Caribbean fusion tapas and rum bar brings inspired taste of the islands to Jacksonville

Teresa Stepzinski, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union
·5 min read

A popular chef-driven Caribbean fusion restaurant is welcoming guests to the table of its new tapas and rum bar — believed to be the first of its kind in Jacksonville.

Pink Salt Restaurant + Veveta Tapas from executive chef and owner Richard Robinson recently opened at 1567 University Blvd. W. —  the former home of Gene's Seafood Restaurant and Blue Marlin Bar, which closed in September 2017 after 22 years in business.

Named in honor of his mom, the tapas and rum bar with its standalone menu will complement his Pink Salt Restaurant + Wine Bar — roughly five miles away at 1430 San Marco Blvd. in San Marco, Robinson told the Times-Union.

Pink Salt is known for its locally sourced menu featuring Robinson's innovative interpretations of classic Caribbean fare such as oxtail stew, curry goat, whole red snapper and roasted duck plus multiple plant-based dishes such as jerk tofu steak and chickpea curry.

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On the menu at Veveta Tapas

A wagyu beef dish with bok choy and kimchi is among the signature offerings at Pink Salt Restaurant + Veveta Tapas, also known as Vevetas Tapas by Pink Salt, in the Lakewood neighborhood of Jacksonville.
A wagyu beef dish with bok choy and kimchi is among the signature offerings at Pink Salt Restaurant + Veveta Tapas, also known as Vevetas Tapas by Pink Salt, in the Lakewood neighborhood of Jacksonville.

The rum and tapas bar offers a Caribbean menu with an international flair.

  • Scotland Wild-Caught Jumbo Prawns ($18, serves two): Jumbo prawns are blackened and served in a red curry coconut reduction, accompanied by Jasmine rice

  • Grilled Miso Bass ($34): Wild-caught Australian sea bass seared and served with baby bok choy, house-made kimchi and miso broth

  • Australian Darling Downs Farm grass-fed Wagyu steak ($35): Served in a miso broth with baby bok choy

  • 16-ounce Penang Curry Marinated Lamb Rack ($35, shareable): Served over garlic whipped potatoes and glazed with Penang Curry Sauce

  • Mediterranean wild-caught whole Branzino ($50, shareable): Grilled and served with a side dish

  • Jerk-marinated Quail ($24): Served with shareable lobster mac and cheese

  • Guava-glazed Pork Wings ($15): Served in a Guava Miso Sauce

A seared octopus dish is among the signature offerings on the menu of Pink Salt Restaurant + Veveta Tapas, also known as Vevetas Tapas by Pink Salt in the Lakewood neighborhood of Jacksonville.
A seared octopus dish is among the signature offerings on the menu of Pink Salt Restaurant + Veveta Tapas, also known as Vevetas Tapas by Pink Salt in the Lakewood neighborhood of Jacksonville.

The restaurant has a variety of vegan offerings such as Vevetas Salad ($18), featuring roasted organic seasonal vegetables, toasted almonds and serrano creamy ranch dressing, and Black sesame noodles ($14), with beetroots, carrots, edamame, scallions and house-made sesame-infused dressing.

Tacos, featuring brisket, roasted cauliflower or pork belly, range from $12 to $14. In addition, a selection of cheeses and baguettes are offered from $12 to $16, according to the menu.

Veveta will offer a diverse selection of 25 to 30 Caribbean rums as well as about 20 hand-crafted specialty rum cocktails.

Robinson previously said the main and featured rum will be Appleton Estate and J. Wray & Nephew — both premier Jamaican rums. There also will be other top-shelf rums, including rums from Trinidad, Guyana, Haiti and the Bahamas, he said.

Relocation revisited

Executive chef and owner Richard Robinson serves an order at Pink Salt Restaurant + Veveta Tapas, also known as Vevetas Tapas by Pink Salt, in the Lakewood neighborhood of Jacksonville.
Executive chef and owner Richard Robinson serves an order at Pink Salt Restaurant + Veveta Tapas, also known as Vevetas Tapas by Pink Salt, in the Lakewood neighborhood of Jacksonville.

Robinson debuted the original Pink Salt in 2018 at 6082 St. Augustine Road, also in Lakewood. In 2019, he moved the restaurant to a larger space at 5111 Baymeadows Road, which was the former Gubbio's Italian Restaurant, which had closed after 36 years in business.

Then in December 2020, Pink Salt relocated to its current San Marco location, which is the former Vino's Pizza and Grill building near Bistro Aix.

Although in a popular residential and commercial neighborhood, Pink Salt Restaurant + Wine Bar has been susceptible to disruptions to the chronic drainage and flooding issues common in San Marco. Robinson has said that the street flooding deterred customers and caused staffing issues at the restaurant

In early May, Robinson told the Times-Union that he planned to relocate his original Pink Salt Restaurant + Wine Bar to Lakewood where it would share space with the new rum and tapas bar concept — which back then had the working title of Vevetas Rum Bar + Tapas

At 4,532 square feet, the Lakewood location is big enough to accommodate both Pink Salt and Vevetas under one roof, he said.

Pink Salt Restaurant + Veveta Tapas, also known as Vevetas Tapas by Pink Salt, recently opened in the Lakewood neighborhood of Jacksonville.
Pink Salt Restaurant + Veveta Tapas, also known as Vevetas Tapas by Pink Salt, recently opened in the Lakewood neighborhood of Jacksonville.

As renovations were underway at Lakewood, Robinson reconsidered the relocation plans. He tweaked his plans so that Pink Salt Restaurant + Wine Bar will remain open in San Marco, where an ongoing city project is intended to alleviate street flooding and other drainage issues.

"I'm still concerned about flooding in San Marco. … But the more I think about it, we can close [temporarily] San Marco during hurricane season and the employees will have the option to come to this location," said Robinson, adding that the Lakewood restaurant is on higher ground.

Robinson also said that customer and community support helped convince him to keep the San Marco restaurant.

"We said 'You know what? People love San Marco.' And we want to keep our friends and our staff in San Marco so we kept this location. … And we've revised the menu, adding more seafood," Robinson said.

Mom approved

Server Rob Smith receives an order from customers Dick and Marcia Morales at Pink Salt Restaurant + Veveta Tapas, also known as Vevetas Tapas by Pink Salt, in the Lakewood neighborhood of Jacksonville.
Server Rob Smith receives an order from customers Dick and Marcia Morales at Pink Salt Restaurant + Veveta Tapas, also known as Vevetas Tapas by Pink Salt, in the Lakewood neighborhood of Jacksonville.

Robinson said the new restaurant is officially "Vevetas Tapas by Pink Salt." Due to a spelling glitch, it's "Pink Salt Restaurant + Veveta Tapas" on the building's signage.

He's named the Caribbean rum and tapas restaurant — among the first of its kind in Jacksonville — in honor of his 68-year-old mother, Vevetas. She had her own restaurant in Jamaica when he was growing up, taught him how to cook and inspired him to pursue his dream of becoming a professional chef with his own restaurant.

During a recent visit, she gave her approval saying she "loves everything about it," he said.

Vevetas Tapas by Pink Salt is near Mojo Bar-B-Que, A Southern Blues Kitchen in the Lakewood North section of Lakewood Promenade retail center.

It is open for dinner 4 to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; and lunch 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday and Friday. The restaurant is closed Sundays and Mondays. Reservations are recommended for both Pink Salt locations.

Teresa Stepzinski is the dining reporter for the Times-Union. Follow her on Twitter @TeresaStepz or reach her via email at tstepzinski@jacksonville.com.

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This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Tapas and rum bar Vevetas Tapas by Pink Salt opens in Jacksonville