ROKA AKOR – Yes Please
Not sure ROKA Akor would have been on my radar in most realms. I have been there before, but it toes the line of a steakhouse. Really more Asian fusion – still, after several Chicago publications put it on their top steak places in Chicago – it felt fitting that we give it a go.
Sadly, the group was not a full boat. Scott was off having a baby, Brad was galavanting in Disney and Don was not to be found. No matter – the rest of us embarked on what would be one of the best meals of steak night. A lively room welcomed us into the fold. Although our waiter was only half present, it did not deter from solid round table and terrific starters. Yellowtail and salmon were incredible – chicken skewers delightful, kobe dumpling (enough said) and scallops all a bit out of our normal course of action, but all amazing.
Steaks, well steaks were out of sight. The table was divided between 2 cuts, the NY Strip and the Fillet. I went Fillet and was thrilled with the outcome – although, I could have done without having my steak cut for me, it was near perfection. 4 different sauces came on the side, each its own deliciousness. The sides were just as tasty. Brussel sprouts, sweet potato, corn, all wildly good. We closed with some interesting desserts. One with coffee ice cream over a chocolate cake, the other chocolate, shortbread concoction that was not as good. Finally, John’s real birthday was celebrated with his favorite, a crem brule.
Good banter, talk of the bears game, frustration with some jobs, mailing poop, bachelor party, John’s real birthday, pregnancy, holidays, you know – all the trappings of a board room discussion.
We availed our group to Boss bar for the last 5 minutes of surprisingly good titans vs. colts game.
All in all a very good evening with food second to none. Not a traditional steak joint, but certainly one of the best cuts in the city.
9
Filed under: General
November. Fall is in full swing. Leaves are changing colors. The air becomes brisk. It’s the season of change. This month’s steak night brought about change too. Albeit maybe only for a month. We visited Roka Akor; Definitely a change from the typical Chicago steak house and in my opinion a welcome one. I’m sure that like the winter that will reemerge from a long hibernation soon, so will the Classic Chicago steakhouse selection for our group. And that’s wonderful. My dying meal would probably be from one of our collective favorite classic steakhouses. But for one month it was great to buck the trend.
The Unusual Suspects:
We had a small group this month, missing Sirs Cole, Holinger, Martin and Ray. But for the ones that did make it we had an outstanding experience.
The Scene:
Modern, hip, Asian inspired room. To our delight we ate in the round again. The experience is always enhanced when we can banter with anyone at the table.
The Apps:
Wagyu and Kimchi dumplings. Make it a double. Wow. Yellowtail and Salmon. To die for. Chicken skewers? Average, but also because they were totally overshadowed by everything else.
The Beef:
While I’m not a fan of my steak being pre-cut, I get this is not your traditional steak joint. It was delicious regardless. There were in fact four cuts of meat on this menu. The table was somewhat split in their selections but everyone was pretty satisfied. I went for the prime strip loin. They brought out four sauces, which were all fantastic too. You didn’t need them as the steak stood on it’s own but they were a welcome addition.
The Sides:
Sweet corn, Brussels sprouts, and sweet potato. All grade “A” in my opinion.
The Sweets:
Interesting selections. Chocolate cake with coffee ice cream, and some other shortbread concoction. My description does no justice. There was a lot going on there. And in honor of my birthday, crème brulee.
The Verdict:
I thought the night was fantastic. I can’t see us coming back here for steak night again as it veers pretty far from what we really love about this monthly excursion. But I’ll be back on my own without a doubt. And maybe this was a springboard for some more interesting selections in the future. As humans, and as men, we must grow, adapt, and change. We’ll never forget our foundations. They’re what got us where we are today But, I’ll leave you with this……
“The snake which cannot cast its skin has to die. As well the minds which are prevented from changing their opinions; they cease to mind.” -Nietzsche.
Happy Birthday Crenshaw! Fittingly, as a man who is always asking for change, this one was out of left field. Rick brought out his fur sweater vest and mock turtleneck for this one and although some may question whether it was too early for fur sweaters, I have to say he looked quite dashing.
