Roux is Tampa’s newest New Orleans-style restaurant located on MacDill Avenue. Owned by Datz’s owners, Suzanne and Roger Perry, Roux is all about “Creole Nouvelle”: present-day New Orleans cuisine. They import their products directly from New Orleans, making sure their dishes are fresh and authentic. Roux keeps the traditions of old French Quarter kitchens and takes inspiration from post-Katrina kitchens of the “New Nola” era; creating their own culinary history.

I visited Roux on Sunday evening with my family for dinner, and I can’t wait to go back. We were greeted at the door and immediately taken to our table. The smell of their wood fire grill is present throughout the restaurant, and the New Orleans music adds the perfect touch. I was impressed with the interior design; it made me feel like I was sitting outside in the French Quarter. Our waitress was very helpful throughout our visit, telling us more about what they offer on their menu and giving us great suggestions. We started our meal with two appetizers: crab beignets and a sweet cornbread with a caramel butter. The appetizers were so good we almost asked for more to take home.

We decided to get four entrees and share all of them. They brought out rabbit and dumpling soup, wood-fired pork chop with gouda mac and cheese, seafood gumbo, and a savory red fish. Our entrees were all suggestions from our waitress, and they were fantastic. We each had leftovers to take home and I can’t wait to finish them.

The night was finished after we had a pecan bread pudding with a bourbon caramel sauce on top. The bread pudding was perfect: not too moist and not too dry either. And the caramel sauce was the perfect finishing touch.

Roux is about to be open for lunch and brunch, too. If you want to get a real taste of New Orleans, Roux is the perfect place to be. Make sure you go with friends and don’t expect to eat light either!