Click here to check out our Rokerij Cheat Sheet!
Upon our arrival at Rokerij, we were promptly greeted by a surprisingly seasoned hostess, Edice (more on her later), who asked us if we had made a reservation.
We had attempted to make one earlier in the evening through Opentable, but had been
notified that we had “not entered the minimum party size for online
reservations.” When we explained this to Edice she frankly informed us that the
restaurant only takes reservations for parties of four or more and there where
no available tables at that time, therefore we would have to sit up at the bar.
We did as we were told and grabbed two seats at the furthest end.
This “bar” was actually a lot more like a chef’s counter or
expo than a standard bar top. The counter seats about sixteen and wraps around
the open kitchen in an L-shape. Fascinatingly, there is actually a bar, with
bartenders, tucked in the small corner of the “L.” This made for an interesting
dynamic with bartenders and line cooks dancing in and out of one another as
they harmoniously fulfill their orders. We noticed that though we weren’t
tucked away in one of their shadowy booths, the clatter and excitement of the
kitchen in front of you provided a privacy that was unexpected.
The Rokerij (pronounced Roker-ee) has quite an interesting
back-story. It is a member of the Richardson’s of New Mexico family of
Restaurants. It’s sister restaurant, Richardson’s, has a menu that features a
variety of Southwestern inspired dishes. For a long while Richardson’s and
Rokerij were both housed under the same roof, after Richardson’s burned down in
2008. Instead of putting Richardson’s on the back burner while they’re space
was being rebuilt, the company decided to offer both menus at what is now known
strictly as Rokerij. Though the New Richardson’s has recently moved back into
it’s own space just next door, you can still find traces of it’s southwestern
influence in Rokerij’s menu.
As we sat up at the bar scanning our paper place-mat menus,
Mike, the bartender, approached us with a wine list. After narrowing down our
options to a few different bottles, we asked Mike for some input. One of the
selections we had been looking at was a Napa Valley red blend. Upon hearing
this, Mike suggested a different red blend called the X Blend. Interestingly
enough, the blend that Mike had suggested was $20 cheaper per bottle than our
original selection. We quickly jumped at the chance to get a better bottle for
a cheaper price and thanked Mike for his honest guidance.
It was at about this time that Edice, who had greeted us at
the door, plopped down in the seat to our right, slid her credit card in front
of her and called out to Mike for her “usual”- a vodka tonic with a lime and a
glass of extra ice on the side. She quickly went on to introduce herself as
“Edice, like ‘lettuce’” and proceeded to reveal that she was ripe eighty-six
years old. When I asked her why she worked at Rokerij as a hostess, she
replied, “Because I love it. I love people. They keep me young. You keep me
young.”
Mike returned to see how we were enjoying the wine he had
suggested and asked if we had made any appetizer selections. We told him we
planned to share their meatball skewers but had not yet had a opportunity to
select and entrée. It was at this point that he directed our attention to the
blackboards that peppered the walls around us. In addition to their printed
menu, the Rokerij offers a wide selection of “Specials” as well as a “Dinner
Deal for Two for $46” (which appeared to be a great offer!).
Mike gave us a few minutes to ponder our entrée orders.
After some discussion we decided that Jamie would order the “Rokerij
Steak”($38) and Amy would enjoy one of their selections off of the “Specials”
board- a mixed grill, which included beef, pork and lamb ($35). Both entrées
allowed us to select two sides from their plethora of options (we both chose
their baked mashed potatoes and roasted corn) and we each decided to add a
house salad for an additional $4.
First to arrive in front of us was the meatball skewer we
had ordered to share. Five small meatballs on one skewer came served on a long,
thin square plate over a bed of what appeared to be a marinara sauce and was
top with a sprinkle of mozzarella cheese. We know, this dish sounds very much
like an Italian dish in origin, but we were surprised to find that these
meatballs had quite a kick! (That’s a spicy meatball!) The chef had clearly
introduced a spicy chili of sorts into a traditional meatball recipe to give it
that Southwestern flair that makes the Rokerij unique.
