River House scores a solid average

[Robin Garr]

River House scores a solid average

LEO's Eats with Robin Garr

Oysters on the half shell at River House


J.P. Morgan famously said that if you had to ask how much his yacht cost, you couldn’t afford it. The good folks at River House Restaurant & Raw Bar may have had this iconic wisdom in mind when they set up their “reserve” wine list for their new eatery in the yawning riverside quarters that once housed Falls City Boat Works.

This lofty roster of trophy wines tops out at a cool $500 for a bottle of the sought-after Mondavi-Rothschild Napa Valley Opus One. That’s too rich for me, but then, so is a yacht.

Happily, the rest of the wine list, the beers and cocktails at River House, and the lunch and dinner menus, too, are priced around average for upscale dining, with dinner entrées from the middle teens to the middle $30s.

Unfortunately, it’s not only the pricing that’s average. So, alas, is the fare. Now, average isn’t bad, mind you. Our party of four cleaned our plates, mostly, so I’m not calling it out as bad food. But in a Lake Wobegon world, where we want all our children to be above average, a C grade is disappointing when you wanted an A.

The former yacht storage showroom is spacious, and its floor-to-ceiling window walls afford excellent views of the Mighty Ohio for those at the long, double-sided bar and the favored tables along the north-side windows. The decor is minimalist, and that makes sense — why compete with nature? Wood tables are undraped, and set with good quality flatware and gray cloth napkins. A massive stone wall with water flowing down mirrors the “water wall,” writ large, at Varanese, Chef John Varanese’s Frankfort Avenue restaurant.

River House self-describes its bill of fare as “regional cuisine with a Southern flair,” but I’m not feeling that. I’d call it general American, with a whiff of California. Maybe it’s the frequent use of Maker’s Mark 46 as an ingredient that bestows a culinary drawl? ...


Read the full review on LouisvilleHotBytes,
http://www.louisvillehotbytes.com/?p=5609

See this column also in LEO Weekly:
http://www.leoweekly.com/2016/06/river- ... d-average/

River House 
Restaurant & Raw Bar
3015 River Road, 897-5000
riverhouselouisville.com
facebook.com/riverhouselou
Robin Garr's rating: 81 points

Great Review Robin,

I think you hit the nail on the head.

Ate there a month ago and came away more impressed with the decor and location than the food.

Really don't recall what I ate, nor what my wife ate. The corn bread was good.

In my mind, if I can't remember the food after a month, it doesn't make much of an impression. That doesn't mean I won't try it again, but there are a lot of options out there that knock it out of the park for the same dollar amount.

[Robin Garr]

Thanks for the affirmation, Scott. After our Doc's Cantina experience (which was much, much worse), I've been thinking about the old saying regarding restaurants on the tops of tall buildings. I'm starting to think a similar principle may apply to Louisville riverside eateries. On both sides of the Ohio. (Although, now that I think about it, Captain's Quarters is an exception to that rule.)

[Robin Garr]

Following up, though - and this kind of applies to Carla's recent topic about how we balance food, service and atmosphere in our overall impression of a restaurant - I would absolutely come back to River House for a drink and the view, and I wouldn't hesitate to order a plate to go along. I just wouldn't view it as a destination primarily for the food. Not now. But I'm sure I'll keep trying, because I don't think Chef John V would be satisfied with a reputation for "meh."

I also agree; we were blown away by the decor, view, and ambience, but thought the food overpriced for a (barely) adequate meal.
--oyster poor boys had only four tiny oysters in a large (good) roll
--fried seafood (most expensive regular dish on the menu) was tasty, but had 3/4 greasy breading and 1/4 seafood
--other items were good, but not great, and on high side price-wise (which we wouldn't mind had they been better)

We do disagree about Doc's. Perhaps it was what we ordered, but our corbina (I think) and chicken mole were very different from what other Louisville Mexican restaurants serve, but quite good. Also, we did have delays in being served, but as we ate there the first week we weren't terribly bothered by that.

Based on our experiences, we would give Doc's another try, but would relegate River to drinks after dinner (maybe at the Levee?).

[Robin Garr]

We do disagree about Doc's. Perhaps it was what we ordered, but our corbina (I think) and chicken mole were very different from what other Louisville Mexican restaurants serve, but quite good. Also, we did have delays in being served, but as we ate there the first week we weren't terribly bothered by that.

Based on our experiences, we would give Doc's another try, but would relegate River to drinks after dinner (maybe at the Levee?).

Andrew, I respect your opinion, and I certainly believe you had a better experience. I definitely intend to go back to Doc's again with an open mind and tummy, maybe after several months.

I have to tell you, though, that this review drew a much larger and louder chorus of agreement - and dozens of similar, even more painful stories - prompting me to feel fairly confident that I called it correctly.

