you’re trying to borrow money from), they seem to grow even more skeptical. All of us have read and chatted about the statistics regarding the rate of failure for new restaurants. In fact, I've seen so many conflicting articles online, I don’t know who to believe. However, to be honest, my passion for restaurants has always overshadowed any clear sense of reason. Although my path in this industry has been anything but conventional, I always knew I would end up in the position that I am in today. And although my determination, hard work, and stubbornness took me a good bit of the way, there are many people to thank; way too many for this blog. My wife, my staff, my investors, our neighborhood and many of my colleagues have offered nothing but steadfast support. All the influences; both good and bad (I don’t which there are more of), have had a tremendous impact on my journey.

The past year has been mind boggling to say the least. In the midst of a severe recession, we bought a restaurant, conceived a concept to fit the neighborhood, involved the community as much as possible, implemented a calculated plan as well as an array of changes, spent a ridiculous amount of money, brought a mere vision to life and enjoyed a hair raising roller coaster ride that I hope lasts for many years to come.

Although the days can be exhausting and problems can relentlessly pile on top of one another, sometimes by the minute; there is no doubt that I am a lucky man. Not everyone gets to go to work every day and do what they love. I look forward to building on this opportunity, continuing to make Rosebud an indispensable part of a neighborhood and serving our community. Who knows, maybe one day somebody will come to the restaurant and think “Indigo” is just a shade of blue. Here’s to the next year...Thanks for eating local!

July is Lobster Fest at Rosebud!

2010-07-12T15:55:00.003-04:00

We will be offering an a la carte lobster menu every night starting Thursday, July 8th through Saturday, July 31st. Dishes will include a lobster salad, butter poached lobster and lobster ravioli. Every Thursday night for the rest of the summer we will have steamed lobster with corn on the cob and potatoes for $25, plus tax and gratuity. We will also be featuring wine and cocktails to accompany your Lobster Fest meal! Reservations are not required.

Hope to see you soon!

Local Food Economics - Georgia Organics

2010-06-08T15:32:00.000-04:00

Certified Organic vs. Locally Grown

2010-06-08T02:06:00.002-04:00

This can be a very interesting and provocative topic. I put an emphasis on the relationship that you establish with the grower. I’ve always believed that doing this enhances the level of integrity regarding your food and restaurant. Moreover, as your business (the restaurant) further evolves, these personalities (of the individual growers) certainly help shape the character of your restaurant. It is this “character” that gives your restaurant substance. Essentially, they become an integral part of your operation, almost as if they are one of your employees, or rather an ambassador of your concept. Ultimately if you (the chef) conduct your business in this manner, it is up to you (as the chef) to conduct yourself with an uncompromising sense of integrity and associate with those who do the same.

From some of the conservations that I’ve had with various farmers, it seems as if the “organic” label is progressively becoming bastardized because of the many people and/or agencies that are involved in the certification process. Unfortunately it seems that the government will continue to increase its involvement in the entire process not because of it’s interest in the actual movement and/or its benefits, but because it’s yet another means of earning revenue. As this practice continues you will probably find that the common farmer will not be able to afford the increasing costs of gaining certification and therefore they will inevitably abandoned the entire process and at that point they will most certainly have to rely on the relationships that they have established with local chefs in order to move their product and survive…Relationships are key!

I think another interesting aspect to consider is that some people seemingly put too much emphasis on “certified organic” label, “they can’t see past the sticker” – What would you choose, local grown (sustainable) or “certified organic” from California. Obviously you know my answer. The whole “labeling” and “certified” issue worries me a bit, because I don’t want the “organic movement” to take on an elitist tone, “this must be better because it’s organic.” If this were to happen, we would eventually lose the support of our core following; the ordinary folks who truly “get it” from a food perspective. The emphasis needs to be on the quality of the food, not the process. Moreover, we want our growers to focus the product, not the rigor of the certification process.

What do you think?

Mexican Coke & A Smile

2010-06-01T22:50:00.002-04:00

For the past eighteen months, the craze surrounding Mexican Coke seems to continue to build momentum. Just get on the Internet and check out the several Facebook pages dedicated to this tasty beverage, as well as some interesting articles ranging from The New York Times to Garden & Gun. However, for as much popularity as this beverage has garnered, I still encounter a number of curious guests on weekly basis who have a no idea what Mexican Coke is. As first mention, the person I am chatting with usually can't disguise the sly smile that takes their face over...I guess the mere phrase evokes some provocative thoughts. Truth be told, nothing could be cleaner or more pure than the taste of this elixir gliding down your throat. I'm usually good for two or three a day, alternating it with Orange Crush as my "morning coffee." So for those of you who have yet to taste the extraordinary difference between the ordinary high fructose corn syrup sweetened American version and its naturally sweetened Mexican counterpart, you have no idea what you're missing. There is something to be said about the simple pleasures in life...And Mexican is certainly one of them.

Endless Blueberry Pancakes

2010-05-24T17:53:00.001-04:00

Strawberries are out for the season, but blueberries are in! Wake up Saturday, June 12th, and come stuff your face with all of the blueberry pancakes you can handle! For $15 per person (plus tax and gratuity), eat as many pancakes as you want between 10 and 11:30 a.m. Reservations are required. (Our regular brunch menu will also be available.)

Widespread Panic Album Release Party at Rosebud!

2010-05-18T18:08:00.003-04:00

“Ribs & Whiskey” Party on Monday, May 24th, from 6-9 p.m. - Come down to Rosebud and take in Atlanta’s first listen to Panic’s newest studio release, “Dirty Side Down,” the day before it is released to the public! Ron will be smoking Riverview Farms ribs on our smoker, Bertha and we’ll also be featuring some whiskey cocktails featuring Jack Daniels and Terrapin brews for all you beer lovers. Please be sure to bring some canned foods, as this is a benefit for the Atlanta Community Food Bank.

Dine Out For CHOA!

2010-05-18T18:05:00.002-04:00

From Monday, May 17th through Thursday, May 20th, we will be hosting a dine out to benefit Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Ten percent of food sales during lunch and dinner will be donated. Reservations are recommended and can be made by calling 404.347.9747.

The Strawberry Dinner

2010-05-10T20:32:00.014-04:00

Now that Mother's Day and Emory Graduation are out of the way, I have time to post some berry-licious food porn from our Strawberry Dinner! Strawberries are at their peak right now, so enjoy some while you can. You should be able to stop by and get them this Saturday at the Morningside Farmers Market (every Saturday from 7 to 11 a.m.). In addition to the Strawberry Short Cake with a White Lily Biscuit, Fresh Mint & Balsamic-Fig Syrup (above), here are pictures of all of the dishes we served that night:

Sweet Baby Shrimp Cocktail
Local Strawberries, Pickled Jalapenos & Thai Basil

Cardamom & Fennel Crusted Ahi Tuna
Strawberry “Carpaccio” & Soy-Ginger Mignonette

Some tasty lookin' strawberry cocktails!

Strawberry & Arugula Salad
Celia’s Arugula, Spicy Pistachios, Oregonzola & Meyer Lemon Buttermilk Dressing

Plating the country ham fried rice.

Twice Cooked Maple Leaf Farms Duck Leg
Benton’s Country Ham Fried Rice & Strawberry “Sweet & Sour” Sauce

Rosebud on Good Day Atlanta

2010-05-06T14:33:00.002-04:00

Ron and Rosebud were featured on Good Day Atlanta this morning! Ron discussed his passion for connecting local farmers to the community and providing fresh, seasonal food for his guests. He also demonstrated how strawberries can be used throughout a meal, not just at dessert. If you missed it this morning, you can still watch the footage from the Good Day Atlanta website!

