We had a mixed experience eating at Fraiche last year. Good food, horrible service, but great desserts. We decided to give Riva, from the folks who brought you Fraiche, a try to see if things were any better over there.

I can say that yes, our experience was better and that yes, we had a terrific meal.

Riva has a sizable Crudo portion of their menu, about equal number of selections as their appetizer and entree sections. We started with a Japanese hamachi, which was cubed and topped with a very light citrus and green onion flavor. My wife determined, and I concurred, that two of the small cubes were a perfect bite to get the flavor and texture just right.

Along with the crudo, we also ordered the Wood Fired Mushroom salad. This was a little different than I pictured, but in a good way. I pictured large mushrooms, grilled and tossed with a little lettuce. In fact, the salad had a mixture of mushrooms, small in size, big in flavor. The greens and the herbs perfectly matched the mushrooms. A great salad to share, especially with the crudo.

I had asked the waiter for his advice in deciding between the pork chop and the chicken. His response was “where is the choice? The pork chop”.

I would like to try the chicken still, but the pork chop more that tantalized my taste buds. A generous Kurobuta chop with a melange of vegetables with pine nuts and small skinless grapes. I can’t pin down what the sauce on the side was, but I would like to. I love a juicy pork chop and this fit the bill.

My wife had a perfectly cooked pair of halibut medallions topped with crisps. I will forever be impressed with fresh fish that is cooked to be hot in the middle while staying moist and nowhere near being overcooked. I can get my fish nice and hot in the middle when I cook it, but it also ends up tough and overdone. The Riva halibut was heavenly.

For dessert we had a cherry crisp topped with almond sorbet and with a small mini carafe of whipped cream and a caramel sauce. The cherries were market fresh and were a nice treat.

I will mention the wine list, although I can’t remember exactly what we had. Each of us had a glass and I really appreciated that the waiter gave tastes before committing to the full pour. I find that to be classy and rare in many restaurants.

And so I give Riva my seal of approval. Would go there many times over Fraiche. There also a wood fired pizza menu that I would like to try for a more casual experience. The Riva space is airy and comfortable, with a nice bar and also a place to sit in front of the oven iteself - would be nice for some solo dining.

Riva
312 Wilshire Boulevard
Santa Monica, CA 90401
310.451.RIVA