The River Café
| Address: | Thames Wharf, London W6 9HA | |
|---|---|---|
| Tel: | 020 7386 4200 | |
| Email: | info@rivercafe.co.uk | |
| Website: | Visit The River Café website | |
| Price: £68.00 | Wine: £24.00 | Champagne: £42.00 |
| Opening Hours: | Mon-Sat 12.30-5pm 7-11pm (Fri-Sat -11.20pm) Sun 12N-5pm | |
Review of The River Café:
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‘Everything about this place is heaven’, drools an admirer of the indomitable River Café. This world-famous Italian has rallied spectacularly after 2008’s fire & subsequent refurb: a new open-plan kitchen & private dining room have appeared, but the minimalist, canteen-style space & delicious sun-trap terrace remain as they were. Service is exceptional – calm, efficient, expert & pleasantly unfussy – & the kitchen is famous for sourcing the finest seasonal ingredients for a raft of robustly flavoured, rustic dishes – though expect to pay handsomely. Vegetables play a starring role, & they are handled with intelligence & flair – a pea & mint-flavoured risotto & the ultra-fresh insalata primavera (leaves, herbs, pecorino fresca, basil & mint dressing) show off the delicately balanced flavours & ‘less is more’ approach that have become the kitchen’s calling cards. The addition of a wood-fired oven has also ushered in a slew of new specialities – stuffed pigeon in Cotegiara Amarone on sausage bruschetta or turbot with anchovies, wild oregano & marjoram, say. Desserts such as polenta cake with caramelised blood oranges are also top drawer. ‘Brilliant for Sunday lunch’ too.
Wine List: There might be the odd grumble about the price of food here, but the wine list is seriously good value for a restaurant of this calibre. House Champagne (Billecart-Salmon) at £42 is little more than retail price, & there’s wide choice at £30. Best Buy White 2007 Soave Classico, Leonildo Pieropan, Veneto, Italy, £25. Best Buy Red 2005 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Dei, Tuscany, Italy, £35.50.
Chef: Rose Gray & Ruth Rogers
Since Rose Gray & Ruth Rogers opened their iconic Hammersmith restaurant in 1987 they have had a marked effect on the London restaurant scene. Their simple, excellently sourced Italian cuisine was a forerunner of the return to simplicity that has marked culinary trends in recent years, while the open-plan layout of the kitchen was a design first for the capital. Furthermore, in training & inspiring Jamie Oliver they helped foster one of the most influential figures in British food of the past two decades. Lest we forget, Gray & Rogers are also authors of an impressive line of cookbooks, the first of which, Italian Country Cook Book, became an instant bestseller. Luckily the fire which marked their 21st anniversary in 2008 was a blessing in disguise, as it provided the opportunity for a £2m refit.The River Café Location:
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