Rosebud Bar & Kitchen

This is what happens when New Delhi meets New England.

“I love New England. I'm..from New England. My roots are in New England. So I wanted to really build a menu that was a love letter to New England and India.”

Where comfort food classics are given a hit of curry.

"We mix classic American diner food with a little bit of Indian spin."

And where the familiar becomes fascinating.

“To be able to use those flavors gives it a whole other flavor profile that people might not have had before.”

You won’t find the flavors of India quite like this, unless you’re at the new Rosebud Kitchen.

Located in Davis Square, Somerville, the Rosebud Kitchen and Bar is a reincarnation of the old Rosebud Diner, a neighborhood landmark since 1941.  In this newer, tastier version, Chef Keith Sarasin takes his passion for Indian cuisine and applies it to all of the traditional dishes you’d expect at a diner.

“I always say my first bite of Indian cuisine was like Neo seeing the Matrix. I was just like, this is incredible. So 16 years later, I've been to the subcontinent. I study with food historians, and wonderful chefs, all across India. And now this is what I do for a living and I love it so much.”

So when making the menu, he took everything he absorbed and applied it to his favorite stateside dishes.

“We really wanted to keep an homage to the classics.  We also have some wonderful new spins on things.  Oftentimes fusion leads to confusion. So we wanted to make a menu that's accessible to everyone. Whether you're an adventurous eater, or you're an old school eater."

And that 'nostalgia meets new' vibe is even notable when it comes to the space itself.

"You can actually dine in the original dining car.  Or you can even pull up a seat at the beautiful wooden bar.  So there's a lot of options for the diner to experience the old school and the new school."

Deciding what to order is almost impossible, but an absolute must is Rosebud’s Kerala Fried Chicken.  Crispy, crunchy and oh so good, this KFC will impress even the colonel.

“Without a doubt the thing that we sell the most of is Kerala fried chicken.  Kerala fried chicken is known for a lot of wonderful seasonings… you get a perfect crunch ..with this unbelievable juicy spicy inside that is absolutely irresistible. The sandwich actually has this wonderful green chutney mayo a bunch of slaw for the acidity.  The waffle has two wonderful big pieces of chicken and the waffle itself is special because we add green chilies right into the waffle batter to give it that extra kick."

There are modern Indian takes on old school New England fare, including the Lamb and Pea Cottage Pie topped with charred marsala Mashed potatoes… .And the beautiful Butter Chicken Pot Pie- filled topped with a puff pastry crust.

“When you crack into that flakey crust for the first time, the aroma releases in the butter chicken and you are transported to a whole other world of flavor.”

And the comfort food continues throughout the menu, with the Bhaji dog- An Indian mashup of your classic hot dog and a Sloppy Joe.

“The bhaji is kind of this ..Indian chili ..It reminded me of Indian chili or a sloppy joe.  You have these wonderful grilled New England rolls. We have a beautiful hot dog and we sprinkle a little bit of onion on it to give it a bit of a kick and it's so good.”

For a picnic classic with some Indian flare, try the Kashmiri Deviled Eggs.  And for something truly nostalgic, try this aromatic spin on a rainy day favorite.

“I think we all have that memory of a diner eating grilled cheese and dipping it in tomato bisque. So we take a green chutney, put thick slices of cheese in it,  and we toast it until it's perfectly crisp. Rasam is a South Indian peppery kind of soup and when you dip it in there, it's lights out it's one of my favorite things on the menu.”

When dessert rolls around, you can select a fresh-baked slice of Chocolate Pecan or Berry Pie from the legendary Petsi Pies right down the road, Or indulge in the Mango Lassi Parfait. And if you’re at the Rosebud on the weekend, brunch is a must, when you can get Masala Chai French Toast made on thick cut brioche or the shareable Tikka Tots.

“We wanted an homage to poutine. So we bring in nicely toasted tots.  We put some wonderful butter chicken sauce on it. Spread all over that some cheese and it is just downright craveable.”

And if you really want to wake up your tastebuds, try the Butter Chicken Bene.

“So I think a classic..staple on any diner menu is eggs Benedict and in butter chicken, the key characteristic of butter chicken is this beautiful, silky and thick sauce, resembling that Hollandaise and so when we started marrying the two together, you had this gorgeous pop of kind of aromatic flavor and it's something that people keep coming back for.”

And whether you're coming here for lunch, brunch or dinner, you're sure to try something deliciously different at Rosebud Kitchen and Bar.