Teresa StepzinskiJacksonville Florida Times-Union
A Jacksonville fine-dining chef who honed his culinary skills training under the tutelage of Michelin-star chefs in New York has opened an innovative fast-casual Mediterranean restaurant where guests are encouraged to customize their salads, wraps and platters.
Opened April 11, Just Kitchen Jax is the first restaurant from chef Justin Rohloff, who previously led kitchens at Jacksonville fine-dining restaurants from chefs Matthew and David Medure of Medure Brothers Culinary Concepts.
Located at 13423 Beach Blvd., No. 104, near Hodges Boulevard, the 38-seat restaurant focusing on light and healthy, freshly made hummus, pitas, salads and shawarma is in the former Bonchon storefront near Jersey Mike's Subs, Kairos Jax and Kimbe Asian Bistro.
'Food I like to eat'
Just Kitchen Jax is more than just a place to eat. It's an extension of his culinary philosophy, Rohloff, 32, told the Times-Union.
"Cooking for me is an art of passion and authenticity," he said.
Rohloff said he saw a niche for his restaurant in Jacksonville. The city lacked a fast-casual salad restaurant as well as a fast-casual Mediterranean concept emphasizing a customizable and elevated fresh-from-scratch menu, he said.
"Mediterranean is just something that I enjoy eating, and I wanted to cook. I just think it's a good everyday meal that somebody can have, especially for lunch when you want something light," said Rohloff, noting his parents met in Greece and that Mediterranean food has always been on the family's table.
Have some hummus, get a gyro or salad 'your way'
Just Kitchen Jax offers "Make Your Own" salads, wraps and platter menu options. Ordering at the front counter, guests can customize their meals by choosing from a variety of greens, proteins, toppings and dressings.
"All our greens are locally sourced. Everything is house-made, not processed," he said, noting there will be seasonal specials.
The "Make Your Own Platters" give guests a choice of protein, base, dip and sauce, according to the menu.
The protein options include cilantro falafel,Za'atar spiced shrimp,chicken or lamb shawarma,or pomegranate braised beef.
They can choose a base such as the Greek, which is garlic rice, tomato, cucumber, Sumac onions, olives, romaine lettuce and feta cheese. The Med platter base has creamy polenta, lemon garlic broccoli, basil mushrooms, arugula lettuce and feta cheese.
The spread options include Greek yogurt tzatziki, red pepper walnut,roasted eggplant,whipped Feta cheese and olive tapenade. Sauce choices range from harissa to cilantro pesto,Za'atar Yogurt Dressingor lemon tahini, the menu shows.
Many menu offerings are vegetarian. And the shawarma is roasted in-house.
On the menu at Jax Kitchen Jax
- Sibiche Pita ($12.50): Fried eggplant, boiled egg, tomato, hummus,Amba andZhoug
- Just Shawarma ($13.50): Beef and lamb shawarma, hummus,pickle, Sumac onions,beefsteaktomato,arugula, garlic sauce,harissa and feta
- Beef & Lamb Gyro ($13.50): Tzatziki, Sumac onions, Beefsteak Tomato,Arugula and feta
- Buffalo Cauliflower Salad ($13.25): Supergreen mix, roasted Buffalo cauliflower, Grillo's pickles, chives, shredded carrots, white cheddar cheese andbuttermilkranch dressing
- Hummus Bowl (13.75): Arugula lettuce, marinated chickpea, red quinoa, sliced egg, tomato, cucumber, olives, pickled onion, pita bread and crumbledfeta
- Steak Salad ($14.95): Grilled steak, romaine lettuce, avocado, marinated tomato, cucumber, roasted corn, Blue cheese and GreenGoddessdressing
- Red Pepper Walnut Dip ($7) Served with pita bread
Rohloff said the restaurant also will be offering a creamy polenta bowl. Available as The Med platter, the creamy polenta will be only served in the restaurant because it is too delicate for carry-out or delivery.
A chef's journey: From Jacksonville to New York and back
A chef for 12 years, the Jacksonville native said while growing up, he never thought of cooking as a career although he always enjoyed doing it. Playing with different flavors and trying out different foods, he said, just appealed to him.
While attending Florida State University, he got a job as a server but "was always peeking my head back in the kitchen, asking questions and hanging out with the cooks."
"More or less, I kind of fell into it. I was working in an environment that pulled me to it, attracted me to it," he said.
Returning to Jacksonville, Rohloff worked at the Good Food Company for a year which led to his decision to pursue a culinary career. So he headed to New York where he spent eight years learning from some of the nation's best chefs, including Michelin-star chef John Fraser to open Narcissa, The Standard East Village and NIX. In addition, Rohloff also worked at Lafayette Grand Cafe & Bakery, led by Andrew Carmellini, a Michelin star and James Beard Award-winning chef.
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Rohloff then came back home and joined the Medure brothers to open their Midtown Table restaurant, 5016 Gate Parkway, No. 6, in January 2020. He then was a chef at the brothers' Matthew's Restaurant, 2107 Hendricks Ave. for about a year and a half.
"Opening this restaurant is about me wanting to give back to the community. … I want to give back to the city that I grew up in and I love," he said.
Rohloff said ultimately, he hopes to expand to additional locations. But that will wait until after the original Just Kitchen Jax is established comfortably.
Just Kitchen Jax is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
Teresa Stepzinski is the dining reporter for the Times-Union. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @TeresaStepz or reach her via email at tstepzinski@jacksonville.com.
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