757 Crave restaurant owner Ronaldo Sitjar dies at 50
NORFOLK — Everybody referred to the late Ronaldo “Rohn” Sitjar as Superman, his mother said.
Like the superhero, Sitjar possessed a heart of gold, mom Yoni Austria said. The wellknown and respected restaurateur died Oct. 3 after a valiant fight with COVID-19.
The 50-year-old father of two and grandfather of three was Austria’s only son.
“Everybody loved him,” Austria said, noting prayers and tributes continue to pour in from around the world. “Since he was a little boy, he was a good kid who never gave me any problems.”
Sitjar emigrated from the Philippines in 1976 with his mother, stepfather and sister when he was 4 years old. He graduated
from Green Run High School in Virginia Beach in 1989 and attended Virginia Wesleyan University.
He built his livelihood from a love of cooking, learned from his mother. He had catered for his church and with a blend of encouragement and faith, Sitjar decided to become a business owner. He opened his first restaurant, 757 Crave, in 2008.
The popular breakfast and lunch spot operated in Virginia Beach and Portsmouth before settling into its current building at 142 W. York St. along Brambleton Avenue in Norfolk in July 2018.
But no matter the location, Sitjar gained a reputation for creating “bad ass culinary magic” — his catchphrase used as a restaurant slogan.
757 Crave served dishes like Austria’s “Thrilla from Manila” plate with eggs, garlic, fried rice and lumpia as well as Sitjar’s Belgian waffles that won best in Hampton Roads in a 2013 Virginian-Pilot taste test. His unique twist on beignets, a fried dough pastry, were among his specialty items craved by many.
Edizon Luto, manager of 757 Crave, said his late boss and mentor was very loving and giving.
“He was very thoughtful and pretty much a great human being who gave everyone a chance,” Luto said.
Sitjar also owned and operated the BB-64 Café within the Nauticus museum since July 2019. As a nod to his roots and the Battleship Wisconsin’s service to help liberate his native country, Sitjar served up American fare right alongside Korean, Hawaiian, and Filipino dishes.
And as the pandemic flared, Sitjar opened The Big Wisky Porch on the front deck of Nauticus. The open-air covered restaurant launched in the summer of 2020 as a trial concept.
Quickly revered for its waterfront views, safe outdoor dining and tasty bites, The Big Wisky Porch returned as a permanent seasonal fixture in April.
While leaving behind a Norfolk culinary legacy,
Sitjar will also be remembered for his kindness.
His mother recalled how on Thanksgiving her son would gather blankets and coats to give to homeless people, and he would ask her to make a big pot of soup to contribute.
One year, with all the clothing handed out, Sitjar took his own sweater off and gave it to a homeless man, she said.
One of the restaurant employees recalled the day he wandered into Sitjar’s restaurant desperate for work and was hired on the spot.
“He was a beautiful soul,” Austria said. “I wish he was still here.”