Can the restaurant step out of Zuma’s shadow?
When you’re the younger sibling, it can sometimes feel like you’re in the shadow. Just look at Aaron Carter, Jamie-Lynn Spears or Monica Cruz. The Japanese restaurant ROKA is related to the dining destination Zuma – and while it might not have the years, it certainly matches the quality.
Rainer Becker is behind the restaurants. Zuma launched in 2002, and ROKA followed in 2004. Both started in London, and later expanded to Hong Kong, Miami, New York and Dubai. ROKA Dubai opened in 2020 and is located in The Opus by Omniyat in Business Bay.
ROKA Dubai is a stylish spot. The restaurant is located in the Zaha Hadid-designed building and showcases a modern industrial aesthetic. Guests can choose from indoor and outdoor tables, which range from tables for two to round tables for groups. If you have a bag, a magnet with the brand’s logo and a hook is attached to the table, so it doesn’t have to touch the ground. Plus, the floor-to-ceiling windows let in the kind of light that would excite an estate agent and show off Insta-friendly views – the Burj Khalifa, anyone?
ROKA Dubai has earned a reputation for its Japanese robatayaki cuisine. Now, it has launched its first live station brunch, which runs every Saturday. The experience includes live sushi and robata stations, hot and cold dishes, and mains. The live stations includes a range of maki and nigiri, a seabass Japanese omelette and soup, from white miso soup to beef gyoza.
Brunch began with a selection of starters. The Sushi Platter was a splendid sight. A bowl was filled with ice, and the sashimi was artfully placed with slices of fish and meat, and the aburi salmon nigiri was seared to create a strong smokey taste. The highlights also included the Ebi Furai To Acovado Maki with cucumber and wasabi peas, and Hamachi No Tartaru with yellowtail tartare, lemon and chilli dressing.
For the main dishes, there is a standard and premium menu. On the standard menu, the mains include Lamb Cutlets, Salmon Fillet and Veal Short Ribs. From the premium menu, we tried the Gindara No Saikyo Taki, which met our buttery black cod expectations and was marinated in yuzu miso, and the Gyuhireniku No Pirikara Yakiniku was a tender beef fillet that soaked up the chilli and ginger flavours.
Fans of fine dining Japanese food rarely come to such restaurants for dessert. The ROKA Dessert Platter boasted a generous helping of sorbet and fresh seasonal fruit, from kiwis to passionfruit, offering a pretty plate.
ROKA Dubai’s vibe is different from Zuma Dubai, and this isn’t a bad thing. ROKA Dubai had a quieter crowd, which was made up of locals and expats and we were left to linger. So much so that there was enough space for us to move from indoors to outdoors – not only did this break up the brunch, but it meant we could watch Dubai’s stunning skyline go from day to night.
The ROKA Dubai drinks packages include Kusa with soft drinks and mocktails for AED 295, Kesseki with wine and Prosecco for AED 445, and Kinzoku with premium wine and Champagne for AED 585.
ROKA Dubai – the little sibling with big potential.
GO: Visit https://rokarestaurant.com for more information.
