Lisa's review of The River Café

What a disappointment!

Starters (squid, and a fig salad) were nothing special – yes the ingredients were very good quality but at this price you expect something in addition to that.

Pasta – we chose one option with a walnut sauce which was bland beyond belief. The other was a penne (which appeared to be the dried variety rather than fresh) with a more successful game sauce. Still, I've had much better pasta at Jamie Oliver's Fifteen, frankly some of the items on Carluccio's and Piccolino's menus are tastier.

Meat – Partridge was quite unpleasant – to be fair it's the first time either of us had tried it, so perhaps it's just not our thing. Vegetable accompaniments to the partridge had a very strong vinegar flavour which was not enjoyable. Pork loin was well executed and vegetable accompaniments were good – but at a price, I think a half-decent gastropub could produce a similar plate of food in terms of quality but somewhat more cheaply.

Dessert & wine – Wine was fabulous and relatively reasonable in price. Pudding (walnut cake, and I forget the other option) were tasty but not outstanding.

On the plus side, service was excellent, although I've never been to a restaurant with so many staff so it should be good. We enjoyed the atmosphere, although the tables were quite close together.

Overall if you want a special Italian meal I would recommend a visit to Locanda Locatelli or Zafferano instead.