Loka is an unassuming establishment from
the outside. Upon walking in, you'll notice that it's a rather bare industrial design with chalkboard walls and photographs of cured meat hung up. You can peer straight into the basic white kitchen under fluorescent lighting and see the busy chefs working away.
Right away you will find the service noteworthy. Your server knows the menu inside out and is eager to tell you about it! "The Pig Mack", she explains, "is the ultimate crowdpleaser." Get us two of those, please, you say. And as per usual, you mention that you will be sharing all the dishes including the soup. So, instead of being given 2 spoons, the kitchen serves you each a bowl of delicious potato mussel chowder. What a pleasant surprise!
You notice the care that goes into each item from start to end - from the ingredients to the plating of the dish to the design of the plate that it is being served on. Oh, as well as the way Loka opens your meal: with an amuse-bouche. (1)
/end narrative
Our third dish was the bone marrow which we found to be a tad too salty but not a huge detractor as we really enjoyed the overall experience. I look forward to trying the other items at Loka, especially since this establishment curates a rotating menu. Plus, I missed out on dessert due to my lack of stomach space!
(1) An amuse-bouche, according to wikipedia, is unavailable on the menu, served gratis, prepares the guest for the meal and offers a glimpse into the chef's approach to the art of cuisine