He’s been cooking your favorite meals at some of the best restaurants in town for years, but these days Eamonn McParland is preparing sophisticated yet unpretentious food at his own restaurant.
Roselily was launched in an unlikely space: a former diner, longtime home to South Bend, IN, institution Tom’s Restaurant and, later, L Street Kitchen.
McParland was chef at LaSalle Grill and Café Navarre before becoming chef and partner at Render Kitchen & Bar. He learned to cook as a teenager at his father’s neighborhood restaurant on Long Island, NY, and at a seafood spot in North Carolina. Last September, he and his wife, Sandra, opened Roselily just for dinner at L Street Kitchen, then a popular spot owned by McParland’s mother and stepfather, Meg and Mike LaCarrubba.
In January, Roselily took over full-day operations, enabling Meg and Mike to tiptoe toward retirement while still helping with Roselily. The family includes a third generation, the McParlands’ young twins, Mariana Rose and Liliana Grace, who inspired Roselily’s name.
Blending culinary skill with the heart and hand of an artist, chef McParland makes some magic.
Chef McParland’s beautifully presented contemporary American food draws from cuisines that span the globe. “If it tastes good and I feel like cooking it that week, I’ll put it on the menu. … I kind of go on kicks,” he says.
He plans the menu around in-season ingredients and tweaks it often. Everything is made from scratch except for bread, which comes from South Bend’s Elder Bread.
Brunch at Roselily offers something for everyone, from a traditional meal, breakfast burrito, burger or chicken sandwich to unique dishes like Banana Bread French Toast, Salmon Pastrami with avocado sauce, Red Lentil Shakshuka, a Crispy Trout Sandwich or Duck Confit Poutine.
At dinnertime you can dig into a burger or chicken sandwich, or you can explore McParland’s distinctive takes on dishes like halibut, rack of lamb, tuna crudo, steak tartare or duck breast.
Roselily’s dinner menu also features a daily Chef’s Tasting, a rare experience in area restaurants and more commonly reserved for special events. Guests can order a five- or eight-course tasting, with or without wine pairings, and talk with their server about dietary restrictions and preferences. McParland then creates a series of small plates, including menu selections sized for tasting and dishes prepared solely for the tasting. He starts with a general idea of what each evening’s tasting will include, then personalizes orders to accommodate diners. “I want people to enjoy what they’re eating,” he says.
Roselily offers standout vegan and vegetarian dishes, such as mushroom pâté, asparagus soup, ricotta gnudi and an artichoke sandwich. The menu also includes a nice selection of craft and other beers, wine by the glass or bottle, and beer- and wine-based cocktails at brunch.
The classic diner layout includes counter and table seats and treats customers to a view of the kitchen, and McParland enjoys cooking near his guests. Sandra has created a casual, welcoming dining room with plants she propagates herself and works by local artists on the walls.
“You could feel like you are sitting in your garden, looking at beautiful art that is all local,” she says, “and everything is for sale,” including the plants.
When you visit Roselily, look for an unassuming storefront window under a bright-blue awning. Don’t miss it—you would never guess a restaurant of this quality is in this space. The restaurant is upbeat, bright and bustling during brunch, more mellow for dinner. As Sandra explains, the vibe is casual, but the food is not.
Roselily
131 S. Lafayette Blvd.
South Bend, IN
574.347.4560
Reservations are recommended for dinner.