I was out and about this last holiday weekend and started to eat at River House but opted for King Fish instead. Mostly because I was dressed so informally. I had been wondering what King Fish would do to compete with the culinary skills of River House just next door. I won't do a review of any kind but the fish/clams/oysters I had were perfectly cooked, not greasy and had all been hand breaded. So, not "out of the freezer into the pan" stuff. Add a draft beer that was their featured beer of the day for $2 and I just cannot imagine how anyone could complain.
What's that quote from Lincoln? "Whatever you are be the best at it."
River House has set their on bar pretty high to begin with. (That's a serious restaurant pedigree.) Couple that with A list prices and maybe RH needs to knuckle down and really show what they can do. Because it looks like King Fish isn't going to sit still and let them be the big kids on the block.
I realize I'm comparing apples to fresh figs in creme fraiche but I think the big player through there might be the ambiance and they both have that.

With was really surprised by the coffee portion. If you are going to feature French Press coffee, why would you serve brewed coffee and then charge $6.50 for it. I'm a little confused.

I was out and about this last holiday weekend and started to eat at River House but opted for King Fish instead. Mostly because I was dressed so informally. I had been wondering what King Fish would do to compete with the culinary skills of River House just next door. I won't do a review of any kind but the fish/clams/oysters I had were perfectly cooked, not greasy and had all been hand breaded. So, not "out of the freezer into the pan" stuff. Add a draft beer that was their featured beer of the day for $2 and I just cannot imagine how anyone could complain.
What's that quote from Lincoln? "Whatever you are be the best at it."
River House has set their on bar pretty high to begin with. (That's a serious restaurant pedigree.) Couple that with A list prices and maybe RH needs to knuckle down and really show what they can do. Because it looks like King Fish isn't going to sit still and let them be the big kids on the block.
I realize I'm comparing apples to fresh figs in creme fraiche but I think the big player through there might be the ambiance and they both have that.

Have not yet been to Levee, but on warm weekends we often go to King Fish, sit on the balcony with a beverage, and listen to the live bands that play every weekend - no cover, no minimum!

I've been there four times, and my experience was much better. I ordered seafood and it was very good. I took daughter there for lunch yesterday; she had the salmon which was delicious and I had the ahi pro boy, which was also delicious and I got good fries, while she had rather uninspired veggies. The ahi is raw /rare, barely seared. I prefer mine rare, but a little more cooked. Still, it was tasty. The waiter never brought my iced tea, though I was charged for it. Others had cornbread, we never got any. I also didn't get my water refilled till after lunch, and drank my daughter's. Probably thought 2 women wouldn't tip . I tipped 22 %.

Po boy

I read and re-read this review. (Shaking my head)
Burner burnt drip coffee served in a French press for $6.50? Call me whatever but that tips the pretentious scale for me. I'd be laughing on my way out the door. (Even if it weren't burnt.)

[Robin Garr]

With was really surprised by the coffee portion. If you are going to feature French Press coffee, why would you serve brewed coffee and then charge $6.50 for it. I'm a little confused.

So were we, if by "confused" you mean "pissed off."

I've been there four times, and my experience was much better. I ordered seafood and it was very good. I took daughter there for lunch yesterday; she had the salmon which was delicious and I had the ahi pro boy, which was also delicious and I got good fries, while she had rather uninspired veggies. The ahi is raw /rare, barely seared. I prefer mine rare, but a little more cooked. Still, it was tasty. The waiter never brought my iced tea, though I was charged for it. Others had cornbread, we never got any. I also didn't get my water refilled till after lunch, and drank my daughter's. Probably thought 2 women wouldn't tip . I tipped 22 %.

If that's the better experience, I'd hate to see what the first three trips were like.

These reviews indicate what I've started to think about the Louisville dining scene in recent months. It seems as if there have been a number of restaurants that have opened with a business model based on mediocre food and service combined with outrageous prices. I just don't believe there are enough rich gullible people in town to sustain it for very long.

[Robin Garr]

I've been there four times, and my experience was much better. I ordered seafood and it was very good. I took daughter there for lunch yesterday; she had the salmon which was delicious and I had the ahi pro boy, which was also delicious and I got good fries, while she had rather uninspired veggies. The ahi is raw /rare, barely seared. I prefer mine rare, but a little more cooked. Still, it was tasty. The waiter never brought my iced tea, though I was charged for it. Others had cornbread, we never got any. I also didn't get my water refilled till after lunch, and drank my daughter's. Probably thought 2 women wouldn't tip . I tipped 22 %.

One of our friends had the salmon and thought it was "meh," Linda. Different strokes, maybe, and it might have been her own fault by insisting it not be pink in the center. We had a similar experience about water, too. No refills, all though the meal, and when we finally asked for some just before dessert, they brought out four fresh glasses but didn't clear the old ones.