Flavors of Atlanta

2010-04-22T21:49:00.006-04:00

Yesterday was the Liver Foundation's annual Flavors of Atlanta fundraising event. Rosebud, along with 19 other Atlanta restaurants each prepared and served a five course meal for a table of ten guests at The Foundry at Puritan Mill. Each restaurant was encouraged to decorate their table in a way that uniquely represented their concept. We decorated our table with burlap, flowers from Woodland Gardens, Rosebud concert ticket stubs that we had Green Olive Media design, and tie dye gift bags! We served a tuna tar tar with local strawberries, seared quail breast with grits and a coca cola - bbq jus, a vanilla scented Riverview Farms pork loin & seared scallop with a white bean succotash (below), Venezuelan chocolate pate and strawberry shortcake. All were accompanied by Jeff's delicious wine pairings.

The event was much more fun and relaxed than serving a five course meal normally would be, and we got to support a great cause along with our peers from all over the city! Hopefully we helped to raise a great deal of money for The Liver Foundation, especially since those of us in the restaurant industry often don't take very good care of our livers!

The Patio Is Open!

2010-04-13T12:47:00.008-04:00

We've been renovating our patio for the last month and it is finally finished! 1397 North Highland has been the home for numerous restaurants over the years, including Partners, Indigo, Horizon and Food 101. When 101 Concepts took over the space, this is what the patio looked like... You can see Ron on the roof! We have come a looooong way since those days.

This is what the patio looked like before renovations:
We have repainted, enlarged, replanted, replaced the chairs among many other things. This is what the patio looks like today!

Our Thursday night live music will begin again out on the patio, starting at 8 p.m. Soon, we will also have live music every Sunday afternoon, starting at 3 p.m. Stay tuned for more details!

Tips for Chef Demo Attendees

2010-04-01T13:21:00.004-04:00

This article offers a few tips that I am sure @theangrychef would stand behind, as well as in-season produce information and a recipe from a past demo! Check it out here: In Season: Morningside Chef Demos

Hope to see you on Saturday!

Morningside Market Chef Demos

2010-03-31T20:38:00.002-04:00

The first chef demo of the year at the Morningside Farmers' Market is going to be with Ron, Saturday, April 3rd at 9:30 a.m. He will be preparing a dish with organic beets from Crystal Organics. A tasting will follow. Every Saturday a different local chef will be cooking on Rosebud's patio, so if you can't come this Saturday, there are plenty of opportunities!

We hope to see you Saturday!

Virtual Gourmet

2010-03-22T16:19:00.003-04:00

John Mariani included Rosebud in his reviews of New Atlanta Restaurants in his weekly online newsletter, "Virtual Gourmet!" Mariani writes for numerous publications, inlcuding Esquire Magazine and Wine Spectator. He ended his review by saying, "Perhaps this patch of real estate is charmed at last!"

Drink With Jeff!!

2010-03-12T20:40:00.005-05:00

For those of you who know him, I'm sure this is very entertaining. For those of you who do not know Jeff, you will quickly recognize him after seeing this awesome poster! Every Thursday night Jeff will be hosting wine tastings from 6-8 p.m. and pairing those wines with regional cheeses. It's fun and relaxed - Jeff will be comparing wines with you, so you can make it educational or just enjoy trying something new! Check out our upcoming themes and please stop by! Three wines, $15, plus tax and gratuity.

High Wine Dine Around Dinner at Rosebud

2010-03-09T14:42:00.004-05:00

Rosebud is participating in the 2010 High Wine Auction Dine Around Dinners! On Thursday, March 25th, get to know your fellow art enthusiasts and enjoy a delectable four course menu paired with fantastic Stuhlmuller wines from California. Twenty percent of sales will be donated to the Atlanta's High Museum of Art! This menu is $90 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Reservations are required (and limited), so make yours now by calling 404.347.9747.

Low Country Oyster Roast on March 20th!

2010-03-01T19:12:00.001-05:00

On Saturday, March 20th join us for a taste of Ron’s years spent in the low country cooking with an authentic oyster roast on our patio! We will be spending the better part of the late afternoon and all night shucking oysters, pouring cold beer and listening to live tunes. The fun starts at 4 p.m. and the cost is $25 per person, plus tax and gratuity.

We hope to see you there!

Monday Night Brunch Food Porn

2010-02-23T17:04:00.011-05:00

Jeff Jackson, our bartender and manager, is not only skilled in creating great cocktails. He is a talented photographer as well! He has provided the following Monday Night Brunch food porn to drool over... Hopefully we will see you on Monday!

Scrambled Egg Tacos with all natural Riverview Farms beef, cheddar & heirloom tomato pico de gallo

The Big Nasty - buttermilk fried Springer Mountain chicken, aged cheddar, scrambled egg & Benton's smoked bacon

The Crunchy Southern Belle - berkshire ham, pimento cheese, bechamel & fried egg

Peanut Butter & Bacon Patty Melt

The "Eggroll" with sambal mayo & asian ketchup

The White Dinner: A Tribute to The Beatles' White Album

2010-02-19T10:27:00.004-05:00

The second musically inspired dinner of the year will be a tribute to The Beatles’ White Album on March 3rd. We will be serving a five course menu of delicious dishes made with white ingredients. We will also feature a live band playing covers from the Beatles all night long! The White Dinner will begin promptly at 7 p.m. and will be $40 per person, plus tax and gratuity. We still have a few spots left, but they are going fast! Make your reservations ASAP!

DUKE vs. UNC at Rosebud

2010-02-01T23:06:00.002-05:00

UNC and Duke's men's basketball teams, who have the biggest rivalry in college sports, will face eachother once again on February 10th. Come watch the game with us at the bar! From 5:30-10 p.m. we will be serving Eastern North Carolina style Riverview Farms pork plates with traditional sides for $10. We will also be featuring a selection of beers local to the area, from both Duck Rabbit (Farmville, NC) and Highland (Ashville, NC) Breweries.

Blood Orange Fresca

2010-02-01T18:11:00.003-05:00

This drink is yummy and refreshing with or without alcohol - whatever you are in the mood for. Blood oranges are in season and this is a drink Jeff has been playing around with. We used Muddy Sorghum Syrup from Tennessee to make ours.

1 cup fresh squeezed blood orange juice
1 cup blood orange puree
½ cup spring water
½ cup soda water
8 oz. sorgum syrup

Mix all ingredients. Serve over ice. If desired, add liquor.

Water For Wine

2010-01-28T17:32:00.004-05:00

Here is just some of the water we have collected through "Water for Wine" for Haiti! Now through Valentine's Day we are giving away half bottles of wine to each person who brings in a 6-pack of water. Limit one half bottle per person.

Valentine's Day Menu is Ready!

2010-01-20T14:45:00.004-05:00

Here is the final version of our Valentine's Day menu - some of our favorite Rosebud dishes as well a selection of dishes that are sure to serve as aphrodisiacs for you and your special someone!

Help Haiti! "Water for Wine" at Rosebud

2010-01-15T18:06:00.001-05:00

In light of the recent devestation suffered in Haiti, we would like to do our part to bring aid and comfort to this suffering part of the world. We thought it would only be fitting to do something with food or drink. So, starting, Tues, Jan 19th and continuing through Valentine's Day, if you bring in a six pack of bottled water, we'll give you a 1/2 bottle of wine for your kind gesture.

Billy Joel Tribute Dinner Poster

2010-01-13T13:54:00.005-05:00

We just got this poster from Meggan at Green Olive Media for our Billy Joel tribute dinner!

Rosebud Tribute Dinner: "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant"

2010-01-12T17:58:00.004-05:00

On Wednesday, January 27th, we will be re-igniting our music dinner series with a nod to Ron's childhood and upbringing. "Scenes From An Italian Restaurant" will pay tribute to Long Island’s own Billy Joel and feature a menu of classic New York Italian joints. Both The Beatles and Fontana di Travi, an traditional New York Italian restaurant in Manhattan, were cited as Joel’s inspiration when writing the song. Come and indulge in hearty Italian food that will be sure to warm you up during this chilly winter weather! Our six course menu will cost $38 per person, plus tax and gratuity. The dinner will be at 7 p.m. Reservations are required and can be made by called 404.347.9747.

