Local Catch Bar & Grill Celebrates Five Years of Food, Friends and Fun

Butter, garlic and green beans sizzle in a pan while a handful of marinated jumbo shrimp caramelizes on the grill. For the kitchen crew at Local Catch, making a meal is second nature.

Chef Adam Yellin gives Sous Chef Leo Cruz a grinning fist-bump thank you. While Leo preps for the lunch crowd, Whitney Rowan arrives behind the bar for lunch service. She’s been ten toes down since day one, even helping Adam and his business partner Jimmy Hasser clean and paint the restaurant before they opened in 2012. The group of friends met at the University of Alabama, where they were well prepared for doing business, and never, ever forgetting to have fun along the way.

“We used to have silly competitions, like who could work a whole shift without tongs,” says Chef Adam.

Fast forward five years, and newlywed Whitney was just promoted to manager. Jimmy’s family table has grown to seat five. Adam's getting married on the first of March to the mother of his son. It’s official ... the Local Catch crew has grown ... and grown up.

Still, it’s obvious that good times is what the guys and gals at Local Catch do best. And what better way to celebrate five years than a Sunday Funday crawfish boil?

Local Catch’s 5th Anniversary Party will be one for the books. Chef Adam ordered 500 lbs. of crawfish from a connection in his native Louisiana, and they’ll be handing out plates to the community … for free. It’s all going down March 5 from 3-9 pm and Heritage will perform on the patio for what’s definitely going to be a good-time-had-by-all.

We want to do this to say thank you. We really appreciate being here and being in business," says  Adam.  

At Local Catch, what you see is what you get. Then there’s the old saying, necessity is the mother of invention.

“In the early days we didn’t have an oven that cooked evenly so we couldn’t bake desserts,” says Adam. “That’s how I came up with Fried Oreos.”

And besides a ridiculously wonderful fried chicken sandwich, Fried Oreos are the most craveworthy guilty pleasure on the menu. They’re dipped in a homemade pancake-like batter and deep fried, then served hot a bed of vanilla ice cream drizzled with chocolate syrup. What you see is what you get? Well, I spy something awesome.

Local Catch’s culinary style can best be described as Baja with a little Creole influence. Chef Adam takes pride in keeping things simple, and in doing so he’s able to remain consistent. Most of his dishes are made with just five ingredients, fulfilling the senses with sweet, savory and spicy flavors and aromas, and colorful presentation.

Bacon Wrapped Jalapenos are grilled and filled with white cheddar and cream cheese for a savory combo that will make your list of favorite things on the planet. Caribbean Shrimp Tacos are colorful and fun with coconut rum marinated shrimp served with cabbage, roasted red peppers, pineapple salsa and house white sauce in a flour tortilla. While Local Catch’s take on Shrimp and Grits features fresh Gulf shrimp and New Orleans style barbeque sauce.

Looking to the future, Chef Adam has a few new products in mind, like bringing in oysters. And the guys are already cooking up top secret ideas on how the business will evolve over the next five years. Still, looking back over all that’s been accomplished, one sentiment holds true.

You’re working so you remember the people around you,” says Adam. “The rest is just a blink of an eye.” 

Local Catch is open daily for lunch, dinner and drinks on Scenic 30A in Santa Rosa Beach, just a bit east of Gulf Place at Hwy 393. Be sure to check out their Facebook page and the SoWal Music Calendar to see who’s playing. Visit localcatch30a.com to see menus and more.