Riva

Time Out says

Wed Oct 17 2012

Not much changes at Riva, a fixture in Barnes for more than 20 years. If you’re a frequent diner, who has no need of innovation, and who benefits from the warm welcome given to regulars, you’ll be happy. An occasional visitor in search of a culinary treat will encounter courtesy, correctness and competence, gaze curiously at the olive walls punctuated with architectural prints, find well executed rustic/classic fare… and discover a slightly disproportionate hole in their pocket.

Our platters of typical starters ran the gamut of cured meats, bruschetta, vitello tonnato and so on, evidencing solid, but not inspirational sourcing. Culatello, for example, was not the delectable treat it might have been – a surprise, as the main-course-size plate costs £24. Risotto with a tomato base and a sprinkling of seasonal vegetables was fine, but at £18 we were expecting more of a spark of excitement. Desserts, and wines, are more of a treat. The restaurant was very quiet on our lunchtime visit – little surprise when there’s no set menu concession – giving Riva the air of a buzz-free bistro dressed uneasily in restaurant napery.