Roaming Ronin is a veteran-owned restaurant in Corpus Christi's southside. It's tucked away off of Airline Road in the Manhattan Plaza. When you walk into its building, you'll immediately notice themes with Asian influences. Eddie Warren Jr. is the owner and executive chef who curated the environment to give his customers a blast from his past.
Eddie Warren's Military Experience
In 1999, Warren joined the United States Navy when he was 18 years old. He was in aviation ordnance, which handles aviation ordnance equipment. They are responsible for the maintenance of guns, bombs, torpedoes, rockets, and missiles. Their duties include the stowing, issuing, and loading of munitions and small arms. Warren was stationed in Yokosuka, Japan, aboard the USS Kitty Hawk. Warren served until 2004. During his last year abroad, the Iraq War started.
"We had to go out and be out there for like eight months straight in the water. That was a hard time, being out there for all of those months not being able to talk to your family. Not being able to know what was going on because it was a time of war." he said.
Despite that period of time, Warren said he had a positive experience during his four years abroad. He believes the military made him the man he was meant to be.
"In my time there, I just sort of grew up. Where I was traveling from country to country and exploring." Warren explained. "Just in the few years after high school, I did more than what most people do in their entire life. Going from country to country and building relationships with your military brothers and sisters. You just can't beat that."
Warren visited several places in Asia. He said the majority of people there were welcoming. He experienced kindness, friendliness, and patience as a visitor. His exposure to the continent's diverse practices made him fall in love with Asian culture. He said his favorite place was Japan. Almost 20 years after he left the military he decided to share his experiences by telling his story, with a universal language that transcends culture and boundaries... food!
The start of Roaming Ronin
In 2022, Warren opened Roaming Ronin. Warren's original plan involved operating a food truck, hence the name Roaming Ronin. However, the Navy veteran said an opportunity to have his own storefront restaurant presented itself, and he took the chance.
"This is better, so we went with that," he said. "And Ronin is sort of an outlaw name, sort of a person who isn't tied down to one discipline. It's a guy who will do a little bit of this, a little bit of that, whatever he wants."
The restaurant's menu embraces the concept of a ronin.It features a variety of Asian-inspired cuisine with Warren's own personal twist.
"I wanted to bring a little bit of everything. When I was in Thailand, there were a lot of things I enjoyed there, and then Singapore, Korea, and Guam," he added.
Roaming Ronin's most popular dish brings him back to fond memories from Japan. Warren's first meal overseas was a Japanese Beef Bowl.
He said, "It was the best thing I had ever tasted at that point. Fast forward 20 years, I wanted to bring it here. I tried to recreate it with memories."
What's next for Warren?
In July, Roaming Ronin will be celebrating its two-year anniversary. Warren said it wouldn't have been possible to make it this far without the community's support. In the future, Warren hopes to open another restaurant location. One location could potentially focus on Omikase. Omikase is a Japanese phrase which translates to, "I'll leave it up to you." The concept would involve a customer allowing the chef to determine what they're eating during the meal.
On May 10th and 11th, Roaming Ronin will be hosting an Omikase at its current location for Mother's Day. Seats are limited and must be booked in advance.
For more information, click here.
More Veterans In Focus stories are available here, along with resources for local veterans.
Contact Veterans In Focus reporter Michelle Lorenzo at michelle.lorenzo@kristv.com
