Roba Bar and Restaurant

A Paddington restaurant claiming to specialise in robata-style grilled meat.
  • Restaurants | British
  • London
Matt Breen
Advertising

Time Out says

Robata is a Japanese style of grilling: traditionally a communal experience cooking meat over coals in the centre of a room. This newish restaurant, among the nondescript pubs and hotels surrounding Paddington station, claims robata as its ‘signature grill’ – even though the food’s British and it’s made out of sight.

We decided to go with the mixed grill for two. What we got was a flavourless chicken breast, two forgettable lamb chops and a steak ordered medium-rare but barely pink at all. There was something apologetic about the coriander and tarragon that garnished it. A side order of truffle mac ’n’ cheese made for a pungent, crunchy distraction, at least.

Desserts were better, but any serving of dopamine-spiking sugar is going to be, right? A dark chocolate ‘cylinder’ turned out to be a kind of Mini Roll-rocky road hybrid; cinnamon and lavender panna cotta tasted of neither ingredient. The staff smiled a lot but, given the place was like the Mary Celeste, the little mistakes they made were hard to excuse.

Maybe the non-robata stuff here is better. But if you’re going to name your establishment after a section of the menu, you’d better make sure it aspires to more than this. Perhaps they could consult masters of the Far Eastern tradition. Or failing that, JD Wetherspoon.

Details

Address
Norfolk Towers Hotel
34 Norfolk Place
London
W2 1QW
Transport:
Tube: Paddington
Opening hours:
Mon-Sat 7am-10am, midday-10.30pm; Sun 7.30am-10.30am, midday-10.30pm
Do you own this business?Sign in & claim business
Advertising
London for less
    You may also like
    You may also like