A few months back, Scottsdale was treated to a new entrant into our growing culinary scene. With sister locations in London and Macau and billed on its website as “Contemporary Japanese Robatayaki Cuisine,” Roka Akor does not disappoint.
The restaurant itself is very contemporary and open. The focal point of the dining room is the open-air robata grills where the chefs grill all sorts of vegetables, seafood and meat on “robatayaki” grills. What is “robatayaki”? It is the Japanese name for the open charcoal grills they use to cook the food.
Over to one side is the sleek bar area called “Shochu Lounge” after the shochu alcohol that Roka Akor infuses with many different and exciting flavors. Something not to be missed is the ice for the cocktails and the Shochu tonics. The bartender carves an individual chunk of ice off of a larger ice block with a knife. The end result is a custom ice cube for your drink.
The food is delicious and there is plenty to choose from if you want to go the vegetarian route or if there are many kinds of meat and seafood if not. There is a full sushi and sashimi menu as well as small plates and meals.
Additionally, there is a whole robata section with everything from robata-grilled eggplant all the way to scallops, lamb cutlets and ribs. Most of the food is designed for sharing – so order a lot of different things to sample. We really enjoyed the rock shrimp tempura, all of our robata dishes and the three piece sashimi plate. If you want to sample a little of everything, they offer a tasting menu.
Overall, Roka Akor was a great dining experience. So, if you are looking for wonderful, upscale Japanese food in a sleek and modern setting, you should definitely try Roka Akor.
Details:
Roka Akor
7299 N. Scottsdale Road
Scottsdale, AZ 85253
480.306.8800
www.rokaakor.com
