Too Old School for Me.

Rosebud. 445 Dearborn. Mark this moment in history, I won't be back. Sorry Rosebud, I'm just not a fan. I guess it was standard Italian fare, and I don't mean to offend those Italian friends of mine out there (or those that just love their pasta) but I am not someone who likes the type of venue with old school red patent leather booths, a strange bar that pretends to be upscale and isn't, and then a smell in the air that reminds me of a fast food restaurant. My parents got me a gift card to Rosebud (seemed random, but I guess they are super popular in the suburbs) so I decided to head over with two close friends of mine. The three of us ladies split a pasta dish, a chicken and prosciutto dish, and then had bread and wine (in excess--that was the one good thing about the meal, I guess, the Malbec was delicious).

Maybe there is a slight possibility that I've been tainted by the numerous hip, hot and adventurous venues offering eclectic menus and beverages, and coming to a simple classic Italian restaurant bores me. That reminds me of the movie van Wilder when the jerk fraternity boy dating Tara Reid says "I don't want our children to be tainted from one night when mommy went 'slumming' in college." I guess I had just expected for a meal that was satisfying and comforting, as opposed to the feeling that I just consumed a pound of butter melted over everything that I put into my mouth and was therefore in turn feeling the waist band of my pink pencil skirt digging into my lower abdomen.

I do have one nice thing to say, so listen up. They do have an option to substitute the original pasta with whole wheat pasta. So there! They are TRYING desperately to "keep up with the times" but I guess that is their only attempt. Nothing else had changed since it had opened decades ago, I swear. Maybe that's what you are going for. Good for you. Plus there are so many locations in the loop, I guess I can't completely give them no credit for not having a good business model. It's just too old school and not for me.

Mazel Tov, Rosebud. Best wishes.

Sincerely,
Mish