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"Cooking, in effect, took part of the work of chewing and digestion and performed it for us outside of the body, using outside sources of energy. Also, since cooking detoxifies many potential sources of food, the new technology cracked open a treasure trove of calories unavailable to other animals. Freed from the necessity of spending our days gathering large quantities of raw food and then chewing (and chewing) it, humans could now devote their time, and their metabolic resources, to other purposes, like creating a culture."

Michael Pollan

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« Radio, Copenhagen | Main | La nonna Pettineo's ragu »
Monday
Jun132016

Short & Sweet: The River Café

DateMonday, June 13, 2016 at 10:11PM

Style: High-end Italian

Budget: Very expensive, considering this is simple cooking, but the ingredients are top quality and the portions are generous. 

Venue and atmosphere: More casual and relaxed than you might expect. Go for lunch on a sunny day and book a table outside.

Service: Friendly, knowledgeable and efficient. 

Food: At The River Café ingredients reign supreme. The focus is on seasonal, Italian and locally sourced produce, simply cooked to showcase their pure, intrinsic qualities.

A dish of Scottish langoustines is a perfect example. They are gently poached so they are just cooked and served with a drizzle of olive oil, a few herbs and a wedge of lemon. Anything more would be sacrilegious. They are fresh, plump and sweet. 

A tumble of al dente lasagne sheets with pesto alla Genovese (the traditional recipe made in a mortar and pestle with Genovese basil) and a light dusting of parmesan is another example of a simple dish where a few key ingredients are given space to shine.

Chargrilled marinated leg of lamb with potatoes, Calabrian onions, aged balsamic, thyme and salsa verde is the most satisfying main I’ve had this year. The wood-oven has touched everything, giving the tender lamb an added depth of flavour, rendering the onions sweet and sticky and those potatoes, oh my! Caramelised in the fat of the lamb they are rich, buttery and almost as meaty as the lamb itself. A zesty salsa verde brings a touch of freshness and neatly balances the dish. 

We are stuffed, but kindly treated to a huge array of desserts on the house as it is my birthday and my boss knows the chef. They’re all as wonderful as they look with my first prize going to the pannacotta, probably because it is slightly boozy and so am I.

Drink: All Italian with some interesting lesser-known varietals, starting at around £30. Ask the sommelier if you are unsure – they are very willing to help and good at matching wines to both your tastes or the dishes. 

In a nutshell: Supreme ingredients, perfectly cooked. Worth a visit, despite the price tag.

Out of 10: 8

The River Café: Thames Wharf, Rainville Rd, London, W6 9HA; +44 (0)20 7386 4200; info@rivercafe.co.uk

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Reader Comments (14)

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