DINING
Restaurant EN
“Letter from Dad,” “There’s something far ahead,” “Let go of karma,” “Diversity is possibility.” Like a fun riff on the Chinese fortune cookie, the wooden chopsticks at En, the main restaurant, are carved with conversation starters and inspirational reflections by Roka owner Shintaro Sasaki. This, too, is an example of the relaxed playfulness and attention to detail you’ll find throughout Roka.
The name En is taken from two homophonic characters: one that means to gather, another that refers to the heat of the fire element—essential, of course, to the magical transformations that happen here in the kitchen daily. Executive chef Yuji Makishima presides over a five-person team who prepare modern kaiseki and sushi multi-course feasts, each with a vegan option, for lunch and dinner. Staying guests enjoy sumptuous Japanese-style breakfasts at En as well. And while the ultimate star is the superb seafood of the Seto Inland Sea, regional delicacies like Nagi Wagyu beef from northern Okayama and olive-fed Wagyu from nearby Shodoshima island feature on the menus, too.
Housemade herbal infusions highlight the drinks menu, organized into seasonal flights with themes such as energizing, relaxing, beautifying, and cleansing. Both non-alcohol and sober options for these tonics are offered. Italian-style specialty coffee masterminded by Kiyohisa Fugino of Gino is served here and in Moya, the adjacent café.
The bowls, plates, and even the Bizen coffee mugs are, like the art on the walls, a showcase of emerging artists and craftspeople, each one-off creation personally selected by Sasaki, Makishima, and manager Daisuke Ichikawa on their travels throughout Japan. The emphasis on detail and natural materials is found as well in the softly beveled edges of the walnut tabletops, hand-whittled bamboo spoons and forks, and the textured wall coverings of all-natural washi-textile by paper craftsman Wataru Hatano of Kyoto. Fixtures are painted black and the walls and flooring are rendered in creamy-beige and grey earth tones to set off the art; on one side of the restaurant, a glass wall overlooks Muryoraku-an, the outdoor hearth. With both table and counter seating, En seats a total of 37 guests.
The name En is taken from two homophonic characters: one that means to gather, another that refers to the heat of the fire element—essential, of course, to the magical transformations that happen here in the kitchen daily. Executive chef Yuji Makishima presides over a five-person team who prepare modern kaiseki and sushi multi-course feasts, each with a vegan option, for lunch and dinner. Staying guests enjoy sumptuous Japanese-style breakfasts at En as well. And while the ultimate star is the superb seafood of the Seto Inland Sea, regional delicacies like Nagi Wagyu beef from northern Okayama and olive-fed Wagyu from nearby Shodoshima island feature on the menus, too.
Housemade herbal infusions highlight the drinks menu, organized into seasonal flights with themes such as energizing, relaxing, beautifying, and cleansing. Both non-alcohol and sober options for these tonics are offered. Italian-style specialty coffee masterminded by Kiyohisa Fugino of Gino is served here and in Moya, the adjacent café.
The bowls, plates, and even the Bizen coffee mugs are, like the art on the walls, a showcase of emerging artists and craftspeople, each one-off creation personally selected by Sasaki, Makishima, and manager Daisuke Ichikawa on their travels throughout Japan. The emphasis on detail and natural materials is found as well in the softly beveled edges of the walnut tabletops, hand-whittled bamboo spoons and forks, and the textured wall coverings of all-natural washi-textile by paper craftsman Wataru Hatano of Kyoto. Fixtures are painted black and the walls and flooring are rendered in creamy-beige and grey earth tones to set off the art; on one side of the restaurant, a glass wall overlooks Muryoraku-an, the outdoor hearth. With both table and counter seating, En seats a total of 37 guests.
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