The Rosebud: The vibe
Like many locals in the area, I've been watching the movements at 498 King Street East. Once home to the historic Kingsbrae Diner, this cozy lot has been unoccupied for more than a decade, despite never changing the facade.
After some teasing on Instagram, the people behind Mira Mira Diner finally launched new Toronto restaurant, The Rosebud in late 2023, serving French fare and friendly vibes. The iconic sign may have remained, but the charm is brand new, and I couldn't wait to dive in.
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With only a few tables and a couple of stools around the central bar, The Rosebud is diminutive (capacity is a measly 28 people), adding to the cozy appeal and the sense of being one of the lucky few. I was thrilled to grab a spot in the window on the west side, where I could easily people-watch those in the tiny dining room and passersby on the street.
Colourful pictures of cats and flower-filled vases, all created by the artist Jules Monson, adorn the walls. The local creative is also responsible for the restaurant's exterior mural, a floral explosion with plenty of rosebuds in bloom, natch.
The Rosebud is simple but classic, with a checkerboard tiled floor, crushed velvet banquettes in shades of pink and cranberry, and chrome light fixtures and accents that give this wine bar a romantic aura. Bottles of old-world wine are neatly lined up along the floating shelf above the bar, and the lighting is dim enough to create that woozy atmosphere you want in a French bistro without necessitating a flashlight to read the menu.
The Rosebud: The menu
Toronto has seen her fair share of French bistros pop up in the last few years. And, while delicious when done well, beef bourguignon isn't exactly groundbreaking. So it was with some relief that I scoured the menu to find unusual menu items and curiosity-evoking ingredients listed.
With backgrounds in fine dining, co-owners Amira Becarevic and Justin Cheung are no strangers to this concept. Mira Mira, their charming pink diner in the Beaches, is known for French standards like steak au poivre and Cornish hen. What The Rosebud does so well is update these classics in a way that gives us powerful bursts of umami and flavour profiles we wouldn't expect, without making these beloved French dishes totally unfamiliar.
Dishes may seem par for the course, but after biting into the shrimp cocktail and tasting toasted coconut in the salmorejo (a thick sauce from southern Spain) — instead of the usual ketchup, chili and horseradish — I can tell we're not in Kansas (or should I say, Paris?) anymore. Likewise, the lobster salad is made with parmesan foam and generous chunks of seafood, which guests can scoop into lettuce leaves before depositing into grateful mouths.
Chef de cuisine, Jeffrey Yap (Scaramouche) brings plenty of surprises and Asian inspiration to the dishes at The Rosebud. Panisse, a street food snack from the South of France, is given the dim sum treatment. Yap switches out the classic chickpea filling, instead crisping up daikon radish into what appears to be a giant french fry, but is actually a fritter. It's sprinkled with truffle and chives and submerged into a pool of black bean chilli oil and cauliflower purée, and is utterly delicious.
Housemade pasta is always available at The Rosebud: For my visit, uber creamy tagliatelle is on the menu, topped with bright orange pearls of roe. It's on the heavier side, so if the other smaller plates don't fill you up, this will.
Devil's Food Cake, an amaro-infused chocolate mousse, is a great way to bookend your meal, and if you can squeeze it in, you absolutely should. It's a scoop of childhood nostalgia, but with a dash of flaky salt to remind you that you're still in a classy establishment, after all.
The Rosebud: The drinks
First and foremost, The Rosebud is a wine bar, so the wine list is meticulously sourced. We opted to pair our meal with wine, and our delightful server was full of information and quips about the winery backstories and winemaking methods that went into each sip. Wine by the glass is changing often, but we kick things off with a glass of Antech Limoux Reserve Brut, a region touted to be home to the world's first sparkling wine.
If you're in the mood for a stiffer drink, classic cocktails like martinis are available, plus some house-creations. You can also order a digestif: A glass of grappa was just the right pairing with our dessert and a top-notch way to cap off an incredible meal.
Dinner and drinks for two: around $135 before tax and tip.
