Well, after all the hoopla I raised about the credit card reservation policy at Rivue (which, by the way, they cleared up on HotBytes - it's not their policy), I felt I owed it to Rivue to recap our evening there.
We went to see Wicked on Saturday, and had a pre-theater dinner at Rivue. I'll lead this off by saying that my wife and I were both hugely impressed. I try not to compare one restaurant with another and avoid "A is better than B," but suffice to say that based on Saturday's experience we put Rivue in our Top 10, and maybe even better (Top 6 sounds fair).
The entry into Rivue is amongst the most stunning in the city. You step off the elevator into a very elegant but modern hallway that leads past the bar area and into the restaurant. The overall setting is the same - elegant but very modern with deep, rich colors (lots of reds, blacks, and whites). The combination of elegant and modern gives the restaurant a very "special occasion/fancy" feel, but without any pretentiousness. There is also absolutely no "hotel-restaurant" feel to it.
I'm going to quickly touch on the revolving floor aspect. Yes, it is a bit kitchy and it did give me a little vertigo (gone in 5 minutes), but the restaurant doesn't make a big deal out of the revolving floor (when you're there), and it does honestly give you breathtaking views. The floor revolves very slowly (we made it around one and a half times during the almost 2 hour meal), and though we were a little hesitant, we enjoyed the experience. The whole restaurant does not revolve – only two discs on either side, comprising maybe 40-50% of the overall seating. There is amply non-revolving seating in the restaurant, but you won’t get the views.
Ahh, but the most important criteria - the food, and this did not disappoint. Also note that the actual menu is quite different (and better) than that reflected online. I didn't notice it until today. We shared a cheese/pate appetizer to start, which included a very tasty meat based pate served with a delicious mustard, a foie gras mousse (yes, I am aware of the controversy surrounding foie gras, and I am generally sensitive to those types of culinary issues, but I truly enjoy foie gras and only eat it very infrequently), Humboldt fog cheese, and another cheese that I can't remember. The choice of cheeses accompanied the gamey meatiness of the pate and foie gras very well.
My wife had a filet of which I cannot remember the details, but she really enjoyed it despite not being much of a steak person. I decided on a chicken dish - topped with arugula and smoked mozzarella, wrapped in fantastic, salty, country ham, and covered in red-eye gravy demi-glace. I almost never order chicken in restaurants, but the KY country ham, smoked mozzarella, and red-eye gravy caught my eye. It was one of the best dishes, chicken or not, that I've had in a long time, and the presentation was perfect. We split a torte for dessert that was good, but unfortunately we had to wolf it down in order to make the show. Add in two perfectly made cocktails (gin martini and bourbon Manhattan), two well-recommended glasses of wine, and a double-espresso, and we were set.
The service was great, and I highly recommend our waiter - I think his name was Ryan, but I'm not sure. He was very knowledgeable, friendly without being intrusive and attentive without hovering. With a generous (20%+) tip, that memorable evening set us back approximately $155.00. I loved Rivue, and plan to go back, and may take out-of-town guests there at Derby time. I encourage everyone who hasn't gone to get over the fact that the floor revolves and get over the fact that it's in the Galt House, and try out Rivue.
You can't make this stuff up, it just happens to me!