Treat Your Taste Buds to Roux 30A (& Nanbu Noodle Bar Coming Soon)

As Roux 30A  Executive Chef/Owner Nikhil Abuvala likes to put it, “I want our customers to put their trust in us.”

He has held on to this concept from the very beginning (they opened their doors in 2013), offering his Chef’s Table model to enthusiastic diners.

“We select the menu for you,” explains Nikhil. We offer a pre-fixed tasting menu that is not posted prior to your dining experience. Also, I wanted to force people to sit together at a big table…. not able to talk on their phones. This allows for total strangers to meet one another and make new friends as they enjoy a meal that they probably wouldn’t have ordered in the first place. Put your trust in us to put together a menu that you will enjoy. We offer our ‘Around the World’ series every month featuring cuisine from different countries.”

The series for September (Wednesday-Sunday, September 19-23) will introduce food from Brazil. Nikhil has visited 37 countries to date to research each country’s unique food preparation. By visiting the different countries prior to each Around the World series, Nikhil has learned from his experiences and added a good measure of authenticity to the featured meal while adding his own personal twist to the preparation.

Roux 30A is an invitation-only restaurant with a maximum of 32 people able to reserve their spot for their “County-Style” dining experience. There are no individual tables provided, with everyone seated at one of two 12-person tables.

“The idea is for you to feel like you are in your own family kitchen…we want you to feel like you are in your own kitchen as well as your dining room. We have 954 square feet to work in here with half of the area taken up by kitchen. So, we have a very intimate atmosphere established with the feel of a family reunion. By the end of their meal, total strangers have become friends and it’s wonderful to be part of it.”

Nikhil prides himself and Roux 30A as a place that provides pretentious food in a non-pretentious way.

“We put really upscale food in front of you… here, while dining at Roux 30A, you’re in a sleepy beach town in Florida where you are seated in community dining which puts this little level of casualness to it, but the food that is coming out is upscale and normally only found in a black tie environment….dress is what we like to call Florida Business Casual,” explains Nikhil.

Flip flops and shorts? No problem!

In addition to the monthly Around the World Series, Roux 30A accepts reservations for their Tuesday night Tapas and Friday Night Dinner Club. The Dinner Club offers a menu you can choose from, or a tasting menu is provided. Both nights are available for reservation from 6-9:30 p.m.
Private parties and Dinners area a big part of Roux 30A’s overall business with up to 34 guests able to enjoy the uniqueness of this popular establishment. Located in Grayton Beach (114 Logan Lane, Suite 1A), booking early is highly recommended (850-213-0899). Sometimes, having to get dressed and go out to eat can seem like too much to have to get ready for…SoWal visitors are often bushed after a day at the beach and that’s when Nikhil’s Private Chefs Service springs into action. Nikhil’s crew specializes in tasting menus for major events and private home gatherings.

“We’ll come to your home, provide a 3,4 or 5-course tasting menu, bring everything there, set it up, clean it up, it’ll look like we were never there. So, you get our high-quality food and service without leaving home,” explains Nikhil.

If you haven’t enjoyed Roux 30A’s 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday Brunch, be sure to make time to do so as the popular event will soon be discontinued. Their ever-changing Brunch menu offering endless mimosas, will be discontinued after Oct. 21, 2018.

“We’ve had a great success with our Sunday Brunch, but we are currently concentrating our efforts on opening our new restaurant, Nanbu “Southerner in Japanese”, a Noodle House that we are very excited about. We will be opening in early October in The Shops of Grayton with a cool environment that will be open later than most restaurants. We’ll feature Ramen Noodles, Noodle Bowls, Poke Bowls, Dumplings, Broths, Vegan and Gluten options…. good stuff that you won’t find anywhere else in this area. It’s going to be beautiful, loud, a really hip hang-out spot for people to enjoy.”

Again, Nikhil want’s people to “trust in us”, a mantra that has worked well for him so far. The new “noodle bar” will be unique in that there will be no reservations or even a phone number to call…word of mouth and social media will get people to the door. Nanbu ‘s location, within the Shops of Grayton and across from the Black Bear Bread Company, will be a welcome addition to the SoWal restaurant scene.

Phone for Roux 30A: 850-213-0899. Location: 114 Logan Lane, Suite 1A - www.roux30a.com. Hours: 6 p.m.-9:30 p.m., Tuesdays and Fridays. Reservation only. See Nanbu info at www.nanbunoodlebar.com .