Review: St. Roch Fine Oysters + Bar
By Greg Cox, News & Observer
I knew it was a gamble, showing up at St. Roch Fine Oysters + Bar on a Saturday night without a reservation.
Owner/chef Sunny Gerhart has a sterling reputation as the right-hand man to James Beard Award-winning chef Ashley Christensen, dating back nearly two decades to Enoteca Vin on Glenwood South. He was the opening sous chef at Christensen’s flagship restaurant, Poole’s Diner, and most recently was executive chef at her coffeehouse/gastro-diner, Joule.
St. Roch, which Gerhart opened in May in the former Joule coffee shop, was one of the most highly anticipated restaurant openings of the year. The location, in the heart of downtown Raleigh’s nightlife district, made for even longer odds against our party just walking in and getting a table.
But I figured if we got there early enough, we stood a decent chance. Experience has taught me that even the trendiest spots don’t typically get busy until at least 6:30 or 7 p.m. To be safe, we’d plan on arriving just before the restaurant’s 5 p.m. opening.
