Roka Akor Blog

When that craving for sushi hits, you know how to go about getting what you want: drive to one of your favorite sushi restaurants (such as Roka) order your favorite sushi (sashimi, sushi, maki rolls) and patiently await the mouthwatering dishes to arrive at your table.

But, what if you had to make your own sushi?

Many see making sushi as an art, a creation of food—and it is just that. Many steps go into this creation, like preparation (retrieving the correct ingredients, such as the selection of sushi-grade fish), making sure you have the right tools (such as a sharp knife and a bamboo mat), cooking your rice to perfection (an absolute critical step) and knowing what you are going to actually create.

The above seems like a lot of work in order to be rewarded with the petite pieces of rich, satisfying sushi. But…it is not impossible.

There are many websites and FAQ’s online that will lend making wonderful tips. There are even some great videos on You Tube with step-by-step instruction.

Even better however, Roka now has classes the last Sunday of every month, from 2pm to 4pm. Join Executive Chef Ce Bian as he teaches you the tips and tricks of making some of your favorite Roka creations. The cost for the class is only $65, which includes pairings of beer and sake. Classes fill up quickly, so call 480.306.8800 to book your reservations.

Creating your own sushi with Roka has many rewards: you are able to see how this wonderful and unique cuisine is made, you receive tips and tricks from an expert, your ingredients and preparation are all ready for you (no extra work there) and, perhaps, your own sushi will taste even better from all of your hard work!

The Phoenix New Times online blog Chow Bella, by Michele Laudig, ranks number 59 on the 100 Favorite Dishes list of restaurants in Arizona! Laudig describes this unique dish as having a ”clean flavor and silky texture.” Check out the online post here.

Roka’s Izakaya Happy Hour is a gathering place to enjoy tasty treats & delicious drinks! However, this idea is not a new one. These traditional Japanese establishments, known as Izakaya houses, have been in existence since the Edo Period in Japan (1603-1868). The origin of “Izakaya” is broken down into two parts: “I” (to sit) and “sakaya” (sake). Originally, Izakaya was known as “sake house,” a space where this savory concoction was created, packaged & sold. Eventually, guests could partake in the sake they recently purchased at the sake house. Small appetizer plates began to appear as an accompaniment to the drink, and Izakaya evolved into what it is today: a comfortable space for after-work, late-night get-togethers. 

In Japan today, Izakaya houses are symbolized by red lanterns (akachōchin in Japanese) as most establishments display paper lanterns in front of their shops. In traditional Japanese Izakaya houses, guests sit on mats & use low tables or have seating at the bar. 

Just like traditional Izakayas, Roka’s Izakaya Happy Hour is a gathering place for everyone to enjoy tasty bite-size fare & deliciously (discounted) drinks! We won’t make you sit on the floor, but please join us in our beautiful Shochu Lounge during Izakaya Happy Hour & take a step back in time!

Sake It to Me!

Never tried sake? Or, are you a huge fan of this delicious rice-based beverage? Either way, stop by Roka & get your taste buds talking! Roka has an extensive sake list, including separate carafes & meticulously chosen sake flights. Take a look at our drink menu & decide which one you will try first!

Go to: http://www.rokaakor.com/menu.php
Click on Sake & Wine

Wasabi and ginger: the two items that always accompany a delicious sushi dish. They may not look like they belong together; one a green, paste-like substance and the other, pink and delicate, but these two are best friends.

Wasabi, a relative to mustard, cabbage and horseradish, usually comes in root-form and imparts an extremely strong, spicy flavor. Unlike other food accompaniments like traditional hot sauce, which affect the tongue, wasabi stimulates nasal passages through its production of vapors. This delicious item poses a threat to newcomers of sushi however, as the traditional creation of Nigiri sushi includes placing a bit of wasabi between the fish and rice—a definite surprise for some! A painful burning sensation is felt with this spiciness, but usually only lasts for a few seconds and can be relieved with water.

Cultivation of wasabi on a large scale can be difficult, and because of the high demand for wasabi, Japan imports large amounts from other countries. Pure, constant flowing water is the best condition for the growth of wasabi, although it is artificially cultivated today, because of its demand.

Wasabi not only imparts a delicious flavor to sushi, but may reduce risks of food poisoning due to its anti-microbial properties. Who knew?

The ying to wasabi’s yang, ginger is sweet and spicy all at once. Pickled, stewed, candied, dried, fresh, ground—this character has many hats. Ginger also aids in preserving food and helps to ease nausea. Ginger is also aesthetically pleasing and produces white and pink flower buds that bloom into beautiful, yellow flowers.

Ginger is paired with sushi, not only for the flavorful effects, but because this pickled friend cleanses the palate and helps with digestion.

So the next time you are enjoying Roka’s Hamachi Serrano Roll or the Spicy Avocado Roll, add a little more heat and sweet—and enjoy!

A common menu feature at any Japanese restaurant, miso can add an interesting flavor to almost any savory dish.  When most people think of miso, they think of soup.  But what exactly is this traditional Japanese seasoning?

