ROHNERT PARK, CA (June 3, 2026) –Now open at Graton Resort & Casino, AYA is a new rooftop restaurant in Sonoma County from acclaimed Chef Roy Ellamar that blends Filipino and Hawaiian flavors with the ingredients and seasonality of Northern California. Salt-Baked Snapper in a shiso salt crust, Fireplace Short Rib smoked for 12 hours, and Tempura Soft Shell Crab headline the menu, served alongside sweeping views of the Sonoma Hills.
At AYA’s core is a 40-acre farm that supplies hyperseasonal produce driving the menu day by day. Defined by live-fire cooking, layered umami and thoughtful sourcing, the menu reflects Ellamar’s culinary perspective shaped by his Hawaiian upbringing and time in Michelin-starred kitchens.
“AYA is a dream come to life for me as a chef,” said Chef Ellamar. “I’ve created a menu that reflects where I come from while honoring the ingredients of Northern California. I’m bringing the spirit of kaizen, or continuous improvement, to everything we do in the kitchen, and I’m excited to bring people together and create an experience that is truly unique to the region.”
CULINARY HIGHLIGHTS
Guided by Chef Ellamar’s close network of regional farmers, fishermen and producers, moments of surprise are woven throughout the menu featuring tableside presentations and intricate preparations to deliver a new taste of wine country.
Farm
- Farm Salad with a selection of the farm’s vegetables, goat cheese and rhubarb vinaigrette
- Delta Asparagus with yuzu béarnaise and brown butter brioche
- Spring Pea Congee with fava greens, snap peas, and ginger scallion confit
Shellfish
- Chilled Seafood Platter with prawn cocktail, oysters, raw clams, spicy tuna, salmon tartare and Maine lobster (available in small or large)
- Sizzling Octopus Sisig with jalapeño, calamansi, farm egg and lettuce wraps
- Tempura Soft-Shell Crab with green garlic aioli and Bloomsdale spinach-sesame salad
- Maine Lobster Cocktail with avocado, cucumber, chili rémoulade and gem lettuce
Wild-Caught Seafood
- Salt-Baked Snapper prepared in a shiso salt crust and ginger-ogo salsa, finished tableside with hot oil
- Fragrant Wok Lobster with vadouvan curry, hearth-smoked turnips and Koshihikari rice
- Coal-Roasted Swordfish with Robuchon mashed potatoes, charred gem lettuce, and red wine demi-glace
- Whole Grilled Fish with a daily fish selection, shiso chimichurri and mala chili crisp
Meats
- Fireplace Short Rib smoked 12 hours with seasonal kimchi and Koshihikari rice
- Wagyu Flight featuring two ounces each of A5, A4 and A3 wagyu
- Akaushi Wagyu Ribeye wood-grilled and served with beef tallow potatoes and entrecôte butter
- Liberty Farms Duck with ginger fig preserve, smoked turnips and szechuan pepper honey
Sweets
- Calamansi Tart with coal-kissed meringue and Asin Tibuok – an ancient Filipino “dragon egg” sea salt – shaved tableside.
- Butter Mochi Banana Bread with Strauss Creamery butter mochi and banana ice cream
- Halo Halo Sundae with seasonal candied fruits, tapioca pearls, shaved ice milk, roasted banana ice cream and ube jam
BEVERAGE PROGRAM
Guests enter AYA through a living wine tunnel showcasing a collection of rarities and deep verticals that scale from accessible local favorites to hard-to-find international allocations.
The Wine Cellar
- Sonoma County Roots: Extensive selections from Kosta Browne and Aperture Cellars, helmed by award-winning winemaker Jesse Katz, including site-specific Pinot Noirs from the Sonoma Coast and high-elevation Cabernet Sauvignon blends.
- International Allocations: Highly allocated bottles from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, elite white Burgundies from Domaine Leflaive and Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey, chosen to complement the seafood-driven menu.
- Napa Valley Icons: An exclusive 100 Acres “Ambassador” collection including rare ARK Vineyard verticals dating to 2008, balanced by Bordeaux-style legacy labels from Cathy Corison with vintages back to 2000.
- Wine by the Glass: 35 total wines by the glass and 21 standard pours of red, white and sparkling varieties. AYA will also offer a high-end Coravin program featuring notable pours including Emmerich Schönleber Riesling and Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
Spirits & Sake
The bar features a specialty sake program complimenting Chef Ellamar’s umami flavors, alongside Japanese whiskies, small-batch bourbon, and premium cognacs including Louis XIII.
Culinary Team
Leading Graton’s culinary evolution is husband-and-wife powerhouse Chef Roy Ellamar and Jennifer Murphy-Ellamar, whose combined experience spans some of Las Vegas’ most iconic restaurants and resorts. Ellamar’s career includes formative time in the kitchens of the Michelin-starred L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon in Las Vegas and the creation of his critically acclaimed Harvest by Roy Ellamar at Bellagio, while Murphy-Ellamar brings deep leadership experience overseeing multi-restaurant operations, culinary teams and guest-facing hospitality programs. Together, they conceptualize, create and operate Graton’s food and beverage program, grounded in sustainability, local partnerships and staff education.
AYA serves as the crown jewel of Graton Resort & Casino’s recently unveiled expansion, a transformative new 144,000-square-foot smoke-free dining, entertainment, and gaming district. Alongside Chef Ellamar’s rooftop restaurant, the expansion introduced Playbook, a high-energy sports bar; and SoCo Dough Co., an artisanal doughnut and dessert concept, creating an all-new hub for dining, nightlife, sports viewing and gaming experiences within the resort.
Designed by Rockwell Group, AYA has a dedicated exterior entrance, a first for the property, allowing guests to access the rooftop directly without entering the resort. AYA also features two outdoor terraces, one designed for nightly dining and another dedicated to private events, creating an elevated setting for celebrations and corporate gatherings.
For more information, follow AYA on Instagram. To book a reservation, visit OpenTable.