Rök, Shoreditch – tried and tasted

Ben Norum gets a taste of Shoreditch's newst addition: a Nordic smokehouse
Scandi style: Rök, with homemade pickles on show
Ben Norum3 September 2015

Rök – which means smoke in Swedish – takes its inspiration from rustic Scandinavian cooking, billing itself as a Nordic smokehouse. Its food offer focuses on cured meats, homemade pickles and smoked ingredients, but also has an emphasis on British ingredients.

The backstory

It’s owned and run by Charles Bakker and Frida Lindmark – Frida is from Sweden and Charles is from the UK. The kitchen is lead by Matt Young who has previously worked at Barnyard in Fitzrovia and Aveqia in the City.

Charles and Frida say: “There are lots of people smoking meats but many are doing ribs and brisket and we aim to do more interesting cuts of meat and game. We are hoping to bring something a bit different, good quality food and service but at an affordable price. And a place where you can go for a drink at midnight and actually hear what the other person is saying.”

Style and surrounds

Appropriately Scandi – think bare walls and wooden tables. There’s a mix of counter seating, communal tables and more intimate seats. It’s cosy, cool and very laid back.

Stylish serves: A small plates feast at Rök, including a scotch quail egg and a scallop

On the menu

Dishes are split between smaller, larger and side plates, but all are best ordered for the table and shared. A plump scallop served in its shell with samphire, browned butter and nduja is a highlight of the smaller plates – you’ll want some sourdough to mop up the juices – as is a nduja scotch quali's egg. Also worth a try is the cured charcuterie courtesy of Cobble Lane Cured in Islington and all-manner of homeade pickles – choices include onions, fennel, mushrooms and beetroot.

Meaty mains: Lamb at Rök, served with pickles

Larger plates are meat-focused. Try grilled lamb Barnsley Chop – reminiscent of pinnekjott, Scandi food fans – with fennel purée or tender, crisp-skinned duck breast laced with lingonberry and bacon jam.

A broccoli salad with pumpkin seeds and quinoa is heartily healthy, while garlicky bone marrow mash and cauliflower cheese topped with beef dust are all the better for not being.

Something sweet

A single – but likely to change – dessert of whole wood-roasted peach, served with almonds, honey and crème fraîche is a delicate contrast to the gutsy Viking food that’s come before.

Liquid libations

Short and sweet is the approach – in a large part due to the limited space on site. A trio of cocktails include a highly-refreshing twist on a margarita (the Rökarita) featuring a smoked sea salt rim, an amaretto-laced pistachio sour that's strictly for the sweet-toothed and a negroni. The bulk of the wines are Italian and come from nearby shop Passione Vino.

Rök: The lowdown

Final flavour: Red hot culinary action in classy, cool surrounds

At what cost? Small plates are £3.50-£5, larger plates £13-£16 and sides £3-£5

Visit if you like: Pitt Cue Co, Berber & Q, Foxlow

Find it: 26 Curtain Road, EC2A 3NY; roklondon.com

Follow Ben Norum on Twitter @BenNorum
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