Rosebud Event Brainstorming: Playlist 2010

2009-12-18T11:51:00.005-05:00

Even though we are knee-deep in the holiday season, we are making time to brainstorm some ideas for 2010 events at Rosebud. Here are a few of the things we have been discussing:

Mardi Gras Brunch - Get a taste of New Orleans and participate in Fat Tuesday celebration in Atlanta during a Saturday brunch in Feburary.

Billy Joel: Scenes from an Italian Restaurant - Tribute dinner exploring music and Italian food

The White Dinner: A Tribute to the Beatles - A dinner celebrating The White Album using ingredients like white asparagus, scallops, and cauliflower. We should be able to get a great cover band for this one!

A Tale of Two Breweries - Dinner with beer pairings from two local breweries, Sweetwater and Terrapin.

Jerry Week - Each year, our most popular dinner is our Jerry Garcia tribute dinner. This past year, we did it two night in a row! In 2010, we are thinking about holding a weeklong celebration for Ron's favorite musician, with a Jerry Brunch, lots of live music, food, and drink!

This is your opportunity to give us your input! What do you think of these ideas? Do you have any ideas for events in 2010?

Ketchup with a little character...

2009-12-11T11:49:00.004-05:00

Now you can personalize ketchup bottles... We just got these in today!

Rock in the New Year, 70s Style!

2009-12-10T14:49:00.005-05:00

Dress up in your best 70’s duds to party into 2010 at Rosebud! We will be serving a menu of popular dishes from the 70’s, as well as a limited menu of Rosebud favorites from 5:30 until 11:00 p.m. A DJ will start spinning at 11 p.m. to help us dance into the new year. There will be prizes (including gift certificates and a basket of Rosebud booze) for those who show up with the best 70’s style, so start getting your disco gear ready now!

Ugly Christmas Sweater Brunch

2009-12-07T09:58:00.004-05:00

During brunch on Sunday, December 20th, get some extra use out of that sweater that grandma knitted for you! Each guest who wears an ugly Christmas sweater will receive a free split of champagne. The brighter and tackier the Christmas trees, snowmen, and reindeer, the better! Sequins, bells, and bows are encouraged. After 12:30 p.m. only.

Photo Credit: Freedom Moreno/Flickr

Thanksgiving Roundup

2009-11-30T17:02:00.009-05:00

Thanksgiving was a busy day at Rosebud! Here is some of the preparation that went into making our holiday successful:

Ron smoked his turkeys on his custom-made smoker, Bertha.

He also smoked some of his hams, which were served with a Mexican Coke glaze and braised cherry chutney.

We served 32 turkeys, 9 hams, over 110 pounds of mashed potatoes, 40 pounds of pimento cheese, 80 pounds of brioche stuffing, and 240 pumpkin tarts. It took great deal of time, effort and food to stuff 320 guests during their Thanksgiving meal. We are extremely grateful to have fed so many people this year, but the relief from knowing that we are finished with Thanksgiving until next year is priceless!

The Last Waltz is Tomorrow!

2009-11-28T17:23:00.004-05:00

Join us for some good foor, cold beer, and live covers of The Band's favorite songs! In lieu of turkey and ham, Rosebud will be serving up Kobe hamburgers, Kobe hotdogs, nachos and all of your other concession favorites tomorrow night. At 7 p.m. a local band will be playing in the restaurant, while we recreate The Last Waltz, the last concert that The Band ever played. After spending your holiday cooking and shopping, come relax at Rosebud!

We hope to see you tomorrow evening!

"Eat, Drink & Be Merry" Playlist Contest

2009-11-12T17:21:00.012-05:00

As we are all know, Ron, our chef and owner, likes his music loud! His passion for music is apparent with pictures of Jerry Garcia, his favorite, hung throughout the restaurant. Usually Ron is the only person allowed to touch our iPod, but he has agreed to relinquish his control for the first time ever! Starting in December, we will feature a guest playlist the first Sunday brunch of every month. Contestants should submit two 80 minute CDs for Ron to judge by November 28th. The winner will be notified by December 2nd and that person will receive a $50 gift certificate to be used during brunch on Sunday, December 6th, while listening to their playlist. This month's theme is "Eat, Drink & Be Merry" - songs related to food and/or drink! Entries should be dropped off at Rosebud (1397 North Highland Ave. Atlanta, GA 30306).

See if you have what it takes and create a playlist for Rosebud!

Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/grantdabassman/ / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Come get a Burger & a Beer!

2009-11-11T11:38:00.005-05:00

Get your Burger & Beer on at Rosebud every Wednesday night for $14…Sink your teeth into a juicy blend of Riverview Farms Organic Ground Chuck and Organic Berkshire Pork…The burger is topped with a smoked bacon-cheddar spread and served on a soft bun from Alon’s bakery along with our housemade bread n’ butter pickles and choice of our fries or onion rings. Each week we will feature an interesting brew that is “somewhat off the beaten path.” This week Jason is unleashing Peak Organic Nut Brown Ale from his beer vault…Come early, last week were out by 8pm!

The New Monday Night Special Starts Today!

2009-11-09T10:45:00.004-05:00

Starting tonight, Rosebud will no longer offer the Monday Night Mystery Meal. Due to increased demand and limited bar seating, we are offering a new Monday special available throughout the bar and the dining room! Every Monday, we will pick a new entree and serve it for only $10 between 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.! Tonight's $10 special is our Wild Georgia Shrimp & Grits with andouille sausage, sweet onions, San Marzano tomatoes & local grits. Leave work early and come have dinner at Rosebud! No split plates, please.

See you tonight!

It's time for the Taste of Morningside!

2009-11-04T11:07:00.003-05:00

This Sunday, November 8th, we are participating in the Taste of Morningside in Sydney Marcus Park. Come get samples from Rosebud, as well as other neighborhood restaurants and look at what some of Atlanta's local artists have to offer! Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for kids (12 and under), cash or check only. Entrance and food is included in the ticket price. Alcohol is excluded, but will be available.

Look forward to seeing you there!

Last Chance to Enjoy a Monday Night Mystery Meal!

2009-11-02T11:54:00.004-05:00

That's right, tonight is the last Monday Night Mystery Meal! We will be serving Buttermilk Fried Gulf Oysters with local Riverview Farms grits, Creole sausage gravy and a soft poached egg, and it is only $5! Come in tonight, and get it while you still can! Bar area only. No split plates, please.

There is good news! While this Monday night offer is ending, we are introducing a new offer starting next week. Due to increasing demand and limited bar seating, we are changing the Monday Night Mystery Meal to an early bird special available in the entire restaurant! From 5:30 p.m. until 7:00 p.m., Rosebud will offer a $10 entree every Monday night! Stay tuned for more information next Monday!

Hope to see you this evening!

Another Great Review!

2009-10-29T11:24:00.003-04:00

This week, there is a great review of Rosebud from Creative Loafing's Besha Rodell. We are really pleased with what she had to say about us: "This is the kind of honest American food that too few home cooks still produce, and too few restaurateurs reproduce to fill the void." Check out the rest of the review!

Not only that, Meridith Ford Goldman's Top Five for Friday last week was a list of her Favorite Affordable Wine Lists, and we were on it!

Tonight's $5 Mystery Meal is...

2009-10-26T11:38:00.005-04:00

I know you all have been anxiously waiting for tonight's Mystery Meal announcement: Spaghetti and Meatballs! The meatballs are made from all-natural beef from Riverview Farms, and the sauce is made with San Marzano tomatoes. Finish up your workday and head up to Rosebud for some spaghetti and meatballs! If you aren't in the mood for spaghetti, Rosebud is unleashing its new Monday Night Brunch menu this evening, with fresh, seasonal changes. Remember, if you are ordering the Monday Night Mystery Meal you must sit in the bar area. No split plates, please.

See you at the bar!

