Rogues. — Restaurant in London

4.7 for food and wine; 6 out of 5 for service!!

In cities like London, New York, Tokyo and Hong Kong where culinary talents and creative cuisine abound, what truly differentiates and warrant returned customers is service and genuine hospitality. Rogues delivers on all that!

I came in on a freezing cold night on Nov 24th on the early side, greeted by the friendly host and led to my table of preference in no time. Wine list, menu and sparkling water made in-house, check and check.

I would describe the cuisine as eclectic, clearly influenced by Japanese, Middle East, Spanish, Italian among others, representative of the diverse cultures in London.

While the tasting menu was what I had planned for, I decide go for a la cart as I don't want dessert.

Bites. I opted for the oyster on the shelf with dashi, wasabi dressing. OMG! The Maldon oyster was fresh and scrumptious, clean tasting; and the dressing was savory and light, perfect palette opener.

Plate #1 I opted for the roasted cauliflower in harrisa, quince dressing with pickled turnip. This was my least favorite of the night - it wasn't bad, not at all; it was just too sweet for my taste. The texture of the cauliflower was on point. I finished 1/3 and they graciously took it off my bill.

The cauliflower turned out to be a happy 'accidence' too! They offered the grilled courgettes on the house because the cauliflower took too long to serve. It was some of the best courgette (or zucchini, as we call it in America) I have ever had. The romesco sauce, accompanied with smoked almond delivered a nice contrast of flavor and texture to the juicy / soft courgette, while the fresh basil (!!) gave a peppery, minty notes to brighten up the dish. This was my favorite of the night!

Plate #2 and the main was baked cod collar with kaisu sauce and gem lettuce. This is an interesting adaptation from the hamachi kama ('grilled yellowtail collar' in Japanese). The cod collar was meaty and satisfying, though it was slightly overcooked, IMO. Thus, the texture was not as soft and buttery as I would like. It is still good! Considering that getting the timing right while cooking fish is no easy task, especially baking!

Wine recommendation was excellent. The two Sicilian wine from Cantine Amato vineyard, one white, one red, went perfectly with my veggie-centric, lean protein meal. If you are not sure about wine pairing, do ask the friendly Sommelier, Daniel, on-premise. You will be in good hand :)

Creative cuisine, low key / neighborhood vibe, curated wine list and friendly service. Can this get better?! Pricing is super reasonable for the quality as well. I have been to many other famed restaurants around the world, many of which cost 2x - 3x if not more yet incredibly under-whelmed.

Rogues is easily my new favorite restaurant in London. I shall certainly be back soon, like,...

Update (June 2023): I made my way back to Rogues this past week and was yet again delighted by how incredibly warm and inviting this place is. The staff remembered my name, my favourite drink from last time, and even slipped in some complimentary sips. Rogues is my go-to neighbourhood gem!

--

It is not often that I am moved to write a review, but my recent experience at Rogues has compelled me to share. Celebrating my birthday with seven of my closest friends at Rogues was an absolute delight and an occasion that I will treasure.

From the moment we entered, the staff greeted us with warmth and friendliness that set the tone for a remarkable evening. Their accommodation of our dietary requests was highly commendable, and they went above and beyond to make me feel truly special on my birthday. Every interaction was filled with kindness and care, creating a personal and memorable experience.

The set menu was a gastronomic journey that left us thoroughly impressed. The smoked mackerel paté and rabbit bolognese from the Bites section were standout dishes, their unique flavours lingering on the palate. And who could forget the sourdough and Bovril butter - a divine combination that had us all reaching for seconds. The star of the evening, though, was the pork chop and nectarine combo from the mains - a fusion of flavours that was nothing short of mind-blowing!

The cocktails were another highlight, masterfully crafted and delightfully refreshing. The Macho Man, a mix of mezcal, yuzu, passionfruit, and sage, was my personal favourite, a testament to the imaginative flair of their mixologists.

What truly touched me was the personal birthday card presented to me by the staff, signed by everyone. This heartfelt gesture added an extra sprinkle of magic to my birthday celebration and left me feeling cherished and appreciated.

To say that I am keen to return would be an understatement. I am excited to continue exploring the menu and can’t wait to be back at Rogues. Kudos to the Rogues team for creating such a fantastic dining experience - you truly made my...

Updated as dined again and can't fault it on the second visit. The 'party' atmosphere that made it tricky to hear each other last time wasn't in effect as the largest table was for four and the music was quieter. We ordered a la carte and loved our meals (lamb, pork, and tomatoes with smoked ricotta, plus all the starters which were lovely last time but even better on the 2nd tasting). The wine recommendation was bang on (we went for a bottle of red this time). Service was friendly and efficient.

Early review: Came here last Thursday full of hope & happiness as we have exhausted every tasting menu with wine pairing in the vicinity (& choice in the area is plentiful). Firstly, the good stuff: The house soundtrack immediately perked us up. Every starter item was delicious. Dishes were spaced out perfectly & they happily swapped out a meat dish for us. Overall, enjoyed the meal but wasn't the most exciting menu we've ever eaten. Highlight weirdly was probably the asparagus.

The not so good stuff: the acoustics are dire. It's a small intimate space that requires a little reverence for the food but given literally every person here was shouting at each other for two hours (longer) it was like dining inside a packed nightclub. The wine pairing didn't do it for us either. We really don't like prosecco & the natural version served up was like fizzy vinegar. The (white) wines were only just chilled, & can't say I liked any of them enough to order a second glass.

If we eat here again I would order wine directly & while the tasting menu is fantastic value (£50) I would be curious about some of the other dishes on offer. I'd also bring earplugs - oh & check the bill before leaving, we got double charged for the wine pairing & while it was sorted quickly the next day, if I hadn't been in such a rush to leave, might have spotted it...