On Wednesday, March 11 chic Boulder food court Rosetta Hall welcomed a new concept from Top Chef and James Beard-nominated chef Carrie Baird. Rose’s Classic Americana replaces Justin Brunson’s Folsom Foods with a short but superb menu of breakfast, lunch and dinner staples. Protege turned collaborator Natascha Hess — the chef behind the former food truck and Rosetta neighbor The Ginger Pig — will help in the kitchen, devoting two of her five days a week spent at the hall to the new project. Breakfast will be served daily from 8 to 11 a.m., with a sandwich and salad-heavy set of options being available until 9:30 p.m. The opening marks Baird’s departure from Bar Dough — a kitchen she had helmed since June 2017.
The breakfast menu features several of the dishes that have become staples in Baird’s culinary repertoire. Two iterations of her famed fancy toasts are both served on sourdough sourced from neighboring The Med. The ricotta and jam ($7) comes with a puffy layer of whipped ricotta, house-made blueberry jam, lemon and a drizzle of olive oil. The Nutella and jam ($7) is served with a relatively understated coating of the Ferrero staple, the same blueberry jam and a conspicuous crunch of blended “super seeds.” The huevos rancheros ($12) that famously beat Bobby Flay live up to the hype and despite looking fairly standard on paper, are anything but in Baird’s hands. The breakfast stew ($12) comes with braised yellow eye beans, chili garlic condiment, salsa verde and hand-torn croutons and is the only item that crosses over to the afternoon and evening menu. Daily selections of breakfast burritos (veggie $6, meat $7) will be available for grab-and-go.
After 11 a.m. the menu sees another set of standards delivered with virtuosity. The kale and brussels sprout salad ($13) comes with spicy goddess dressing, sliced almond, avocado, super seeds, Gran Padano and dried cantaloupe. “It’s the greatest dried fruit in the world that nobody eats,” smiled Baird. The cheeseburger ($14) comes with “Fromage American,” “shrettuce,” dilly dills and sexy sauce all atop a brioche bun. Much like the amusing listed ingredients, the sandwich subtly transforms the definitive symbol of American cuisine into a dish that is jointly nostalgic and refreshing. The fried chicken sammy ($14) is similar for breathing new life into the fast food favorite.
With the opening of Rose’s, Rosetta Hall continues to push the envelope for Colorado food halls. Adding that Morin‘s McLain Hedges recently took over the bar program, there’s plenty to expect as the stylish cafeteria continues to take a foothold.
Roses Classic Americana is located in Rosetta Hall at 1109 Walnut St., Boulder. It is open every day 8 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.
All photography by Marla Keown.