FALLing for Dinner at Rosebud

2009-10-23T10:37:00.006-04:00

Tonight we are rolling out a new fall menu for dinner. As the months go by we often change dishes slightly to incorporate fresh, in-season produce and replace what has gone out-of-season, but three or four times a year we do a big refresh with lots of new dishes that truly exemplify the season.

You can check out the full menu online but I'll mention a few of my new favorites just to tempt you!

Jose Wang's meatballs with Carolina rice & soy-veal jus is an amazing appetizer as is our housemade mozzarella with cranberry-tomato chutney, sea salt & rosemary oil.

Our new chopped iceberg salad is totally unique with crumbled egg, local radish, crushed saltines and caper vinaigrette.

All our new entrees sound amazing but I'm most excited about Georges Bank filet of sole with Riverview Farm grits, golden beets, Georgia apples & caper vinaigrette. Eden Farms Berkshire pork chop with Mexican coke braised sweet potato soul stew sounds perfect for a chilly evening, and the duck risotto with roasted mushrooms, dried apricots and fresh sage is right up my alley.

For all you meat and potato lovers, our chargrilled ribeye with pimento cheese whipped potatoes and red wine braised mushrooms promises to leave you full and happy.

Of course, we also have some new fall desserts including brown butter and sea salt cookies and apple spice cake.

Hope you can make it in to check out our new menu this weekend. Next week we'll also have updated fall lunch and brunch menus.

This Little Piggy

2009-10-16T15:36:00.006-04:00

As you can imagine, Chef Ron, the kitchen crew, and a couple friends have been hard at work the last few days prepping for tomorrow's big Eastern Carolina BBQ. There has been injecting, butchering, soaking, seasoning - the prep list seems to never end and Chef Ron is staying through the night tonight to keep the smoker, Bertha, going strong!

Make your reservation ASAP if you haven't already so we know to save some pork for ya!

Farewell to Via Elisa

2009-10-15T13:27:00.005-04:00

As many of you have heard, Via Elisa is closing their doors and we, along with many other Atlanta restaurants, are so sad to lose our partner in pasta. For years, Via Elisa has supplied Rosebud (and Food 101 before that) with fresh pasta for our menu. In honor of Elisa and her delicious pasta, we will be hosting a Farewell to Pasta dinner on Sunday, October 25, at 6:30 p.m.

The dinner will offer family style Caesar salads, Via Elisa spaghetti & meatballs, garlic bread and Alon's Tiramisu. This will be a limited seating so reservations are required and can be made by calling 404-347-9747. Dinner is $25 per person (plus tax and gratuity).

Hope you are able to join us in a celebration of spaghetti!

Fall Soups From Ron

2009-10-15T10:34:00.005-04:00

With all the cold, rainy weather we've been having lately it seems we can't make enough soup to warm everyone up. Luckily, Chef Ron is hosting a soup cooking demo at Salud Cooking School at the Whole Foods Market in Alpharetta on Tuesday (October 20) at 6:30 p.m. to demonstrate a few soup recipes that emphasize fresh, local ingredients and a taste of the south.

The menu includes our Morningside "chowda", Riverview Farms sausage gumbo, traditional chicken noodle, and a fall sweet potato soup. Class is $40 and includes tastes of all the soups Ron makes! You can reserve your spot in class by visiting www.wholefoodsmarket.com or call 770.442.3354.

Hope to see you there!

Pedals, Produce & Brunch at Rosebud!

2009-10-14T10:40:00.007-04:00

Check out this awesome Farmers Market Tour put together by the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition, Slow Food Atlanta and Georgia Organics for this weekend. The tour takes you through the Morningside Market as one of many stops and is the perfect excuse to get some exercise, support our local farmers (the Peachtree Road Farmers Market is hosting a fundraising BBQ that same day for flooded farmers!) and maybe even squeeze in a quick brunch at Rosebud!

Ready to get your pedal on?

Back From The Streets

2009-10-09T14:46:00.008-04:00

Last night's Street Foods dinner was a sell-out success. The restaurant was jam-packed with eager street foods fans ready to put Ron and Chappy's street cart knowledge to the test. Three hours and seven courses later, I think everyone will attest the dinner was a smashing success! The best part of the evening was that the proceeds from the dinner are all part of the week-long dine out we are hosting for the Georgia Flooded Farm Relief Fund. We are well on our way to raising $5,000 by Sunday. If you haven't made your reservations yet make sure you plan to come in this weekend to help us reach our goal. 15% of total sales from the week will be donated!

For more delicious images from last night, check out the beautiful photos from local photographer Jonathan Stancel!

Prepping For Street Foods Dinner

2009-10-07T19:03:00.004-04:00

The kitchen has been working hard all week prepping for tomorrow night's tribute to Street Foods. During a quick shopping excursion for some not-so-staple ingredients Ron and Chappy stopped for an inspirational lunch somewhere along Buford Highway. Six Bahn Mis, two Cokes and $14 later Ron and Chappy were back in the kitchen perfecting their Ramen Noodle bowl. Tomorrow night promises to be delicious!

Bertha is Born

2009-10-07T16:04:00.004-04:00

Today we finally got a look at the custom-made cast iron smoker that Ron will be christening on Saturday, October 21, during our first Eastern Carolina BBQ event. Be sure to come out and see what Bertha can do. $35 gets you a plate of 'que, plenty of sides and plenty of local brew from Sweetwater and Terrapin!

Dine Out: Bring In The Sunshine!

2009-10-06T14:46:00.005-04:00

As most of you probably know, all this week we are hosting a dine out to raise funds for the Georgia Flooded Farms Relief Fund. Eat at Rosebud for brunch, lunch or dinner anytime between Monday, October 5 and Sunday, October 11, and 15% of the proceeds will be donated to the newly established fund.

Monday was our first day of the dine out and we've already raised $500 for the fund! Our goal is donate $5,000 to our flooded farmers and we need your help. Whether it is taking a client a lunch, grabbing a drink after work or date night Friday night, choose Rosebud and have your meal go towards a good cause!

See you at Rosebud!

Monday Night Goes Mexican

2009-10-05T11:35:00.003-04:00

Tonight, we are pulling something out of the Mexican vault for our Monday Night Mystery Meal... Chef Ron started planning this dish last week and we've all been anxiously awaiting a taste test of tonight's Chilaquiles.

For those that have no idea what Chilaquiles are (like me) - Chilaquiles are a traditional dish often served for breakfast or lunch and thought to be a great hangover cure. Ron described the dish as an abstract Mexican lasagna and Wikipedia told me that is is basically tortillas that are stewed in a traditional sauce and often topped off with eggs or chicken. In our case, we'll be serving Chilaquiles topped with an over-easy egg and garnished with avocado and goat's milk feta cheese.

Come one, come all; just come early because the bar fills up quickly. Tonight, Chilaquiles are $5 in the bar area only for Monday Night's Mystery Meal. Please, no split plates.

Rosebud Gets Reviewed

2009-09-30T09:29:00.004-04:00

Last night, our review from Meridith Ford at the AJC was posted online. We were thrilled to learn that we earned three stars from Meridith along with a glowing write-up about our re- branded concept.

The review starts out by saying, "Chef Ron Eyester’s solid cooking at his newly christened Rosebud – once known as Food 101 Morningside – is exactly like he is – totally approachable, down-to-earth, completely likable." What high praise! Check out the review online and be sure to pick up a copy of the paper when it comes out on Friday!

A Bowl of Goodness

2009-09-28T12:28:00.004-04:00

What do you get when you combine Riverview Farms grits, smoked bacon, cherry tomatoes, a soft-poached egg and Tillamook cheddar cheese? You get Rosebud's Breakfast Bowl and tonight, if you eat at the bar, it is only $5!

Yep, it is Monday Night's Mystery Meal and from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. in the bar area you can enjoy our signature Breakfast Bowl for just $5. Remember to let your server know you are here for the Mystery Meal, and please no splitting plates.

See you tonight at the bar.

