Roka

It's Zuma's sister restaurant but Zuma is soooo much better. I wouldn't go back to Roka but I'd go to Zuma every week if I could. Disappointing.
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Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 5
Friday, August 31, 2007

Went to ROKA for lunch on bank holiday monday.Usually used to NOBU but was very impressed with this restaurant. The service was great very helpful staff happy to assist in ordering and suggesting some interesting dishes.

Sashimi/Sushi was excellent very fresh and presentation was immaculate.

Recomend the Butterfish with asparagus and the rice/crab hotpot but the hotpot takes 30+ mins so order first.

Will definately go back again soon.
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CharlesF
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 9
Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Went to Roka last week and was very disappointed. I ha read the rave reviews and was looking forward to some great food. Disappointment started with the sashimi, cut far to thick and served on a bed of crushed ice - almost like chewing ice cubes instead of having delicate morsels melting in your mouth. I have never seen sashimi cut so badly, it looked like a 5 year old ad chopped up some fish and the flavour was obviously gone as it was served on ice.

The sushi that followed was no better: tiny sushi with rice that fell apart as it touched the soya sauce. Again, the size was wrong and the execution very poor. The Unagi was also a disappointment as it felt bony. Would decided to leave and forget about this place. Charlote street is a great neighbourhood though. Roka totally overrated and very expensive for what you get.
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enrico - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 1
Sunday, August 19, 2007

Went to Roka last Saturday night for dinner...some of the best sushi/sashimi and creative presentation we have seen in London. Dinner was amazing...definitely worth the money! Quality of fish was on par with UMU, presentation even more innovative...
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a - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Had the £50 tasting menu at Roka last night. It was nice but i'm not sure what all the fuss is about. To be honest, I found it disappointing after all the hype.

Sashmi starter was as good as my local Japanese restaurant.

The cabbage was a spicy touch but served cold it didn't appeal that much. Aspargus was nice as was the dumplings and aubergine dish- again about the same standard as many a decent Japanese restaurant.

Sea bream in miso was the highlight of the meal. Creamy fish with a beautiful flavour. If all the dishes had hit this note my review here would be much more favourable.

Chicken yakitori had a burnt flavour and was really not that good (low point of the meal).

Desserts were creative and fruity a nice finish.

Overall a nice meal - nothing terribly wrong but also nothing special. We left a little on the hungry side having spent about £140. Would we go back? No.

If you choose to go, I'd advise to stray off the tasting menu as maybe there are more interesting things on the menu we didn't try.
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Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 6
Friday, July 20, 2007

OK its a bit pricey at 50 pound per head for the tasting menu so many might consider this more of a treat but be in no doubts it is superb food. Not personally a big fish/seafood eater but when things are sourced/cooked as well as this its difficult not to be completely converted. No weaknessesin the menu from the sashimi and sushi starters, fish and meat from the grill right through to the desserts, The presentation and attention to detail goes well beyond the gastro norm making it more of a dining experience than a meal. Service was excellent and most importantly for a tasting menu they were clearly well organised in preparing and delivering the dishes. If I was being super critical some of the tables are a bit close together which takes away from the overall excellent ambiance with the chefs/grill in the centre of the restaurant.
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Stuart - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Went to Roka for the first time last week and it was just superb! Roka is one of those restaurant where you have to book a table a year in advance! But we just turned up (as a friend recommended) and got seated at the counter right away. The meal was amazing, I love BBQ so we just went for the hot dishes and believe me they really know how to cook! Service was brilliant, quick, efficient and not intrusive, we were just sorry our waiter had to deal with a grumpy couple next to us. The only down side is that with Japanese food prices are a bit tricky, individual dishes always look cheap but you never realise how much you're spending untill the bill arrives! However we had a great night.
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Tom O''Brian
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 7
Friday, May 04, 2007

Went to Roka last week .had a fantastic time ,food was awesome. We had a friend with us who is a vegetarian and intially we were worried the restaurant may not be able to cater for her but it came up trumps for both the veggies and non veggies.

Service was very good and attentive,we let our waiter recommend most of the dishes and he delivered food that left my tasebuds tingling long after the evening ended. The place also has a good bar downstairs where you can chill if you get there early
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Angelica
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Saturday, April 21, 2007

Fresh ingredients, innovation and expert craftsmanship result in subtle brilliance. Irish oak graces the counter of the renowned robata grill as an ambience of understated sophistication combined with casual service create a rappor between the activity of the kitchen and the relative calm of the restaurant. Highlights include Wagyu beef, Oscietra caviar, ginger and spring onion and Grilled Scallop with Wasabi and Shiso. An obvious crowd pleaser, the £25 tasting menus prove a popular choice, but for those who want the true experience of Japan's finest, order a selection from the more expensive a la carte menu (with main courses costing up to £55, not cheap, but worth a detour). Rainer Becker is harnessing the niche of the Japanese food scene in London and is producing flashes of culinary imagination which ultimately create a new, unique and exciting dining experience.
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John Haidar
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 7
Thursday, April 05, 2007

Fantastic food and astronomical prices. If you like posing in pretentious surroundings with pretentious waiting staff then this is the place for you. Glean from this what you will. There are better places.
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Gabi
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 2
Monday, April 02, 2007