Rockin’ Food at Roka Akor

dining-roka-akor-leadThere’s a certain expectation when dining at Old Orchard.

It’s really about the shopping; food is secondary. So while I thoroughly enjoy me some CPK and Maggiano’s, it’s not exactly destination dining—more like really tasty sustenance.

The landscape has changed with the arrival of Roka Akor. Started in Scottsdale in 2008, with newer outposts in San Francisco and Chicago’s River North, it’s a welcome addition to the North Shore dining scene.

The space is also much smaller than I had originally thought; only 72 seats indoors, with an outdoor seating area that faces the parking lot. Inside is where you want to be, with a view of the sparks flying off the robata grill and the sushi chefs slicing and dicing the pristinely fresh fish.

And unlike the bustling, scene-y Chicago location, this place has a zen-like calm that I love. Even though the room was filled on recent visits, the sound level was pleasantly low, making it easier to focus on the food. Trust me, you will want to do just that.

Shochu? Don’t Mind if I Do.

Creative, Asian-influenced specialty cocktails are a great way to start. Take the Shochu Smash ($12), a play on the Mojito. Here, a mango-thai Chile infused shochu (a liquor distilled from sweet potatoes or barley) is added to muddled mint, orange and lemon and served over crushed ice—the perfect summer beverage. I could say the same for the Roka 75 ($11), a refreshing sparkler that combines gin, blood-orange bitters, lemon and lychee juice with sparkling wine.

Are you a sake lover? You’ve come to the right place. The list reads like poetry: “Melody of Water,” “Radiant Dew Drops” or “Drunken Whale?” Refer to the menu tasting notes to make your decision. If you’re still at sea, the servers are helpful and knowledgeable without fussiness.

The Waving Bonito

I’m still haunted—in a good way—by the bonito flakes that twisted in the heated air atop the Grilled Shishito Peppers ($7.50), one of my favorite starters. You can eat the peppers whole, but beware, about one in 10 is going to be spicy, and there’s no way to tell until it announces itself in your mouth. Swig a little shochu if that happens.

Tuna Tataki ($16), ruby-red slices of ahi tuna lightly seared on the outside, are topped with pickled red onions, crispy garlic chips, and a crunchy tangle of shaved and julienne fresh veggies. Delish.

DINING-roka-tuna-tataki

We also loved the Omaha Prime Beef and Kimchee Dumplings ($9) with a vinegary dipping sauce, giving serious thought to a second order. The only disappointment was the Vegetable Tempura ($8); apparently the fryer wasn’t hot enough because the normally crisp exterior crust was soggy with oil, although the whole shiso leaf was gorgeous.

Maki rolls (pictured top right) were gorgeously presented on long ceramic plates. I highly recommend the Crispy Prawn and Chirashi Roll ($18), tempura shrimp rolled in tempura-flaked rice with avocado, asparagus and cucumber, all topped with a mix of cubed raw fish (tuna, salmon and hamachi) and shaved root vegetables. It’s a meal in itself.

Fireless Charcoal

The real draw for me is the Robatayaki (“fireside cooking”), a uniquely Japanese style of slow grilling skewered morsels over blazing hot charcoal, ideally white oak. It sears in all the goodness. You can’t go wrong with any of the vegetable side dishes ($4.50 each), like the Sweet Potato in ginger teriyaki, or the charred Brussels Sprouts with grainy Japanese mustard and those sinuous bonito flakes.

dining-roka-sashimi-salad

The Yuzu-Miso Black Cod ($32) was a revelation; I can’t remember ever having fish this buttery. It arrives wrapped in a charred leaf, which helps seal in the moisture. The addition of yuzu to the miso adds a lovely, perfumed element to the dish. The pickled onions cut the richness of the fish in just the right way.

While the Chicken Teriyaki ($15) with shiitake mushroom salad and the Ginger Teriyaki Salmon ($19) are solid options, and the steaks smelled amazing, we were surprised by the depth of flavor found in the Wild Mushroom and Mountain Vegetable Rice Hotpot ($12). For an additional $5, they will gild it with real truffle oil, which plays off the mushrooms in a very yummy way. It was like a funky but delicious Japanese risotto.

Lunch is a viable choice here, and the specials are a bargain for the quality. The Maki Set ($16), a threesome of spicy, Crispy Butterfish, Salmon-Avocado and Tuna Maki, comes with miso soup, pickles and salad; Omaha Prime Beef ($18) from the robata grill is served with miso soup, rice and grilled veggies. My favorite, though, was the Assorted Sashimi Salad with Chirashi Soy and Mixed Greens (pictured right); it was incredibly fresh and flavorful.

Not Quite Done!

There are three desserts available, all made in house. The best was the fragrant Sesame Cake ($8), served warm, topped with mixed berry compote and paired with a scoop of coconut-lime sorbet. A lovely ending on a steamy summer night, and in a totally unexpected location—who knew you could eat so well at a shopping mall? I’m a doubter no more.

 

4 out of 5 stars (A-)

MIBGradingStarDiningReviews2

Roka Akor 
Westfield Old Orchard Center
Skokie
847-329-7650

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