Dining
BY MARK FADDEN
The Rô Burger is made from Wagyu beef and served with tru e and Parmesan fries.
The Smoke on the Water is named after the famed Deep Purple song. It is a tequila-based cocktail that is smoked table-side.
PHOTOS BY MARK FADDEN COMMUNITY IMPACT
Bartender Chandler White mixes drinks behind the bar.
The Rô on Oak elevates cocktails in Roanoke Before even entering The Rô on Oak, patrons get the VIP treatment with gold stanchions and a red carpet. Upon entering, guests will be immersed in a curated experience engaging all their senses. In a nutshell
night? Miller said artists like The Notorious B.I.G. keep the energy up long into the evening. The drink list Cocktails are named after popular songs and song lyrics that have stood the test of time. Smoke on the Water combines tequila, mezcal, curacao and maraschino with coconut and lime. Start Me Up is the lounge’s take on an espresso martini. Classic cocktails ll out the drink menu. Miller said patrons can also come in and discuss what they’d like to drink with the bartenders and they’ll make a drink based on their avor pro le. “We have great bartenders that give our patrons what they’re feeling,” Miller said. “That’s how it should be.” The menu While many come to a lounge to unwind with a drink, Miller and his sta have also curated the food menu to be perfect pairings. Popular items include atbreads and the Wagyu meatballs. He also said people are surprised with how good the Rô Burger is, which is made from Wagyu beef and served with tru e fries. Happy hour is from 4 to 6 p.m. every day and includes half-price drinks and food.
The lounge is the brainchild of co-founders— and friends for 40 years— Gabriel Miller and Jonathan Condos. The place is draped in cool, from cozy nooks to the upscale bar where bartenders craft cocktails with names honoring music. There’s just one catch: don’t call it a speakeasy. “The speakeasy has been done to death,” Miller said. “Speakeasies are supposed to be quiet and hidden. We want you to know where [The Rô on Oak] is.” The details Miller said he and Condos had a goal in mind when designing the decor: a beautiful New York bar that meets a Hollywood Hills home where Led Zeppelin is playing. Music, it turns out, is the secret sauce to the lounge. For happy hour, the playlist might include tracks such as low-key rap combined with house music. As the night develops, so does the music. Another playlist combines old-school country—think Willie Nelson—with classic rock from Aerosmith. For late
The Rô on Oak has several seating areas for guests, such as comfortable couches, private alcoves or the open bar.
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320 S. Oak St., Ste. 120, Roanoke www.theroonoak.com
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