Previously I wrote about Chef Ron Eyester and his Morningside restaurant Rosebud, a well-loved and much publicized venue where many stop in for upscale comfort food for dinner or brunch. But Eyester (along with business partner Jason Chenette) owns and runs another eatery just across the street that, although it doesn’t receive as much culinary praise, he says is still a great eatery in its own right.
The Family Dog—a full bar with a “farm-to-table pub cuisine”—is “Rosebud with its hair down; it’s Rosebud’s playground,” Eyester said. “We’re trying to create a haven for people in the neighborhood to hang out.”
According to Eyester, Rosebud is the more labor-intensive concept. Rosebud is where he has to craft new dishes and focus on creating a more formal dining experience. He said he felt like subconsciously he opened the bar almost as a casual outlet for himself.
“We like to have a good time, and if I’m going to be here [at the restaurants] 14–15 hours a day, I might as well enjoy what I’m doing as much as I can throughout the day…
“So if I say something that would perhaps be inappropriate in a dining environment, now I kind of have my own playground. I mean, I can do what I want. I can say ‘fuck’; we’re in a bar!”
When asked if The Family Dog would be his last restaurant, though, Eyester said he doubted it. “I’d love to do at least two more concepts.” Among his ideas, Eyester mentioned a market concept where patrons could go “backstage” at Rosebud, offering shoppers the same locally sourced ingredients he uses for his restaurants, as well as a possible breakfast joint. “We’ve had so much success with that, and I could eat breakfast food three times a day.”
But considering how busy his existing projects keep him, Eyester said those ideas are definitely something he’d have to pursue sometime down the road.
For more information, call 404.347.9747 or visit The Family Dog’s website.
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