I had low expectations coming into this one. When the founding fathers dreamed of Steak night, Roka Akor surely was never in their minds as an acceptable location. However, thankfully, we are open to trying new things and I was a huge fan.
Appetizers were hands down the best apps ever at steak night. No bacon wrapped scallops, no awful sea food tower, no greasy crab cakes – just simply great sushi. I was very impressed.
Steak – while others may miss the steak that makes you want to sleep for days after the meal, I enjoyed the lighter version. I thought mine was perfectly done.
Desserts were a little weak – but they did the creme brulee and brought a smile to little Johnny’s face.
All was right in the world.
9
Roka Akor is not a steak place. Yes it fits the groups criteria of having 4 cuts on the menu but let’s be clear it is not even close to being a steak house. Asian inspired room, tables of women drinking cosmopolitans, chopsticks on the table, tiny portions, no real potatoes on the menu, no need to use a steak knife, renowned for their sushi. None of these characteristics of a steakhouse. That being said I knew going in it was not a steak place so was ready to see what steak night with an Asian twist was all about.
I arrived to find Hans at the bar by himself and oozing with German charm, sending one particular women on her way because he is officially off the market now. I ordered a Tito’s and soda and got my night started. The conversation quickly veered into rape vans, grills, beer, brats and all the other essentials for that weekends tailgate at the Ravens/Bears game (which was epic but that is a story for another time). The bartenders were not particularly attentive, strange given that not many people were sitting at the bar.
A round table in the middle of a lively room added to the ambience. I’m not really a sushi guy so the yellowtail and salmon were not for me. The chicken skewers were ok and the dumplings were amazing, we should have doubled up on the dumplings. I went with the filet with the chili ginger sauce and it was delicious. A nice combination of a properly cooked steak with an Asian inspired flavor. Not a fan of having the steak already cut into bite sized pieces for me. The sweet corn was good and a nice Asian inspired compliment to the steak. The other sides veer too far off course. While I usually over indulge at steak night to the point of being too full on this night I felt like I was still hungry when leaving.
I was not nearly as enamored as the rest of the group with the meal, even the overall I enjoyed it at face value. This is partly because I am not a sushi guy and partly because I am a firm believer in going to a steak house for steak night. Roka Akor is a good restaurant; would I come back, sure. Do I want to come back for steak night, not a chance. There are way too many great steakhouses in this town to veer so far off course. I hope this is not a springboard for more boundary pushing selections in the future or pretty soon we will be ordering Appletini’s and carrying man purses.
I am not going to leave you with a quote from Nietzche like Crenshaw but I am going to leave you with a quote from another world renowned modern day philosopher….
“Football uniforms should not be futuristic aqua green with a metallic shimmer and for steak night you should go to a steakhouse”-Richard Joel, NFL Fashion Consultant
So we decided to finally go Asian.
Well it turns out posting on the way to Florida truncated my glorious post. It was laced with asian innuendo and other nonsense. I won’t be able to do it proper justice the second go around. Nonetheless, Roka Akor is definitely a top north restaurant and well worth a visit on any night other than Steak Night. The apps were fantastic as described and yet it still just felt like a new pair of constricting underwear, something was in the wrong place. The steaks were certainly prepared to perfection on the Japanese coal fired Robata grill that is all the rage among the kids these days. Serving the steak pre sliced so I can use chop sticks would be like ordering the bone in rib eye at Mastros and having the server baby bird it to me. Desserts did not include carrot cake, nuff said. Cizzle getting a brulee made up for it and celebrated his birthday in correct manner. Overall this place is on the list of Chicago’s must trys but it just doesnt fit the mold of the long standing tradition known only among Chicago’s elite as Steak Night. Where once a month we all get together to catch up over a white table cloth, with food that sticks to your ribs by the pound, and a waiter that has spent more time in the steak house than anywhere else.