From the ground up: New Lotus Noodle Bar coming to St. Augustine
St. Augustine is in a constant state of evolution. With tourists coming from all over the world, it is crucial to have a selection of different food options to choose from.
Barry Honan, chef and owner of the newest restaurant in the nation’s oldest city, Lotus Noodle Bar, is taking a huge leap by opening up this soon-to-be hot spot. By elevating ramen to another level, customers will enjoy a journey filled with flavorful surprises.
Honan uses a style of modern Japanese with integrated French techniques.
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Honan chose the name of his restaurant to symbolize something deeper.
“The lotus flower and my journey are parallels to each other,” he said. “The flower represents strength, resilience and rebirth. I feel like I’ve gone through similar traits that the lotus goes through; it struggles through the mud to become something beautiful.”
Honan’s journey has been quite a ride. At the age of 17, Honan became involved in the food scene as a dishwasher and moved up the ranks to cooking at a diner. Over time, he perfected his skills and progressed. Though he's held a variety of positions, such as rolling sushi and serving as a chef at an Irish pub, the one that put his name on the map was located in the Big Apple.
The young chef got his big break working for the three-star Michelin Le Bernardin in New York City. While being mentored by owner Eric Ripert, and during his time as a sous chef, Le Bernardin received the award for best restaurant in the world in 2018 and 2019.
“Regular kitchens are such a different experience than working at a three-star Michelin because that’s the top,” Honan said. “The expectations are high and the hours are long, but Le Bernardin is basically an institution.”
He said he was surrounded by the best chefs in the world, and learned so much day in and day out.
“When it comes to cooking and culinary, I always say, iron sharpens iron,” he said. “That’s something I kind of live by.”
The job did have its perks: Honan cooked for A-list celebrities like Michelle Obama, Mick Jagger, Oprah Winfrey and Martha Stewart, just to name a few.
Barry Honan wanted to put his own twist on food, open his own spot
Although residing in New York was an eye-opening experience, Honan still dreamt of opening his own humble eatery and sharing his unique twist on food. His fascination and love for ramen occurred before his New York days. He said he was captivated by the way chefs were cooking and adding all these ingredients to one dish, and wanted to learn.
“There’s a heavy Japanese influence at Le Bernardin as well, but it’s also primarily French; I kind of liked mixing and having the fusion of the two. That’s how Lotus was created,” he said.
Honan lived in St. Augustine for 10 years prior to moving to New York City. He returned to the nation’s oldest city during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Lotus project began moving forward.
He started doing pop-ups at the Floridian Restaurant on Tuesdays when they were closed.
“We just started gaining a huge following and got people who were so interested in what we were doing,” Honan said.
He believed in his idea so much that he turned down a job offer at the legendary San Francisco eatery The French Laundry. He has zero regrets and is truly excited about what he will offer St. Augustine’s locals and tourists.
“I want them to be satisfied,” he said of his guests. “I want them to know that they experienced something special and from someone that cooks with their heart.”
Lotus Noodle Bar is slated to open in Downtown St. Augustine this winter. For information, visit @lotusnoodlebar on Instagram or lotusnoodlebar.com. Also, follow Honan’s journey @chef_barry_honan on Instagram.
This article originally appeared on St. Augustine Record: St. Augustine restaurants: Chef Barry Honan to open Lotus Noodle Bar
