Rosebud Prime: Burger and Fries

Posted by Edmund in American, Chicago, Featured Articles, Restaurants | 0 comments

Cuisine: American, Steakhouse.
Specialty: Rosebud Burger.
Location: 1 South Dearborn Street, Chicago, IL 60603-2302. There are numerous other Rosebud restaurants (each with a different cuisine) that serve the burger, however.
Price: $12.95 for the Cheeseburger.

It was St. Patrick’s Day, and I was looking for a way to celebrate with a good old-fashioned American meal: Burgers and Fries. I had already stopped by a couple other burger joints that day, but none of them had satisfied my desire for a true meaty behemoth. So I finally turned to one of Chicago’s best steakhouses, Rosebud Prime.

As I entered, I was immediately drawn to the nearly opera-like layout and design, which emphasized simple, elegant grandiosity. The restaurant feels both comfy and romantic, with its huge classy bar, large high-backed chairs, very moody and dim lighting, and candlelight on all the tables. I especially appreciate the extremely high ceiling, which arches over two floors and gives a sense of extreme spaciousness. That grandiosity only continues with the gigantic chandeliers, composed of 20+ miniature lamps, as well as the large beige curtains draped along the high walls. Finally, the color scheme impresses, as all the seats, from the bar stools to the velvet chairs and couches, glimmer with a dark ruby.

But that grandiosity doesn’t really get at the vibe, which inhabits that weird space between the casual and the formal. Rosebud is the type of place that you can come to have a quick drink or a long, nice steak dinner, and where suits and jeans mix with no problem. That type of casual look seems to be very common in Chicago, and it works well here because the restaurant itself combines both formal and casual fare. If you’re just coming for the burger this is about as nice as ambience gets.

So I really was looking forward to this burger, as I took my seat at the bar and began a conversation with my bartender. He was a pretty jovial, interesting fellow, keeping his cool under the ridiculous behavior of some of the other patrons at the bar (It was St. Patrick’s Day). I promptly ordered the famous Rosebud burger, which comes with a behemoth meat patty, a heavy toasted pretzel bun, cheese, and some fresh vegetables.

As it finally landed on my table and I saw just how monstrous this burger actually was, I knew it was going to impress. Rosebud cooks the huge patty perfectly, without any mushiness at all. The meat thus tastes more like a steak than a patty, and I’m not surprised, given Rosebud’s reputation as a steakhouse. The beef is not seasoned very much, but it’s so succulent that the lack of seasoning is easy to forgive.

The other ingredients stand out, too. The burger features plain American cheese, but that cheese is practically grafted onto the meat in a thick layer. And while I’m not normally a fan of pretzel buns because they can get way too salty, here they work very well to hold up the weight of such a big piece of meat. Plus, the top bun has a thin, doughy layer on the inside that stays soft and chewy even as the top is crisped to perfection.

The one complaint—and this one’s huge—is that the burger overwhelms with its saltiness. At first, I thought it was from the pretzel bun, and I suspect that it might still be. However, I deconstructed the burger and went through the bun, yet it tasted fine. I think the salt was poured directly onto the patty or the cheese, and it overpowers the savoriness. It isn’t enough to destroy the burger, but if the salt were fixed, this might live up to the title of “Best Burger in Chicago.” Score: 4.1+/5.0

I also had a shot at the French fries, and to my pleasant surprise, they were the first set of truly enjoyable fries I had in Chicago. Rosebud cooks its fries on the thin side but leaves just enough potato in there for you to get a nice starchiness. The fries are on the more lightly/slowly fried side, yet they’re still incredibly crispy and well-cooked, which means there is never any mushiness in these fries. The lower amount of batter helps control the greasiness, and the fries never feel cloyingly oily. They’re slightly too salty, but I enjoyed the greens sprinkled on top for added freshness. Score: 4.3/5.0.

The value, though, wasn’t the greatest. $13 for a steakhouse burger and some fries may seem like a bargain, but it was a very simple burger, with no gourmet ingredients to justify the higher price tag.

Still, Rosebud may not actually live up to the hype, but it does produce a fantastic burger and fries combo nonetheless. If you’re in the mood for a burger in a classy setting, it is definitely the place to go.

Scores

Ambience: 4.2/5.0
Service: 3.0/5.0 (not factored into overall score, since I was sitting at the bar)
Taste: 4.2/5.0
Value: 3.2/5.0. Expensive for a burger, especially one so simple, though the quality is undeniable.
Overall: 3.9/5.0