It's Monday... Again

2009-09-21T11:17:00.005-04:00

I hope you haven't made plans for dinner yet because for tonight's Monday Night Mystery Meal we are dishing up seared Georgia trout with Riverview Farms grits and tomato-caper chow chow for $5 if you dine at the bar. This is an entree that is only served during Monday Night Brunch so this is a great chance to give it a try!

Remember, this is only served on Monday night (5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.) in the bar area; no split plates please.

Happy Monday!

Y'Ellen's Fave Five Bars

2009-09-15T12:30:00.006-04:00

When she's not pouring a mean drink or dancing to Ron's rockin' playlists, our always-fun bartender Ellen loves hitting up her favorite watering holes. If you're planning on hitting up a few bars definitely give Ellen's picks a try:

Krog Bar-One of my favorite wine lists in the city. I especially love this place in the fall. Great place to chill on the patio with friends, a bottle of wine, and small plates of meats, and cheeses.

The Book House Pub-Great beer list with several flight options which allow you to have a little bit of everything. And I have to say the back patio is one of my favorite little hidden gems in the city. Then once you have had too many high gravity beers you can stumble next door to The Local for cheap bear, foose ball, tater tots and photobooth pictures. Its a good night. I promise.

Whiskey Blue-With spectacular views of the city, two roof top patios, this is the perfect setting for ladies night out. Grab your girls, throw on your cutest party dresses and get ready to dance the night away.

Noni's-I consider this place the "Cheers" for fellow restaurant industry people. Its one of those places where you can feel fight at home. Oh yeah, and if you stick around late enough, your probably in for a killer dance party.

Righteous Room- Because everyone has their local dive that will always hold a special place in their heart. And well, Righteous Room is mine.

Monday Night's Mystery Meal

2009-09-14T11:23:00.005-04:00

What could it be? What will you get for only $5 tonight at the bar? How about a turkey burger complete with grilled pineapple, goat cheese and sambal mayo? Even better; it comes with a choice of fries or onion rings (my pick is definitely our delish onion rings!).

See you tonight - remember, this is in the bar area only so be sure to let Jeff know you are here for Monday Night's Mystery Meal!

Introducing The Angry Chef

2009-09-03T21:02:00.002-04:00

Well as things as Rosebud continue to stabilize and we keep approaching a state of normality (if there is such a thing in a restaurant), the staff and I have had an opportunity this week to take a step back and see "where we've been thus far," and see "where we need to go". Actually, knowing "where to go" isn't nearly as challenging, as knowing "how to get there." Well there is no doubt that this week our journey took us down the social media highway. After much coaxing I set up a Facebook page, which I am quickly getting addicted to, and after some careful discussion, Meryl and I decided that it was time to get me tweeting. Well like everything else that we do, we wanted to approach this task with a certain level of creativity and humor. However, we also wanted to deliver a product of substance, thus keeping continuity with the very foundation of Rosebud. Well folks, we present to you, @theangrychef. I think at this point in my restaurant career, while I am still very much enamored by the food (which is obvious, considering my figure), I am also extremely intrigued by the people who patronize our restaurant. There is no doubt that a restaurant can certainly serve as a stage for the study of humanity. And boy, do those studies get interesting and downight funny (especially after a few glasses of wine)...And after all, if we cannot laugh at ourselves and at eachother, what do we have left in this world. While my exploration with Twitter will present funny ancedotes and interesting scenarios, it will by no means convey a sense of malice or resentment...To be honest, it will probably not even be angry (The Angry Chef, just sounds a little better than The Funny Chef). It will simply bring to life the very "punchlines" that make Rosebud tick. I look forward to chatting with you @theangrychef.

The Social Media Super Highway

2009-09-02T18:52:00.003-04:00

Today Meryl and I had the pleasure of chatting with James Andrews of BeEverywhere. To say that James is a social media guru would be a grave under-statement. For just more than an hour James inspired us with his thought provoking commentary regarding social media and public relations. He even ran a live feed of the meeting for a few minutes on an application that he referred to as USTREAM. Apparently this is some type of social media app that has yet to be released to the general public. It is certainly amazing how the entire scope of public relations has shifted from one absolute, printed source to a community of thinkers eager to share and grow ideas. If you actually took just a moment to reflect on all the avenues of social media that exist and prosper, you would be astonished, if not completely overwhelmed. From a restaurant/food standpoint, social media has definitely moved from a "side dish" to "center of the plate" item. Obviously, as a restaurant owner this concept can seem downright scary...Just what I need, another variable that can and does have a huge impact on my business, in which I have no control. Meryl and I have certainly debated this particular issue time and time again...Leaving the meeting, I see my alternative as quite simple...I do the best to control the variables inside the four walls of this restaurant, while I continue to expand the parameters of a traditional chef/owner by feeding people with more than just good, sustainable foods...feed them with creative and sometimes humorous thoughts. Perhaps this can be just as comforting as a plate of fried chicken and mashed potatoes.

By The Way - You can now find me on Facebook (yes, I caved) and you can follow me on Twitter as "theangrychef"

Great Neighbors; Great Deals

2009-09-01T09:06:00.006-04:00

Today, we are excited to kick-off a new partnership with our neighbor, clothing boutique Meringue. All this month show us your receipt from Meringue and receive $10 off of a $25 lunch purchase at Rosebud, or show Meringue your receipt from us and save 20% off your entire purchase. What a perfect excuse for a shopping and lunch date with friends!

Join us tonight at 5:30 p.m. to help kick-off our partnership with complimentary cocktails and a sneak peek at some new fall fashions.

Monday Night Mystery Meal

2009-08-31T10:49:00.005-04:00

Well, thanks to our amazing Yelp friends, last week's initial Mystery Meal was a fun success! This week, if you dine at the bar between 5:30 and 10 p.m. tonight be sure to mention the Mystery Meal and enjoy our brioche French toast with mascarpone and orange-rosemary honey for $5.

Jeff Gives Us Five

2009-08-27T11:02:00.006-04:00

How could we share our fave five restaurants in the city without sharing the top picks of one of our enigmatic bartenders?? When Jeff isn't busy dancing on bars or tasting wines for our creative wine list here is where he likes to eat out...

Repast - I love this concept. You can see both chefs' influence in the food and the space. Its unique and they have a great wine list.

Eats - Hey, nothin' beats cheap PBR and turkey meatloaf.

Holeman & Finch - Some of the best cocktails in Atlanta, they really have it down to a science.

Brickstore - Great beer selection and they have all the proper glasses for each one.

Taqueria de Sol - If you know me, you probably know that I LOVE tacos!

Monday Mystery Night Meal

2009-08-24T11:13:00.004-04:00

So we know Mondays are tough; the weekend is over; you realize just how much work you didn't get done on the previous Friday; and there isn't enough coffee in the world to perk you up. Here at Rosebud we want to make Mondays a little bit brighter for you. We already do Monday Night Brunch because popular opinion confirms that pancakes for dinner can usually right any wrong. But now, starting TONIGHT, we are offering a Monday Mystery Meal.

Each and every Monday night, from 5:30 p.m. to 1o:00 p.m., if you dine in our bar area only, we will be offering one of our favorite dishes from the menu for a mere $5. That is right; $5.

Be sure to check our blog or our Facebook page each Monday to find out what the Mystery Meal is going to be. This week our Mystery Meal is The Big Nasty - our infamous breakfast sandwich with fried chicken, scrambled egg, cheddar cheese and bacon on a soft bun with a choice of side- for only $5.

So join us for dinner tonight at the bar and be sure to let your bartender know in advance that you want the Monday Mystery Meal. $5 and whole meal later, we are sure Mondays will start looking up!

Check us out next week to find out what the new Mystery Meal will be!

Lizzie's Fave Five

2009-08-19T10:34:00.006-04:00

Ok, our fave five week is continuing with a list from Lizzie today. As a hard-working mom sometimes dining out options can be limited but Lizzie has a list of favorites that is great when she is out with Sid or just out with the girls.

Holy Taco - They have the best tacos and they are great with kids. Sid loves it there!

