Reviewed by Wini Moranville
Photos by Duane Tinkey
At RoCA, the kitchen doesn’t simply sling a soup of the day. Instead, the chefs craft a “soup of the moment.”
“We make our soups in small, half-gallon batches,” says Aaron Holt, executive chef of the Court Avenue venue. RoCA’s soups, he explains, are freshly made as needed throughout the night; the selection might change depending on the ingredients on hand.
If, when you visit, the moment happens to offer the possibility of the pureed potato soup, snag it. This isn’t one of those rote and chunky baked potato soups; rather, the silky and light puree forefronts the rich, earthy flavor of potatoes. Crowned with a fresh touch of green onions, this bowl of wonder tastes like the miracle of the garden itself. Equally luscious is the cream of butternut squash and crab bisque, an ongoing menu feature.
Why so much information about the soups? After all, they comprise only two of the 30-plus items on the menu. Yet for me, a soup is akin to a job interview: It’s the candidate’s (or in this case, the kitchen’s) pivotal chance to showcase what makes them the standout choice for the job (or for your dining dollar). In RoCA’s case, the soups testify to the restaurant’s consistently fresh and thoughtful approach to casual dining.
Although the menu offers a few full-meal entrees, including a rib-eye steak, a stuffed pork chop and grilled salmon, the real draw here is the shared plates.
But make no mistake: At RoCA, shared plates are not to be confused with small plates. While the latter can find you divvying up a scallop among four people, RoCA’s shared plates arrive generously portioned and plated in ways that make them truly easy to share. A table full of RoCA’s appetizers, flatbreads, sliders, spreads, and cheese and charcuterie boards resembles the well-chosen hors d’oeuvres at the best cocktail parties—cocktail parties that stand in for dinner.
Though shared plates are hardly new, RoCA’s particular niche is the way it crafts these plates from the kinds of hearty and reasonably priced bar-grill food that plays well around here, tweaking them out with a refined touch or two. Rather than loaded potato skins, how about stuffed Yukon gold potato shells, filled with Pernod-laced escargot?
Another case in point: the capon meatball slider. A capon is a rooster that’s been castrated (I’m afraid there no gentle way to say that), then fed a fattening diet. The kitchen crafts the plump, flavorful meat into soft, herb-flecked meatballs with a delicate, savory appeal.
And while a round of shrimp for a crowded table could climb in price, by sprinkling some atop the shrimp and andouille flatbread, everyone can get a taste of seafood without reaching too deeply into their pockets. Likewise, crab could be a splurge for a noontime meal, yet the splendid crabcake sliders, on impeccable brioche buns, offer a taste of opulence at a casual lunchtime price.
Even when playing to trends, the kitchen does so without banging a gong about it. Sure, bacon is big, but sprinkled atop the Oysters “RoCA” Feller, the cult ingredient nevertheless lets the oysters remain the true star of the dish.
Although the restaurant offers more than 50 wines by the glass, including lesser-known varietals and labels, it will be hard to come here without ordering a craft cocktail.
And if most craft cocktails drive you to drink … something else, you’re not alone. I often say that before any new cocktail goes on a menu, the mixology team should be required to do more than simply taste it—they should have to drink an entire serving. Too often, combos that fascinate on first sip become hard to swallow by the third.
Impressively, every one of the cocktails I’ve tried at RoCA hits its mark, from first sip to last. Favorites include the Good Libations, a blend of gin, Cointreau, egg white, Demerara sugar and (of all things) olive oil—for a frothy and luscious delight.
It’s nice to know that if you can’t tolerate high-octane spirits, you can still join in the cocktail fun. Try the nicely balanced and gently floral Lavender Love Potion, a decidedly feminine drink of Crème de Violette, St. Germain elderflower liqueur and Prosecco.
While some restaurants take a while to hit their stride, RoCA slipped into its groove early on. This wasn’t dumb luck: Managing partner Jason Kapela has plenty of experience opening new restaurants, including Louie’s Wine Dive and the local outpost of Bravo! Cucina. About the latter, anti-chain diners shouldn’t turn their noses up too soon. Kapela says his corporate training led him to commit to paper, with exactitude, every recipe that he and his team develop. He requires his staff—both at the bar and in the kitchen—to follow these recipes to the letter.
That means there’s a good chance that if the Lavender Love Potion and other fine sips and bites steal your heart one night, they’ll be equally seductive on the next visit.
RoCA
208 Court Ave.
282.3663
rocadsm.com.