Although miso is most commonly made from fermented soybeans, it can also be produced from rice, barley or wheat with the addition of kōji yeast.  The fermentation can last anywhere from weeks to years.  When the process is complete, the ingredients are ground into a thick paste.  The resulting product can be used to add a salty, savory taste and buttery texture to a variety of dishes.  It is often found in soups, sauces, dressings, marinades and patés, and may be used to replace salt or soy in recipes.

Not only is miso tasty, but it’s also healthy.  Rich in vitamin B12, it is also a great source of protein, making it an excellent addition to a vegan diet.  It can also help fulfill daily requirements for zinc, manganese, and copper.  It is also believed that the consumption of miso can lead to a lower incidence of breast cancer.

The most common types of miso are red miso, or akamiso, and white miso, or shiromiso. The flavor, aroma, texture, and appearance of miso vary regionally and seasonally.   Other important variables that contribute to the flavor a particular miso include temperature, duration of fermentation, salt content, variety of kōji, and fermenting vessel.

At Roka Akor, many different types of miso can be found on the menu.  White miso, with its mild, sweet flavor and smooth texture, is found in our white miso soup.  Red miso has a richer, saltier umami flavor that makes an appearance in a delicious broth accompanying our manila clams and cilantro.  It can also be found on our June Kaiseki menu in a sauce highlighting the baked eggplant course.   Like red miso, barley miso is rich and salty, although it is darker in color.  We use it to liven up robata-grilled tofu skewers with yuzu.  Other dishes to try are zucchini skewers with miso mustard, robata-grilled marinated pork chop with sweet miso and kimchi, and yuzu miso-marinated black cod with pickled red onions.  Each of these dishes showcases a unique way that miso can be used to perk up a meal.

You’re dining at Roka Akor.  You take a bite of your chicken teriyaki entrée with shiitake mushrooms.  You close your eyes and focus on the flavor, but you can’t quite identify what you’re tasting.  It’s certainly not sweet, sour or bitter, and although it’s seasoned just right, you couldn’t really call it salty either.  It’s simply… delicious.   What you’re tasting is umami, which takes its name from the Japanese word for, well, delicious.

Since the heyday of the ancient Greek philosophers, scientists had long accepted the theory that there were just four tastes perceptible to the human tongue.  But in the late 1800s and early 20th century, a couple of astute men on opposite sides of the globe began to suspect that the scientists were missing something.  In France, a chef named Auguste Escoffier was already taking the Parisian culinary world by storm when he invented veal stock and begun to really shake things up.  This new ingredient, the foundation of most of his sauces and one of the first recipes listed in his esteemed cookbook Le Guide Culinaire, embodied a flavor unlike anything previously known to his patrons.  It was savory, meaty, rich—delicious.   Like magic, it enhanced everything it touched.  But no one could quite grasp just what it was they were tasting until a decade or so later, when a chemist several thousand miles away in Japan had an epiphany similar to that of Escoffier.

Kikunae Ikeda was enjoying his bowl of dashi, a traditional Japanese seaweed soup commonly used as stock in a variety of dishes, when he noticed that its flavor seemed to defy all known categories of taste.  He couldn’t quite pinpoint what it was, but he knew it was similar to the taste found in tomatoes, asparagus, cheese and meat, and it was indeed delicious.  In his lab, he managed to isolate the common factor–glutamic acid.  He decided to rename it umami, presumably to avoid cursing such a wonderful thing with a horribly unglamorous name.

Although it has been just over 100 years since Ikeda’s discovery, umami has only recently been officially acknowledged by Western scientists as the “fifth taste.”  While Asian chefs quickly embraced the concept, it has been less than a decade since the term has entered the popular American lexicon.  Recently, however, umami has taken off in popularity among gourmands searching for the culinary perfection it so aptly provides.  Understanding umami helps chefs to create tastier, more satisfying and more nutritious foods.  Even bartenders are now learning how to use umami to bring balance to their cocktails.  Look for umami at Roka Akor in dishes like robata-grilled shishito peppers with ponzu and bonita flakes, burnt tomato salad or toro sashimi dipped lightly in soy sauce–or perhaps a steaming cup of green tea.  When the epiphany hits your taste buds, you will understand what Auguste Escoffier and Kikunae Ikeda knew over a century ago.

This past weekend, the Scottsdale Culinary Festival attracted over 35,000 guests at a two-day event showcasing local food and wine offerings.  The highlight of the weekend was the Great Arizona Picnic, where over 40 area restaurants served up samples of some of their menu highlights.  We are pleased to announce that Roka Akor was voted Best Food at the picnic by a panel of eight judges.  The winning dish, Robata-Grilled Korean Spiced Lamb, was evaluated based on taste, presentation and originality.  Our grilled corn was a huge hit with the judges as well.   Thanks to everyone who came out to the festival and supported us!  If you have any festival pictures or stories, please share them in the comments section below.  For those of you who were unable to make it this year, our lamb and grilled corn, as well as many other traditional Japanese dishes, are available nightly on our dinner menu.