Chin Chin Chinese - the best garlic chicken ever! Perfect for dinner to-go when the thought of cooking makes me cringe.

P'cheen - Great neighborhood restaurant and bar. I love the DJ's and music.

Sotto Sotto - This is my go-to spot when I need I fun night out. I love sitting at the bar and chatting with the staff.

Anis - an oldie but a goodie with some of the best mussels in town.

Our Fave Five: Jason

2009-08-17T16:44:00.005-04:00

Our Fave Five lists continues with a list from our manager Jason. Since he lives on the westside of town most of his favorites are pretty close to his house...

Muss & Turners - The Insult to Philly is my all-time favorite sandwich. Add some fries and their thyme aioli and I'm in heaven.

Nuevo Laredo - What's not to love about Mexican food? Their chicken mole tacos are my favorites.

Canoe - Gorgeous atmosphere and probably my favorite wine list in the city.

Surin - Whenever I can catch a break between shifts Surin is my go-to lunch spot. Thai Tuesdays anyone?

Brick Store Pub - In my opinion, they have the best burger in Atlanta; hands down.

Stay tuned for Lizzie's fave five tomorrow!

Our Fave Five

2009-08-13T11:37:00.005-04:00

One of the top questions people in the restaurant industry get is, "What are your favorite restaurants?" Because we get this question so often and because it is so hard to answer we thought it would be fun to list some of our top five restaurants...

From Ron:
My list of restaurants is certainly not very ambitious; but very soulful and mostly kid friendly:

1. Martins (they are mostly in the burbs…They have the best biscuits ever, all homemade and their chicken biscuit was somewhat of an inspiration for the “Big Nasty” – plus this is the place that I started taking my son to when Mommy needed a break and Daddy had the day off from work.
2. The Varsity – Nothing beats a chili cheese dog and an orange drink…Plus the dogs are thin enough for my son to handle.
3. Rusans – I like going to the one on Piedmont after work – The sushi is pretty good, but the place is always rockin’ with drunken amateurs doing sake bombs and the sushi chefs are always smiling, yapping and will usually greet you with a small snack.
4. Georges (North Highland Avenue) – Great, Great burgers…I love sneaking over there between lunch and dinner…Plus they sell a small selection of candy at the cash register – I can always pick up a Reeses Peanut Butter Cup!
5. Caramba – My next door neighbor…They truly exemplify the personality of Morningside, they have embraced me since day one…They have great cheese dip and be sure to ask Momma & Mia for a “didley” when you go in!
6. Kevin Rathbun Steak – I love getting there late, eating with Erv at the bar…Snacking on oysters, a ribeye and their Vermont butter mashed potatoes.

Stay tuned for Meryl, Jeff, Jason and Lizzie's top five restaurants and be sure to share yours with us as well!

A Day In The Life

2009-08-12T10:37:00.006-04:00

Do you ever fantasize about being a chef? I always imagined it like this - you come in, put on your apron, take stock of the amazing ingredients you have in the cooler and get to work coming up with brilliant dishes reflecting the honest flavors of each ingredient. You spend all day hovering over the stove stirring, tasting and seasoning. By the time dinner service rolls around you've whipped an amazing array of specials and guests and food critics alike swoon...

Well, not to crush anyone's dreams of chefdom but it is most definitely NOT like that. I mean, they do cook but they also have to deal with the daily strife that we all deal with in our jobs. Too many emails; employee drama and people who don't do what they say they are going to do. Case in point; our chef spent his morning firing off one frustrated email after another as certain vendors have been arriving late or without our full orders. So, what is it like to be a chef?

Hey XXX,

I really hate getting on you; but these ridiculous late deliveries are either going to stop or I will be taking my business elsewhere…And as you are well aware, I currently do enough business with a multitude of other vendors who carry all of the same products as XXX. I certainly appreciate the relationship that the two of us have developed; but the level of service that XXX is currently providing is unacceptable. Moreover, the balance of our business relationship is completely one sided. In an effort to get my Thursday delivery earlier, I compromised and sacrificed the luxury of another delivery day to make the situation more appealing and beneficial for XXX…I now put more money on one truck and yet I still get my deliveries whenever the truck feels like getting here, usually mid to late afternoon. Another fantastic part of my relationship with XXX is that instead of focusing on remedying my prolonged delivery problems, XXX opts to continually “bust my balls” on receiving payment…I am so tired of hearing that my account is being “red flagged” because I am few days past my current terms…I would urge you to send word to your XXX executives in their ivory towers that we are currently in a recession and that the past year’s turbulent financial times have not been kind to small business owners. XXX is honestly the only vendor who receives a check from me every week!! Many of my other vendors, some of them small business owners themselves, have afforded me latitude when I’ve needed it. Not XXX, instead, I am often made to feel like a criminal because my account is two or three days overdue. And I can certainly see XXX’s concern…The entire company would probably shut down if they weren’t able to collect my $800. How about this; instead of trying to arrange meetings for me to chat with people and food brokers whose product I would never even consider using or getting me down to a food show to see the latest jalapeno poppers and freeze-dried pre-cooked chemically laced sausages; try having some of the idiots who actually run XXX learn about the economies of scale pertaining to their customers and address the menacing problems that plague these customers each week. Moreover, perhaps XXX should consider shifting its balance of power from their “Nazi Like” credit department and focus more attention on their transportation department, which is seemingly run like a third world country.

Obviously you are going to forward this on to your bosses, who are probably eagerly awaiting the weekend and their Saturday T-times. Please do not have your bosses physically drop on me with their business cards (over the years I collected enough to wall paper a house) and complementary XXX portfolio with matching calculator and fountain pen. Instead see to it that my order next Thursday arrives no later than 10:30AM…I don’t care if a convoy of XXX managers have to bring the delivery themselves in their cars. If my delivery arrives @ 10:31, it will be shipped back along with a check reflecting the balance of my account.

How can you be expected to make amazing specials night after night if your ingredients don't even arrive at the restaurant until 3 or 4 p.m.???

***This is an actual email sent to one of our vendors. Obviously, we took out any names as we aren't looking to start a war with anyone; we just want our order when it is promised to us!

Jerry Has Left The Building

2009-08-07T12:10:00.006-04:00

Well, we survived two nights of our Jerry Garcia Tribute Dinner. And, what a tribute it was - two nights of five courses paired with Grateful Dead songs, two nights of fantastic live music and two nights of Ron singing with the band... For those who had to miss, here is a snapshot of what went down. Definitely plan to be here next year as Ron has vowed to not only sing but also PLAY GUITAR with the band!

I Say Tomato; You Say Tomato

2009-07-29T10:32:00.016-04:00

Last night, we hosted an incredible tomato cooking demo at The Cook's Warehouse in Midtown. Chef Ron showed the class six incredible recipes for using up all those gorgeous tomatoes you are getting in your CSA boxes right now. The dishes he made included:

Sliced Heirloom Tomatoes
Fried Capers, Spiced Pineapple, Vanilla-Balsamic Reduction & Midnight Moon Cheese

Fennel Crusted Tuna
Ginger Marinated Cherry Tomatoes & Sungold Tomato Emulsion

Tomato and Sweet Corn Risotto

Tomato Stock, Local Georgia Sweet Corn & Vidalia Onion

Ron’s “Damn Good” Bruschetta (because Ron has to fit a cuss word in every menu he does...)
Truffle Scented Oven-Dried Tomatoes, Oregano & Goat’s Milk Feta

Macaroni & Gravy
Pasta & Heirloom Tomato Sauce & Mozzarella

Georgia Shrimp & Tomatoes
Charred Summer Peppers, Fresh Basil & Tomato Vinegar

One of the highlights of the class was the surprise dessert Ron whipped up completely spontaneously - tomato cobbler. He showed the class how to use leftover chopped tomatoes as the base for a surprisingly sweet cobbler. The tomatoes were seasoned with Maple syrup and a bit of salt and then covered with a topping of flour, butter, sugar and rolled oats. As it baked the tomatoes cooked down until almost caramelized and the result was a sweet and tart dessert that surprised everyone!

