Wednesday, September 30, 2009

An English Girl in New York: The River Cafe

Okay, you’re in New York city and want a quality meal out. Fine wine, fine food, atmosphere and a view to die for. Where do you go? That’s easy, The River Café, of course, which is just over the bridge in Brooklyn. And if you’re feeling romantical, then this is the place for you.

My evening started with a cab ride to the Ritz Carlton Hotel near Battery Park which boasts a bar on the 14th floor with spectacular views across to Miss Liberty herself. Sadly though, this bar was closed due to a private function, so instead we took up two seats in the downstairs bar where we were served by the best waiter ever.

I have no idea what the barman’s name was, we called him Steve but not to his face, and he totally rocked. He was impeccably polite, but not creepy or overbearing, and his service and timings were perfect. Just when you wanted to wipe your hands on a napkin, there he was with a napkin in hand. Just when you wanted a refill, there he was with the bottle. And just before you asked for the bill – or should I say check – there he was with it already in his fingertips. Genius. He was also very funny.

After a pre-dinner drink and chit-chat with Steve we took another cab to City Hall and proceeded to walk across the well-lit Brooklyn Bridge. The rules of this walk? Don’t look back until you get half way across. And you won’t be disappointed because when I turned around, the view was spectacular. The view of the Manhattan skyline at 9.15pm was stunning.

After a 20 minute walk across the bridge, at the other side and perched on top of the Hudson River, is The River Café. Booking’s essential if you want a table and the dress code is strict – jackets for the guys, and they can’t take them off even if they get hot, and dresses for the gals. This place is proper posh.

After a drink at the bar we were shown to our table. We didn’t get a table by the window as requested but we weren’t far away. Window seats are clearly reserved for those with dollar signs in their eyes or old and ugly men who can afford to pay for two pretty blonde “girl friends” to join him at the table.

All seats at all tables are positioned so every diner gets the benefit of the breath-taking view across the river to Manhattan. The tables are fairly close together so conversations can be overheard but the restaurant is small and there’s a nice atmosphere. There’s nothing worse than being able to hear the chink of knives and forks as people eat, I much prefer a conversational buzz around the place, and that’s what we got.

The menu – priced at $95 per head for three courses – will get your tastebuds watering and the wine menu may well take you a day to read with approximately 400 bottles to choose from, some of them with price tags close to my monthly salary.

We plumped for oysters and steak tartare to start with, lobster and steak for main course and then a cheesecake and a chocolate pudding made to look like the Brooklyn Bridge for pud. Very clever. And all washed down with red wine for him, white wine for her.



Despite some dodgy reviews about the service, I thought it was fine. We weren’t rushed away from our table – good job as we booked for 9.30pm – and the waiters were polite and helpful, even if one guy did look at me in horror when he announced the arrival of my medium rare steak and I told him I’d asked for it rare. It was indeed rare, he just got confused and looked utterly relieved when I sliced into it and blood poured out.

Without a doubt, this is a really romantic setting – there are fairy lights everywhere - and possibly not somewhere you’d want to go on a girls’ night out. It’s made for couples or those with more money than sense. Let’s not beat about the bush here, the meal was very expensive, but it was an evening to treasure and the pre-dinner drink and walk across Brooklyn Bridge just added to the magic. A night to remember.