Next up was the salad we had added to our entrées. It was a
simple, yet substantial, salad that included mixed greens and croutons made
from sesame bread with a few slices of quartered tomatoes doted around the
edge. Amy had selected the Italian dressing, which she found to be light and
unassuming. Jamie, on the other hand, had selected their “house dressing” which
was a Jalapeño Ranch. The jalapeño accent in the rich ranch dressing was quite
subtle but just enough to make it stand out from your standard house salad.
Edice, who was still parked steadfastly beside us, insisted that we try a bite
of her “Rokerij salad” which appeared to be wedge-style salad with the toppings
you would normally find on a Cobb. We graciously accepted our taste and enjoyed
the crisp contrast between the cool iceberg lettuce and the decadent blue
cheese dressing and bacon. Perhaps our favorite detail about this second course
was the presentation. Our salads, which were placed in front of us by one of
the line cooks, came served on a metal plate, which had been engraved with the
Restaurant’s name. Much to our delight, the plates had been chilled- a
consideration that is rare but appreciated.
Our entrees arrived shortly after. Jamie’s “Rokerij steak”
was an 8 to 10oz filet, which had been wrapped in bacon accompanied by a
jalapeño hollandaise sauce and topped with Dungeness crab. Amy’s mixed grilled
included a petite filet, lamb chop and two small pork medallions which,
interestingly, came served a top a large tortilla. We noted that though we were
certainly not being skimped on portion size, we could fully enjoy our entrée
(even after having eaten an appetizer and salad) without feeling over-satiated.
The baked mashed potatoes we had ordered, which came served in a small
cast-iron ramekin, were delivered to us under advisement that we stir the
contents and allow it to cool off before tasting. We were also surprised to
find that our roasted corn had not just one or two, but three different types
or corn (sweet, yellow and white)!
Jamie remarked that his filet was
cooked to the perfect temperature and the thinly sliced surrounding bacon added
a complementary salinity. The creamy kick of the jalapeño hollandaise paired
nicely with the delicate crabmeat atop. All in all, Jamie thoroughly enjoyed
his dish and left nothing but a few kernels of corn on his plate. Amy found her
petite filet to be as equally well cooked but was surprised to find the sauce
that had been spooned on top added quite a substantial heat. The pork
medallions, topped with a fruity glaze, were tender and plump. But the real
stand out in this mixed grill was the lamb. Topped with what appeared to be a
red wine demi-glaze, the meat virtually fell from the bone as Amy devoured
every morsel.
With our bellies full and our wine
glasses empty, we were approached one last time by Mike who bravely asked if we
cared to look at a dessert menu. We assured him that while we would love to indulge, there
was simply no room and he proceeded to bring us over our check. We decided that
since we had some time to kill before our 10 o’clock showing of Spiderman, that
we would wander downstairs to the grotto-style Cellar Bar and enjoy an after
dinner drink. So we paid our bill, wished Edice well and headed out the front
door and down the stairs. Unfortunately, due to its small capacity and large
popularity, we were unable to snag a spot in the bar and had to resort to
trying again next time.
Overall, we had a wonderful
experience. Though we had not expected to sit up at the bar, we found we gained
a lot more insight (as well as a new friend) by being in such proximity to the
hubbub of a busy kitchen. It is very clear that Rokerij and it’s sister
restaurants hold the local spices and flavor very near and dear to their
hearts, and have managed to execute an all-American menu with a welcome
Southwestern kick!
We think, however, that the most
important thing we took away from our evening at Rokerij was the lesson we
learned from our wise new friend. After eighty-six years on this earth, Edice
chooses to spend her evenings ushering guests to and from their table through
the dark and narrow walkways of the Rokerij. Why? Because she loves it.
Jamie and Amy