Don't despair if you missed last night's class; Ron will be back at The Cook's Warehouse on Tuesday, September 15 for a class on cooking with Lobster. Be sure to reserve your spot today.

Morningside Market Gets A Sign, Finally

2009-07-28T13:06:00.004-04:00

You might remember that as part of our opening celebration we hosted an opening party that doubled as a fundraiser for The Morningside Market. We are thrilled to announce that the money raised during our opening party paid for a new, permanent sign for the Morningside Farmers Market!

After more than 10 years in existence, it is about time our favorite market gets some signage! Thanks to everyone who came out and supported the Market.

Yelp Takes Over Rosebud

2009-07-27T11:24:00.005-04:00

From the picture above it looks like we (the staff) had just as much fun at last night's Yelp Elite party as the Yelpers themselves! It was a great event - normally we are closed on Sunday evenings but last night we opened the door to Atlanta's Yelp Elite community for a special party showcasing our new menu. We offered samples of many of our menu items (sliders, eggplant chips, onion rings, shrimp & grits...) as well as some amazing cocktails (local Canary melon cocktails, anyone?) to about 150 guests last night.

The best part of the evening was the atmosphere - everyone was in a party spirit and it quickly reverberated through the staff as well. Atlanta Photography came out and took some hilarious photos (including the awesome staff shot shown above). We can't thank the Yelp crowd enough for the fun times and we hope everyone plans repeat visits soon!

See what Yelp is saying about Rosebud here.

Food Porn At Its Best

2009-07-21T15:55:00.013-04:00

We just had gorgeous new food photos taken of some of our most popular new dishes and I thought you all might like a sneak peek. We'll get most of these up on our website soon!

Kobe burger with grilled onions, Somerdale cheddar & Rosebud steak sauce

Ahi tuna with sweet chili sweet potato puree & tomato-caper chow chow

Alaskan halibut with Lady Pink-Eyed pea succotash & Sungold tomato vinaigrette

Rosebud club sandwich: house roasted turkey, Berkshire ham and BLT

drunken cherry bread pudding with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce

lemon-rosemary poundcake with local blueberries and fresh whipped cream

Blueberry Pancakes

2009-07-13T11:05:00.008-04:00

At Saturday's Morningside Market Chef Ron prepared fresh blueberry pancakes as a fundraiser for Morningside Elementary School. $5 got you two very large, piping hot pancakes filled with fresh blueberries and topped with Vermont maple syrup and extra blueberries. It was a fun way to start the weekend and, judging by the line all morning, most people agreed with us!

Aside, from the delicious pancakes, I walked away from the market with pickling cucumbers, beautiful yellow and green summer squash, mini hierloom tomatoes, okra and a melon. I was thrilled to see okra as it has always been one of my favorite vegetables. Maybe I'll be able to talk Ron into offering it as a special while it is season...

Rosebud is OPEN

2009-07-07T12:08:00.009-04:00

Celebrations are in order - the new signs are out front, the pictures are hung and the menus are printed. It is time to come in and dine at Rosebud! In the meantime, we'll try to figure out what we are going to write about now that all the stress of renovations is behind us!

3 days and counting

2009-07-03T09:38:00.005-04:00

Gosh, sorry it has been awhile since our last post. Every waking second has been devoted to getting the restaurant ready for the change-over on Monday. Now that things are visably starting to come together you can feel the excitement (and nerves) in the air!

New paint is almost done (inside and out)

New artwork is framed but not hung (wait until you see the amazing collage Ron had created especially for the restaurant)

New lights are mounted and working

New menus are completed (FINALLY)

Tables are being refinished and new chairs put together

New website should be going live any minute now...

The restaurant is a bit messy right now, but, come Monday, Rosebud will be ready to rock.

Since time is a rare commodity these days, I'm going to leave you with some links to some lovely mentions of rosebud from our online friends. We are so grateful for the encouraging words; thank you!

Daily Candy says "this bud is for you!"

Atlanta Foodies raved our about menu tasting a few weeks ago.

Thrillist says we'll "blow your mind, man."

Awesome Taste in Music says rosebud is a good reason to end your holiday weekend early.

Adventurous Tastes says our new chicken liver toast is a "standout appetizer."

Happy Fourth of July!

The Weekend Guide

2009-06-25T12:20:00.000-04:00

Check out Slow Food Atlanta's ice cream social mentioned in Daily Candy's The Weekend Guide. Ron is one of many Atlanta chefs participating in this fun competition on Saturday afternoon at the Peachtree Road Farmers Market. Take a break from the heat and come sample Ron's (and everyone else's) homemade ice cream!

Shiny & New

2009-06-22T12:56:00.006-04:00

As part of the impending rebrand (only two weeks to go!) we decided to have all the floors in the restaurant refinished. Almost four years of daily foot traffic can do a number on wood floors and our once beautifully blonde wood floors were looking a little tired.

So, Sunday afternoon, after a busy Father's Day brunch, our amazing team of servers rolled up their sleeves and pushed and pulled every single table and chair out of the restaurant while Jeff & Jason painstakingly covered up the bar and all our bottles. Around 5 p.m. (luckily we are closed for dinner on Sunday nights) the hard work really got started as our floors began to show signs of life again.

Ron stayed with the crew until they finished at 3 a.m. and was back at the restaurant today to start the clean-up process. We will be closed all day today (sorry for any inconvenience!) for cleaning, and with the help of Jeff, Jason and Lizzie the restaurant will be put back together and the floors gleaming by the time we open for lunch tomorrow afternoon.

Be sure to mention how good the floors look next time you come in!

Beyond Fried Chicken: The Big Nasty

2009-06-19T14:24:00.005-04:00

Meridith Ford of the AJC gave us a great mention in her article about local fried favorites today. While our traditional Springer Mountain buttermilk fried chicken is usually the popular choice her pick was another favorite - our incredible Big Nasty - fried chicken, scrambled egg, cheddar cheese and bacon all sandwiched in a soft hamburger bun. Ron and the kitchen dish this up during weekend brunch (Saturday and Sunday) and also every Monday night for Monday Night Brunch. What better way to start the week than with a Big Nasty and a PBR???

The First Taste of Rosebud

2009-06-18T10:25:00.010-04:00

Tuesday night we invited a few trusted palates into the restaurant for a new menu tasting. Ron has been working on new menu items for weeks now and he was finally ready to get some outside opinions on potential menu items for Rosebud's first menu.

Happily, the overall consensus was hugely positive. Everyone had their favorite dishes but two of the most commented dishes were our play on fish & chips - a garlic-anchovy dip with housemade potato chips,

and the chicken liver toast with bread & butter pickle gremolata and maple-port reduction.

Ron's wife, Pamela, a pastry chef formerly of Canoe, wowed everyone with homemade caramel corn and orange rosemary poundcake. After 11 courses and more than four hours of "tasting" everyone was stuffed and we are well on our way to a final menu!

Wine, Anyone?

2009-06-11T17:54:00.007-04:00

Things are moving right along with the launch of Rosebud. Meridith Ford gave us a lovely mention on her blog; Bill Addison tweeted about us; new menus are almost finished; all the website content has been written and submitted; press kits have been written...

Thought I'd leave you with a few photos from today's wine and beer tasting - as we solidify the new wine menus and debate adding more draft beers it is a requirement to taste, taste, taste!

Stay tuned as we approach our July 6th launch!

One Month Out

2009-06-01T13:23:00.006-04:00

Somehow, we only have one month to go until we offically become Rosebud. I'm not quite sure how that happened since I swear yesterday I still had months to go before the rebrand. There is still so much to do.

Menus are still being tweaked although the new wine lists have been finalized.

The website is nowhere near done which amazes me because I feel like that is all we talk about these days...

Renovations are about 50% complete. We have new bar stools, new upholstery, and a new banquette. Still to come are new paint colors and a refinished floor.

