Episode VII - Rose & Crown (ATL)

What is a Reuben Ranger to do on a no-meat Good Friday? Find a vegetarian Reuben. Luckily the Rose & Crown Tavern had me covered. I discovered this great little pub last fall when I came for a Broncos Meet Up. It is a neighborhood gem, TVs everywhere and feels like the legitimate pubs I would enjoy back east.

 Bella Reuben
 "Just like the Pub Reuben but a vegetarian version made with sauteed portabella"


Appearance - (4.4/5.0)
Beautiful sandwich but I can't get past the toothpicks. You may remember from Episode I I am terrified of toothpicks in my food. Other irrational phobias of mine include live poultry and revolving doors. Revolving doors are the worst! Have you ever been stuck in one of those things? Ever get your fingers stuck in one of those things? Me neither, but still.

This was a good example of nice profile shot. You can see all of the components of the sandwich from the side shot. The fries on the side are nothing special but do frame the sandwich on the plate. Finally, my obligatory comment on the marbling of the rye, well done!

Quality of Ingredients - (4.4/5.0)
The bread, as nice as it looked, was kind of soggy. It was not toasted well. It's a shame because the other ingredients were all solid. I had trouble finding the Swiss cheese at first. I think it got lost with the sauerkraut. Once I found it I liked it. The bella was very substantive. Some Reuben amateurs may not have even noticed the substitution. It held its own mixed in with a very tangy dressing and a stiff sauerkraut.


Price - (4.8/5.0)
$7.95! Not bad at all. Price is never evaluated in a vacuum on this blog. The pub atmosphere was great, the waitress was easy on the eyes, and there was live music. Can't complain.


Je Ne Sais Quoi - (4.1/5.0)
There were a couple of times I had to remind myself this was a vegetarian sandwich. The mystery and intrigue of the sandwich would have been much higher but it was grounded by the soggy rye.


Taste - (8.8/10.0)
I would like to go into the 9s but the bread just won't let me. The Swiss cheese was largely MIA. The dressing was very smooth and tangy. The menu did not say house-made but it tasted like it. There were a couple of bites where it came all together but was inconsistent throughout the meal.

Overall - (26.5/30.0)
Would I order this again? Yes. But, I would probably share my previous experience with the server and ask that the bread be toasted thoroughly. This place does have a classic pub Reuben and you can bet I will be back to try it.

Here is a picture of Danny Boy checking it out.