When you walk into Roka Akor, it’s hard to miss our robata grill. Located in the center of the dining room, it is the heart of the restaurant, where 60 percent of our menu is prepared. Japanese for “around the fireplace,” robata grills originated hundreds of years ago among Japanese fishermen who would grill their daily catch on the boat, using wooden oars to pass food from boat to boat to share with their neighbors. This slow grilling method relies on oak charcoal to enhance natural flavors, and meats, fish and vegetables are finished with savory marinades. Smoke is not a part of robata cooking, as binchotan, the charcoal used for grilling, is nearly smokeless. Instead, the charcoal is arranged in a pyramid to evenly and steadily circulate heat around the food, helping to develop umami flavors. Because of the simplicity of this cooking style, it is imperative that the ingredients used are of the highest quality.
While robata cooking has only recently begun to catch on in America, it has remained popular in Japan since its introduction. It is commonly found in izakayas (Japanese drinking and eating establishments), where customers sit around and watch their meal being prepared, with fresh ingredients for guests to point at when they would like to order. While you’ll have to speak up and tell your server if you’d like to order one of our robata-grilled dishes, you are certainly welcome to sit around our grill and watch our talented chefs in action.
The robata grill can offer something for everyone, from vegetable skewers like sweet corn with butter and soy and zucchini with miso mustard to entrées like marinated pork chop with sweet miso and kimchi, chicken teriyaki with shiitake mushrooms, and salt-grilled hamachi collar with tomato ginger salad. Try one of these dishes at your next meal, and make sure to grab a front row seat at the grill!