Roko Italian Cuisine — Restaurant in Wilmington

Not Extraordinary…Average at Best!

My wife and I use to come to Roko Italian Cuisine on a regular basis and the food was always exceptional; the service was great, the white linen was crisp and the experience was always wonderful.

About a year and a half ago we found that the dinner was average…but we gave it another try a few weeks later…and it was the same…average. Service was excellent, the atmosphere, for a small restaurant was great but the food was disappointing. Last week we decided to give it another try however again after over a year and a half, we were disappointed yet there were some positives!

The establishment appeared clean (it had a 90 of a 100 score which is actually not great yet it looked very clean), the host seating us was helpful and pleasant, they met our reservation time and the table was nicely set.

We started the order with an appetizer and selected the Stuffed Artichokes at $14.00. The Artichokes were small yet more importantly, they were not stuffed with much and they seem to be just the hearts of the artichoke. At $14.00 we though we could share them however the order consisted of two small artichokes and even the presentation was nothing special. They did taste good YET at $14.00 the order should of consisted of more then two artichoke hearts (not full artichokes/which we were NOT expecting however TWO small hearts...really for $14.00)!

Then, when we ordered the main dish, we learned that they now charge for bread…which we found to be extremely “cheap” by the establishment especially since the average bill for 2 guests is over $140.00 (only 1 drink too). They use to include bread with the dinner yet it to us it felt as if they now are cutting corners.

I ordered the Linguine with Shrimp in a brown sauce (Shrimp ala Roke-Pesce) ($28.00) the shrimp portion was excellent (plenty of Shrimp) however they were medium or slightly smaller the medium size shrimp…and although this was ample…the shrimp truly had no taste and the brown sauce was also very blend. There was no flavor to this dish at all; if I were to return, I would not order it again. I even asked the server about the taste and she endorsed the dish…which was disappointing.

My wife ordered the Catch of the Day…which was a Grouper with pasta in a lemon sauce and she thought it was very good although not exceptional. There was a lot of small bones in her fish so parts of it she could not eat yet she did say the fish was fresh and nicely seasoned. When we got the bill however, we were surprised that the dish was $48.00. This entrée was not worth $48.00 and on the best day, $35.00. It almost feels as if they took advantage and like most restaurants, they do not tell you the price of the specials for that purpose (my wife may have even ordered it if she knew the price (however it was not a $48.00 dish), despite the $48.00 charge (and it was only accompanied with pasta).

There was a long wait for the dinner and at that time, the restaurant was busy yet not full.

For Dessert we order the Tartufo which we both enjoyed; although not made in-house it was excellent! The server did tell us about many other home-made desserts and did say what was made in-house and which were not yet Tartufo is one of my wife’s favorites and it was excellent.

The restaurant is small yet nicely designed, the restroom was clean and the location is excellent. Service was good however the server (Carla) was not overly friendly compared to some of the other servers we happen to over-hear yet she was fine however if we were to return we would not go out of our way to ask for her and would prefer someone else.

It is unfortunate as we use to truly enjoy Roko…as a matter of fact, on our drive to the restaurant my wife and I were talking about making a reservation, while there to return in two weeks to re-visit with two of our neighbors…however after our dinner last evening…we decided Roko is off our list.

We wish them well and suggest they include the bread (do not be so cheap) and determine why some items are...

This was our first time dining at Roko. The atmosphere was warm and cozy and we were immediately greeted by the hostess who gave a huge smile and welcomed us as if it was her home. We started with cocktails at the bar since we were a bit early waiting for our table. We watched the bartender as she crafted the Lemon Drop and Dirty Martini simultaneously, shaking and straining the cocktails in expert fashion while she chatted with her customer making sure his meal met his expectations. She was very proficient with her garnishes and delivered our drinks as if they just won 1st prize in a contest. They were tasty and balanced to perfection! As we sat at the bar we had a perfect view of the dining area. The servers were all dressed professionally and it was obvious they were well trained, as they moved in meticulous fashion serving very happy customers that were enjoying their meals and absorbed in conversation. Our table was ready and we were seated immediately. Abi was our server. She didn't miss a beat as she immediately assesed that we had our cocktails, served us warm bread and a bowl of aromatic olive oil with a sweet balsamic vinegar for dipping. Abi, in a well-versed fashion, recited the "Specials" and politely excused herself so we could finish our cocktails giving us time to settle in and review the menu. The menu for an Italian fare had a broad spectrum of appetizers and entrees ranging from the typical calamari with marinara, stuffed artichokes and to our surprise escargot! Escargot? I was hesitant and we ordered the calamari. It wasn't until later that I heard the customer at the next table tell the server how he enjoyed the "delicious" escargot. Hmm... I must try that next time. I am very finicky about calamari but it was very tender with not too much breading and the marinara sauce was tasty on point. Abi took the rest of our order which included a bottle of Moltipuciano, making sure my husband was satisfied as he conducted the tasting. Although we didn't try any of the specials, we enjoyed our entrees of Veal and Eggplant Parmesan with sides of pasta and vegetables. I am not Italian, but any expert foodie knows that if you have a good sauce, it makes the meal shine. The sauce was EXCEPTIONAL! Our entrees were tasty and enjoyable, and Abi knew the perfect timing, checking time to time without being too invasive. Time for dessert! Cappuccino and Espresso followed by Tiramasu to share. Perfect ending to a perfect dining experience. Roko is a "Gem" hidden in Mayfair. We will return to venture more time at the bar and then dinner and try the escargot and venture the delicious other entrees. Don't forget to ask for Abi! Professional and full of personality that makes the dining experience memorable. ...

5 stars isn't enough. My wife and I drove a little over an hour to go the Melting Pot for an early Valentine's Day dinner, but after seeing their extremely limited menu, a quick Google search led us to Roko, which we both agreed looked "fine". We were so, so wrong. She had the chicken parmigiana, and I had a particular steak they had on special. I forget what they called it because when I took the first perfectly cooked piece in my mouth everything that had happened before that moment vanished from my memory. Nothing else mattered, and for a brief moment, everything was right in world. How could famine, war, slavery, or children with cancer exist in the same realm of existence as this steak? It was 16oz, topped with onion rings (an atrocity in any other place or time, but not here. Not at Roko), and served with field peas and mashed potatoes, both of which independently would've made Stephen Hawking believe in God, because how could just field peas and mashed potatoes taste like this without divine intervention? But the steak? The steak came from Hell. For it came to ruin every meal I would ever have for the rest of my life. Nothing, will ever compare. The cherry blossoms of Japan in full bloom aren't as beautiful. The scent after it rains doesn't come close this steaks aroma. And the flavor...what do I even say? It'll make your eyes roll into the back of your head. You'll apologize to your tongue for not introducing them sooner, and for every inferior flavor you ever made it indulge. If my wife were on her death bed and wanted one last kiss, but this streak were in front us, we would both choose the steak instead. If this steak and my children were in a house fire, I'd save the steak first. It was the best tasting thing I've ever had in my mouth, and that is not a joke. In complete sincerity, my wife and I woke up this morning, and we just laid there for about three minutes in complete silence before she finally asked "was that the best meal of our lives?". And of course the answer is an unwavering, unquestionable, yes. Completely yes. Of course, this review wouldn't be complete without mentioning the owners and staff. All were so incredibly gracious, courteous, and personable. The atmosphere is devine, and the bartender, AJ (at least I think her name is AJ. She introduced herself before I had the steak and resulting memory loss) is perfection. We humans don't deserve Roko. Go. Don't think. Just go. Dine here before the Lord calls it up like Enoch, because Roko truly is too good...