What else are we spending money on these days?

menu books

menu paper

matches

chalkboards

business cards

press kits

gift cards

thank you cards

artwork

picture frames...

A successful rebrand of Food 101 Morningside to Rosebud? Priceless.

Stay tuned for more renovation updates including the amazing collage we are working on.

Chicago

2009-05-27T13:57:00.001-04:00

Over the holiday weekend, I was lucky enough to visit Chicago for a friend's wedding. While the wedding was lovely, it was really the great restaurants that were the highlight of the trip.

Of all the meals we enjoyed over our four day stay there were three meals that really stood out:

Brunch @ Feast - we just stumbled across this restaurant near our hotel and we were blown away with the menu. We tried the "eggs portobello" which was basically an eggs Benedict served over a breaded portobello mushroom with steamed spinach and oven-roasted tomatoes and the "breakfast croissant" with prosciutto, arugula, mozzarella, and scrambled eggs. I was impressed with the local-sourcing mentions on the menu and the coffee (Intelligentsia, roasted in Chicago) was fabulous.

Lunch @ Frontera Grill - Of course, everything was just as great as we expected it to be, but one dish really stood out. The goat-meat enchiladas with a tomatillo salsa and black beans. I had never had goat before and I was pleasantly surprised. It was super tender and reminded me of a cross between beef and duck.

Dinner @ The Publican - Paul Kahan's newest place is now my favorite spot in Chicago. Everything was amazing so I'll list it all out: yellowtail crudo with fava bean salsa, mint & pistachios; country ribs with asparagus and polenta; yellow beets with housemade ricotta; and grilled ramps with hazelnut-breadcrumb salsa. Everything was perfectly cooked and so flavorful. I was especially impressed with the kitchen's use of finishing salts. Each dish was perfectly seasoned without being noticeably "salty".

**I apologize for the lack of photos; I was so busy swooning over my food that I totally forgot to snap photos! I guess I'll just have to go back, you know, for the sake of the blog...

Go Big or Go Home

2009-05-20T17:07:00.002-04:00

Today we are starting a new promotion at the restaurant - Big Salads. Remember that episode of Seinfeld where Elaine wanted the "big salad"?? Well, with the recently gorgeous weather we thought it would be fun to bring not just one but several Big Salads to Food 101 Morningside.

Every Wednesday, starting today, we will be serving several unique entree-sized salads for lunch and dinner.

On today's menu:

“The Dude”
Kobe Beef Patty, Smoked Bacon, Cherry Tomato, Chopped Iceberg & Blue Cheese

Big Fat Greek Salad
Grilled Romaine, Cracked Olives, Local Cucumber, Haricot Vert & Goat’s Milk Feta

“The Surf & Surf”
Lobster Salad, Petite Crab Cake, Local Peaches, Roasted Onion & Buttermilk Peach Dressing

“Fritolicious”
Local Ground Beef, Guacamole, Shredded Tillamook Cheddar, Shredded Iceberg & Fresh Cilantro

“The Southern Belle”
Springer Mountain Fried Chicken, Housemade Pimento Cheese, Celery & Pistachio Brittle

Kung Pao Catfish
Spicy Cabbage, Toasted Peanuts, Carrot, Local Radish & Green Onion

Dinner at Woodland Gardens

2009-05-18T11:40:00.012-04:00

Yesterday, Food 101 hosted its annual dinner at Woodland Gardens. Although the day ended up being a bit wetter than we anticipated, we all had a great time. We got up to the farm (located in Athens) around lunchtime to start prepping for the dinner and by 5 everyone was seated and chowing down! I thought you'd enjoy some random photos from throughout the day:

Ron reviewing the menu for the evening.

Jeff & Kat pouring homemade strawberry lemonade cocktails.

Isn't the table pretty?

Making new friends before dinner starts.

Kat helps chop fresh tomatoes from Woodland Gardens.

Adam and Christian contemplate green tomatoes.

Chilled Carrot Soup (my favorite course).

Celia gives guests a farm tour after dinner (and in-between rain showers).

Weekend Round-Up

2009-05-15T09:21:00.005-04:00

Since we serve brunch on both Saturdays and Sundays, we often have to miss out on some of the great food-related events going on in the city, but that doesn't mean you have to miss out too! Here are some of our favorite events coming up this weekend:

On Saturday at the Morningside Farmer's Market join Slow Food Atlanta for a Strawberry Celebration. From 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. you can sample the seasons freshest berries, enjoy homemade strawberry shortcake and shop our favorite local market. This event is $5 per person and proceeds benefit Slow Food.

Also on Saturday, Atlanta is getting FREE PIE. How fun is this event? From 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. at several Atlanta neighborhoods like Cabbagetown, Candler Park, Piedmont Park, Virginia Highlands, Little Five Points and Decatur, kind souls will be handing out free pie to anyone that shows up. Talk about some good karma! For more info and specific locations, click here.

Happy Friday!

Menu Design Version 331

2009-05-07T15:25:00.002-04:00

Ok, maybe "version 331" is a slight exaggeration. We are really only in our second round of menu revisions, but, in my defense, between menus, websites, business cards, and birth announcements it feels like revision 331. Thought you might like to see where we are at right now; who knows where we will acutally end up by July...

Widespread Food & Fun

2009-04-30T12:55:00.012-04:00

Oh, what a night we had last night with our Don't Panic tribute dinner. Rocking out to WSP tunes, drinking from red Solo cups (as a shout out to John Bell) and five fantastic courses dedicated to the music of Widespread Panic.

We started the evening with "Red Beans" - seared Georges Bank scallops served over braised Carolina red beans, housemade orange mustard and micro celery.

Next, we floated on to "Fishwater" - Peekytoe crab ravioli with local baby fennel, sherry and a shellfish consomme.

After a light course like Fishwater, we kicked up the spice a bit with "Thought Sausage" - Riverview Farms sausage gumbo with Carolina plantation rice. (This course was my personal favorite - just the right amount of heat to it.)

Before anyone got too full, we moved on to "Ribs and Whiskey" - braised Painted Hills short ribs over green garlic potato puree, housemade pickled peppers and Maker's Mark demi-glace. (This was the majority's favorite course. The short ribs practically melted they were so tender.)

At this point, most people were starting to get pretty full so we went very light with "Coconut" for dessert - coconut beignets with chilly watermelon and basil creme anglaise.

Top the evening off with a few PBR "Tall Boys" and some fun, take-home goodies and we were able to call last night a success! Next musical tribute dinner - Jerry Garcia, of course. Join us August 5 or 6 for a two night run. It isn't too late to make your reservation now.

Who's Panicking?

2009-04-28T15:06:00.008-04:00

To say that chef & owner Ron Eyester is a music lover is a bit of an understatement. Ron has built a reputation for his music tribute dinners for bands like The Grateful Dead, The Allman Brothers, and Johnny Cash over the last few years. Tomorrow night we are hosting our first music tribute dinner since Ron has taken over as owner, and, appropriately, it is titled Don't Panic - The Changes Aren't Widespread.

Chef Christian testing cheese straw recipes for tomorrow night

The five course dinner pairs each course with a favorite WSP song.

Red Beans

Seared Georges Bank Scallops
Hambone Braised Carolina Red Beans, Housemade Orange-Mustard & Micro Celery

Fishwater

Peekytoe Crab Ravioli
Local Baby Fennel, Sherry & Spiced Shellfish Consommé

"Fishwater"

Thought Sausage

Riverview Farms Sausage Gumbo
Carolina Plantation Rice

Ribs & Whiskey

Braised Painted Hill Short Rib
Green Garlic Potato Puree, Pickled Sweet Peppers & Maker’s Mark Demi-Glace

Coconut

Coconut Beignets
Chilly Watermelon & Basil Crème Anglaise

Reservations are still available and can be made by calling 404-347-9747. Dinner is tomorrow night (Wednesday, April 29) at 6:30 p.m. and costs $52 per person. It promises to be a very fun evening.