Rouxster’s Catering And Cafe

𝙄 𝙢𝙖𝙙𝙚 𝙖 𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙢𝙮 𝙩𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚 𝙗𝙪𝙙𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙜𝙡𝙖𝙙 𝙄 𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙩:

Some restaurants jump right out at you with easy to see signs or prime locations. Others are not so visible. When I first see Rouxster on S Section St, I assume that–since catering is what they advertise–a sit-down restaurant is not what they’re about. And that’s where my assumption, it turns out, goes awry. Yes, Rouxster Catering and Cafe (as it’s officially known) offers catering, but that’s not all. Owner Chad Kirtland adds a cafe at that same location about a year ago. The place is small, with only a handful of tables inside. Being off the beaten path a few blocks from the immediate downtown area, Rouxster would be easy to miss. And that would likely be your loss if you enjoy Cajun creole southern soul food, as Kirtland, a Fairhope resident, describes his creations.

Kirtland has no shortage of culinary qualifications. He grew up in New Orleans and has had a passion for cooking his entire life, including spending time in restaurants in his 20s. Years ago, his culinary creations lead to friends asking him to cater their weddings and parties. The momentum grows, leading to his decision to offer seated dining.

When a friend and I make our first visit for lunch there Tuesday, Jan, Chad’s partner, greets us. Right off the bat, a look at the menu tells me I’ll be coming back to the place to try different choices. Options include chicken and sausage jambalaya, crawfish etouffée, New Orleans muffulettas and more. But when I see the crab cake sandwich featuring roasted red pepper remoulade and spicy purple slaw ($15), the decision is made. My lunch partner goes for the grilled reuben ($14) along with a cup of chicken and sausage gumbo ($5).

My first bite into the crab cake sandwich confirms what I already suspect: Tastes as good as it looks. My lunch partner says his reuben is very good and he compliments the gumbo (which I’m wishing I had ordered). Jan is nice enough to bring me a sample of the gumbo; it’s soupy, not thick, but has flavorful taste (Kirtland tells me the gumbo wins best of show during the Coastal Alabama cookoff in 2024).

With a dollar bottle of water, my lunch total winds up at $17.44.

Rouxster makes a variety of products available for take-home meals. If you want to stop in and pick up a container of chicken and sausage jambalaya, shrimp creole, butter beans or any of several other choices to take home, step inside and check out the refrigerated offerings loaded with fresh and frozen foods, including items on the menu.

If you’re interested in experiencing Kirtland’s passion for food on a closer level, he teaches cooking classes in conjunction with Rouses Markets. The classes take place on the eastern shore and at the beach.

My friend and I walk out in agreement that we’ve had a very good lunch and that my mistake of skipping over Rouxster as a lunch spot has been corrected. No debate as to whether I’ll be returning, but the question to answer now is, what to get next time? Another crab cake sandwich? That would be A-okay with me, though other items on the menu seem to call my name, too. And then, Chad ups the stakes, declaring his roast beef poboy to be ‘the best you’ll find outside of New Orleans.’ Even the three salads Rouxster serves–Spinach Berry, Greek and Citrus–all sound tempting.

Rouxster Catering and Cafe is open for lunch between 10 and 3 TUE-SAT at 209 S Section St. The location is between Fels Ave and Gaston Ave, south of
the AT&T building, only a few blocks from downtown Fairhope.

Rouxster can be reached at 251-237-3030. Find them on Facebook and on their website.