Bryan’s newest restaurant is farm to table, upscale and co-owned by a Texas A&M student.
When Amanda and Bryan Light, the owners of Ronin, first came to Bryan, they only intended to open a farm. However, after a failed audition for Top Chef, the couple encountered a direct farm to table restaurant and were inspired. In June 2015, they began planning their own restaurant so they could turn their own produce and the produce of other local farmers immediately into exceptionally fresh dining for those in the Bryan-College Station area. Three years and quite a lot of personal effort later, it’s finally open, and completely local — even the freezer, stove and special hanging tables were designed and built by the Lights themselves.
The menu at Ronin is based entirely on what is fresh, so if you see something you want, you better get it quickly. Bryan said the restaurant keeps visitors — and the chefs —on their toes by changing the selection frequently.
“If you come one day, the next day the menu might be similar, but you come in a month later, it’ll be completely different,” Bryan said, “We’ve been open three nights and had three different menus.”
At Ronin, everything from their farm that can’t be immediately used in a dish is pickled. Bryan explained that they were excited to have their very own root cellar right beneath the restaurant where they can do their pickling in-house.
“That’s one of the things we love about our building,” Bryan said, “It isn’t very often that a restaurant has its own root cellar.”
Amanda Light, Ronin co-owner and women’s and gender studies senior at A&M, said the most exciting thing is how the restaurant will benefit the local community. Amanda said that helping the local economy was the best part of opening this restaurant.
“We’re very excited to keep business local, we love our team, and we love the interactions with local farmers,” Amanda said.
To make a reservation and see a sample menu, visit ronintx.com.