Rivea

Refreshing small plates

Rivea

Rivea is a new Italian restaurant by the world famous chef Alain Ducasse, located inside the super posh Bulgari Hotel which has a lovely staircase leading to the main restaurant space. Food is served on small plates like tapas size with the waiter suggesting ordering between four to five dishes each. At lunchtime they offer a pretty good deal at £35 for 4 courses and tea or coffee which is what we went for.

Marinated sea bream, citrus

Buffalo mozzarella, courgette and basil

Warm octopus and potato salad

Red mullet, confit tomatoes, olives

Our meal got off to a great start with the warm octopus and potato salad, the octopus was really tender with just the right level of seasoning. Marinated sea bream was also another fine dish, served raw with a refreshing dressing of citrus, the sourness really brought out the sweetness and freshness of the fish. Less impressive was the lamb rib and saddle, everything on the plates was cooked well with some classic elements such as new potatoes and broad beans, but it lacked any excitement and at £17 for such a tiny portion, I just felt it wasn't worth it.

Rib and saddle of lamb, new potatoes and broad beans

Roast duckling and figs

Lemon shortbread, Limoncello sorbet

Thin chocolate and raspberry palet

In the end I found the food was nothing fancy, not what you would expect from an Alain Ducasse restaurant. But rather, it was simple cooking, using top ingredients with top execution. Price wise it is not cheap thanks to the Knightsbridge location inside a 5 star hotel, with limited wine by the glass. But the quality of the food is definitely there and time will tell if it can become the next hot restaurant in London.

Food 3/5

Executive chef:  
Alexandre Nicolas

What I paid: 
£52 per head with a cocktail

Average cost without drinks and services :
£35 lunch menu

£40 - £50 dinner menu

Bulgari Hotel, 171 Knightsbridge, London SW7 1DW

http://rivealondon.com/