This book is really good, so I had a few things to say about it. I hope you enjoy and please let me know what you think.

Podcast: Book Review of Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain

You can buy it from my friends at Changing Hands Bookstore here.

I want to like the Rokerij. Its a great setup and well done environment. The setting is stylish and dark so you want to sink into a booth and get down to eating some food.

Unfortunately my first experience has left an impression that is less than stellar. My girlfriend and I had been wanting to try it out a few times. We got a booth by the fireplace and settled in for a nice meal.

The specials are written up in chalk on the wall as you walk in which is a great method for displaying specials. We are both vegetarians that will eat fish and were excited by the plethora of fish dish choices on the specials board. This tends to say that a place can do fish.

Our server was nice enough but when we asked for some recommendations he stared at us blankly and grabbed the menu like he hadnt eaten there in a while. This is a huge pet peeve for me. If a place is gonna charge $20 or more for an entree the staff better be trained on the dishes and be ready to give some recommendations. Show some passion and knowledge and sell me the good stuff.

We ordered the White Bean Bruschetta to start. It was edible but lacking in flavor, maybe some salt wouldnt have hurt, but something more than just beans and toast please.

Next was the soup of the day which had a lot of smoke flavor going on, not impressed.

Finally we went with the sesame crusted fish with a melon salsa. This dish started off a disaster and just got worse. First of all the server brings it over holding it with a towel. As We shift plates around to make room he starts yelping a bit in pain. Not a great sign. Once he gets it set down we move to dig in but my lovely date brushes her arm on the plate and comes away with a pretty solid burn.

This is just plain stupid. There is no need for a plate to be 200 degrees. Cook the food and then bring it out. Dont cook it at my table on the plate!

Unfortunately the fish was not edible, at all. The melon salsa was horrid. We sent it back and still got charged.

Rokerij I want to love you. There are a lot of folks on Yelp that love you but I have to say that for food you have not impressed me.