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Roka

Address:	37 Charlotte Street W1T 1RR
Tel	020 7580 6464
Email:	info@rokarestaurant.com
Website:	Visit Roka website
Price: £66.00	Wine: £24.00	Champagne: £45.00
Opening Hours:	Tues-Sat 12N-3pm (Sat -3.30pm) Mon-Sun 6-11.15pm (Sun -10.30pm)

Square Meal review of Roka:

Despite being the younger sister of Knightsbridge’s effervescently popular Zuma, Roka has managed to forge its own identity as a top-notch Japanese eatery. The room is dominated by simple blonde woods, but with floor-to-ceiling windows & a huge robata grill at its centre, it manages to feel buzzing & glamorous. You can pig out on sushi – the soft-shell crab & kimchi maki packs a real punch – but Roka’s real strength is the dishes cooked on the open-flame robata grill. The baby back ribs are rich & sticky, while miso-marinated sea bream is deliciously sweet & savoury, & crab hotpot is puckered up with ginger & wasabi tobiko. Roka is packed out day & night – pitch up outside peak hours & you may nab one of the unreservable seats around the robata grill. Service is professional yet relaxed, but Roka’s downside – one that it shares with many Japanese restaurants of this calibre – is that its delights don’t come cheap.

Wine List: Roka has a good mid-sized list, laid out by grape variety. The bins cover the whole world, but those from Italy & Australia have been sourced with real passion. There is a wide range by the glass, which is useful for food & wine matching. An interesting collection of sakes completes the excellent offer. Best Buy White 2006 Novacella Kerner, Alto Adige, Italy, £28. Best Buy Red 2004 ‘Te Tera’ Pinot Noir, Martinborough Vineyard, New Zealand, £34.