Ruijin Cajun is closing next week
If you’re one of the many loyal fans of Ruijin Cajun’s American eats from the dirty South, we’ve got bad news. The restaurant and bar will be closing their doors next Thursday 26 January – with plans to reopen in a different location come spring, or possibly summer. Co-founder Nathan Power says that the decision to jump ship on the current space is largely due to having faced a long year of continuous struggles with rules and regulations imposed by the Government-owned compound in which they’re situated.
This isn’t the first time Ruijin Cajun has had to move shop. Power and his partner Matt Rea initially opened and closed their former Yongjia Lu spot within the span of a year, reopening in 2016 at their current space on Changde Lu in Jingan. Power says that while they love the idea of being known as a vagabond restaurant popping up in a new place every year, they’re ready to find a better-suited, more permanent home.
But the team aren't walking away with resentment or hard feelings. Rather, they’re looking forward to a new space that’s more cohesive to what they hope to achieve as a business. ‘We want to reopen as a bar that serves excellent food, rather than a restaurant where people get drunk,’ Power explains. They’re on the hunt for a spot that will allow them continue hosting events like comedy nights and last year’s hit Bacon Fest as well as live music.
We’re not shy about inquiring after those swamp dog-serving pop-up stands they do, with hopes that we’ll still be able snag some Cajun bites now and again. ‘While we are getting our ducks in a row, we’ll put our feet up and take a little break,’ says Power. ‘As soon as the weather gets nice again, you’ll see us around town popping up. Even once we’ve reopened, we’ll be around town.’
We’ll keep you posted on Ruijin Cajun’s progress. For now, you’ll have to live without jambalaya and crawfish étouffée while these po’ boys find some new digs.
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