Roja opened its doors June 15, 2024, in the former ASA restaurant space, which was owned by Andrew Welch. Co-owners James Ashe and Chet Roberto Juarez have kept the stunning layout of the restaurant, and it remains a beautiful place to dine. With plenty of seating both indoors and out, along with a large roll-up garage-style door, Roja creates a wonderful indoor-outdoor feel.
Roja is not your average Los Altos restaurant. The restaurant prides itself on farm-to-table dining, with seasonal dishes and ingredients that change throughout the year.
And then there are the drinks. Roja takes pride in its handcrafted cocktails and extensive wine list. Menu favorites include Gulf shrimp, a pork chop prepared schnitzel-style, daily specials, and, of course, some tempting desserts to end the meal.
Now, let me tell you about my experience.
I had eaten at ASA many times and always enjoyed it. The food and service there were consistently outstanding. But this review is about Roja, so let’s talk about Roja.
On a recent Thursday evening, the restaurant was busy, but our party of five was seated right away. We received our menus promptly, but unfortunately, that was where the smooth service seemed to stop.
The service was a bit spotty, although our waitstaff was pleasant. Our wine arrived after about 15 minutes, and our food order took quite a while. But honestly, that part didn’t bother me too much. We were enjoying the wine and, more importantly, enjoying the company of good friends. Sometimes that is what a dinner out is really about.
Roja had several specials that evening, although some were definitely not for me. If you have read my previous reviews, you already know that I am a pretty picky eater.
One dish that did catch my attention was the filet mignon. Three of us ordered it, all requesting our steaks medium rare. The other two ordered the pork chop, which they enjoyed.
When my filet arrived, however, it was much closer to well done than medium rare.
For a $71 steak, I don’t think it is unreasonable to expect it to be cooked the way you ordered it.
I sent it back.
Then I waited.
And waited.
About 25 minutes later, my medium-rare steak finally arrived. By that time, my friends had finished their meals and were left sitting there while I ate by myself.
At that point, I honestly didn’t want the steak anymore.
I told James that I was done and that I didn’t want the meal. His response was essentially that he would eat it later. What I was hoping to hear was, “I’m so sorry. We messed up.” Instead, there was a shrug and he walked away with the steak.
I did mention that I write for the Town Crier and that I would be writing about my experience and his response. Ultimately, Roja removed the steak from my bill. So, I suppose there was a little bit of a happy ending – or at least a $71 silver lining.
Would I go back?
I’m not sure.
Roja certainly has a lot going for it. The restaurant is beautiful, the setting is inviting, the wine list is impressive and there are some interesting dishes on the menu. But Los Altos has many wonderful restaurants, and when you’re spending your hard-earned money on a night out, you want the entire experience – from the food to the service – to be worth it.
For me, this time around, Roja missed the mark.
Roja, 242 State St., Los Altos
