The Rosebud, Brightlingsea - pub details

yep, Gastronomic101 sounds exactly like the old chef, Mat Lucania. I know this as I had the misfortune to work with him and watch him single-handedly kill a great little pub. The good thing was he was then sacked and I took over... To be fair Mat's food was not bad at all, but the menu never changed for the 3 months I worked with him; 3 starters, 6 entrees, 3 desserts - that was it. But it was his attitude that drove people away - people friendly he was not...

But - The Rosebud... I no longer am the head chef there (owner purchased another pub and asked me to run it.) but the new GM is very knowledgeable FOH and is a very competant chef (Hilton head chef, re-launched The Geisha in Clacton and Harbour Lights in Titchmarsh Marina, both to rave reviews) and the Sous is also a well established chef with a great CV behind him. Real ales are always changing, and I believe still only £2.50 per pint and the food is usual pub fayre, but all cooked from scratch using the best ingredients.

Highly recommended for eaters and drinkers alike!!!!

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Dalai_Farmer - 4 Jan 2011 09:06

This is a lovely little pub that is trying hard (recently they added their own micro-brewery) I suspect that the comments left by Gastronomic101 is actually the old chef who left under a bit of a cloud. Him and his bird did their utmost to bring West London values to a quiet Essex backwater but their poncy and snotty ways just alienated all the locals. Take Granny's comment for instance. Anyway looks like they have a new regime in place. Two new chefs and a refreshing management team who are very welcoming. Good luck to them.

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upmejacksie - 17 Oct 2010 08:44

Recently visited twice in last 3 weeks, both were excellent - for different reasons.
Ate there with my wife. Food was lovely, Seafood Tower to start followed by Salmon & Hunter's Chicken as main's. Faultless. No room for a sweet.
Excellent ale - Harviestoun 'Bitter & Twisted' & Wolf 'Wolf in Sheep's Clothing'

The recent Bank Holiday mini beer festival is an initiative which should be applauded & supported. Had 8 well kept ales, all in fine fettle; Thornbridge 'Wild Swan', Thwaites ' Nutty Black', Elgoods ' Cambridge', Wadworth ' Henry's IPA, Wibblers ' Apprentice', Harviestoun ' Game Burd' & Nethergate's 'Essex Border' & 'Old Growler'. Look forward to the next one !

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dragonforce - 1 Sep 2010 21:58

What happened! I visited this pub last year and it was lovely, attentive management, local fresh food cooked to an exceptional standard. The management at the time had aspirations of rosette standard cuisine, the setting was great after the chef designed funky outside alfresco dining area, kitchen development and new furnature.
Me and my boating jolly's came to give the the rosebud another go last year after previous visits were tainted by village idiots with foul language and it was so refreshing to see the new breezy change and the reputation was growing fast in the wider communities, especially on the sea.
Now it's returned to the old mentality, the chef has apaprently gone elsewhere, and the food is just not as good as it was. I might find better service and food at the local chip shop (scooby Snacks) apaperently. In a town that was crying for some freshness and modern day thinking to bring it out of the dark ages, it's dissapointing that the change wasn't seen through. I spoke to some kind locals who said that the owner had started to make life difficult for the previous management, even the local fishmonger was sad to see him go.

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gastronomic101 - 13 May 2010 03:28

I think Gastrointeritis should wake up and smell the beans....we are talking about Brightlingsea here not some coveted burb of london. The Bud is and always will be first and foremost a boozer selling pub grub, locals are the mainstay of the trade in b'sea, no matter how may sailors turn up and order their beof d'jour. A gastro pub is a good ides however the bud has always been a popular local boozer, it just seems that you have chosen the wrong pub in probably the worong twn for a your busines venture.

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weezel - 16 Apr 2010 23:10

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