There is a restaurant in Phoenix, AZ unlike what you would normally find in this desert outpost, and unique in most towns anywhere. It is called Rokerij, which is defined in Dutch as a small house where smoke is used to cure meat or fish. And that definition doesn’t disappoint at Phoenix’s Rokerij.
Your first impression upon entering is the air being thick with the numerous pecan grill smokers used to prepare various cuts of the most amazing steaks in existence. The place is indeed small and the wait
during any business hours 7 days a week can stretch to several hours. There are few tables for two so unless you have a group six or are willing to sit at the bar, you may never be seated despite having a reservation (accepted for parties of 4 or more only).
Being seated at the bar is not the coach class you expect in most restaurants, it is in fact a treat to watch the succulent steaks being deep smoked before your eyes, and if you are lucky enough to order one it is pulled from pecan smoker-oven to your mouth in mere seconds.
I have been fortunate enough to be treated to some of the
best steaks I’ve ever had due to the generosity (and padded expense accounts)
of bosses and clients for several years.
My most recent visit was due to the hospitality of a good friend who
knew I craved a Crab Louie, extremely hard to find anymore. It was pricey at $21 and to do him a favor we
split it along with some drinks and an appetizer. It was amazing. My review follows a little later down.
HERE IS A GOOD RECIPE FOR MAKING YOUR OWN CRAB LOUIE:
Louie dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup ketchup-based chili sauce
- 1/4 cup minced scallion
- 2 tablespoons minced green olives
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon bottled horseradish
- Salt and pepper to taste
The salad:
- 1 1/2 lb jumbo lump crabmeat
- Iceberg lettuce, shredded
- Capers
- Tomato wedges
- Hard-boiled egg
- Lemon
Arrange to taste on a large flat plate being sure all ingredients are chilled and crisp and the crabmeat is the very best you can afford.
AND HERE IS MY ORIGINAL REVIEW OF THE CRAB LOUIS AS SERVED AT ROKERIJ IN PHOENIX:
This was the fourth time I dined at The Rokerij in Phoenix, the first two times I had a $100 gift card which neatly paid for two people, the third time the VP of my company treated and tonight a friend bought me a birthday dinner, so I have yet to pay to dine here.
Regardless of where you are in the world, The Rokerij is unique and a treat. First off, there are VERY few restaurants west of the Mississippi that have basements. The Rokerij's is a great place to mingle with friends. Upstairs is a dark and friendly atmosphere that is thick with pecan smoke from the kitchen. It is a small place with limited seating. And the lines to snag those seats is long 7 days a week. People who dine at The Rokerij tend to linger for hours so don't expect a rapid turnover. And reservations are only accepted for parties of 4 or more.
I have seriously had THE best steaks I have ever had in my life at The Rokerij. They broil them right in front of the bar patrons and honestly there is probably only a handful of places in America where steaks are done to such perfection. Perfection is not cheap, and no guest should reasonably expect to get out the door for less than $50 per person, but more likely $75 or more. Is it worth it? Yes!
Tonight, being my birthday, I chose what I had a taste for and that was a Crab Louie salad. I read some reviews and they agreed that the Crab Louie at The Rojerij is the best in Phoenix. Several said it was much too large for one person. So we pre-agreed that we would split the salad and order a couple of "small plates", which are equivalent to appetizers, but a bit more exotic. Despite the ridiculously hard-to-get seating reputation for some serendipitous reasons we had a table for two directly in front of the roaring fireplace. Does life get much better?
When I heard how big the Crab Louie was I expected to get mounds of lettuce with the usual toppings in modest quantity. The opposite was true. The amount of lettuce was about what you would expect in a small dinner salad at Denny's, but it was HEAPED with real crab, many of the pieces being very chunky, and a generous amount of tomatoes, cucumbers, hard-boiled egg and avocados. It was served with a Louie dressing and a Roquefort dressing. I have had a taste for an awesome Crab Louie for about 6 months and being my birthday I felt I finally deserved it. This one was amazing. Bear in mind it was $21, which is extremely expensive for a salad, but split two ways it was just right.
To accompany the salad we ordered two appetizers. One, a smoked sausage with caramelized onion was the perfect complement to the salad. The other, bacon wrapped shrimp, was insanely good. The bacon was crispy and tasty and the shrimp was tender and perfect.
I had heard that The Rokerij is known for their Bloody Mary's and we both had one. No disappointment. They were tall, full and spicy. They were served with a beer chaser of Sam Adams (?!?!?) all for $7. No argument there.
The amount of food between splitting the salad and appetizers was perfect. We both ate everything and were pleasantly full. That is until the waitress mentioned the dessert menu, which included Crème Brule. This was a "must do" so we split it. What can I say? Sinful? Covered with very fresh berries, the caramel topping was torched to a smoky perfection. I could eat one of these for breakfast every day of my life.
Needless to say the atmosphere at The Rokerij is unique and as far from a "chain restaurant" as you can get. I have always found the service head and shoulders above nearly any restaurant I have ever been to. From the warm greeting at the door, to the waitress, to the very engaged busser to the (I'm guessing manager on duty) who came over to our table just after the bill was paid to very warmly thank us and shake both of our hands.
The Rojerij is THE place in Phoenix to enjoy the best of the best in food, one of the best dining environments in the country, and be made to feel as if you are close as family as to those in charge.
Don't be turned off by having to wait an hour or more and then ending up sitting at the bar. If you really need to get your food faster, may I suggest McDonalds or Burger King? In the end you get what you deserve to get if you know what to expect.
Thought for the day:
"The belly rules the mind"
- Spanish Proverb
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