River Cafe - Simply Delicious! | | by
Jesus de Avila - February 2, 2003. |  On
the bridge that crosses Rio Cuale, by the I. L. Vallarta avenue and going down
the steps to the island, there's a panoramic view of the entrance to the restaurant
that Claudia and I chose to visit that night, The
River Café. It was a special occasion that both of us had agreed to
do: to share that which we didn't like about each other, and that which, if we
could, we would change about the other. Thus the excitement and emotion was the
main ingredient upon our arrival.
We were received kindly.
The person responsible for assigning tables confirmed our reservation and guided
us to ours. The first thing that called my attention was that the place was filled
to capacity. The lights, the table settings, the guests dressed simple but elegant,
the waiters' performance, the sounds of ice being served in glasses by the bar,
the murmur of talk and laughter, the music and the view of the river, all enveloped
us in an ambiance that Claudia and I agreed was simply "delicious". The
second nice surprise was to hear an excellent quartet of musicians with guitars,
a base and occasionally accompanied by a sax, that animated the evening with refinement
and many "huapangos". To us, this was the perfect setting for a water-colored
evening that definitely charmed us with romanticism. After
a few minutes the waiter approached to ask what would we prefer to drink. I must
point out that our beverages were prepared with natural juices. Something we appreciated,
since elsewhere, in order to reduce costs they sometimes use artificial juices.  When
I started reading the menu I noticed it wouldn't be easy to choose among the dishes
offered. Due to their variety, ingredient description and preparation, I wanted
to try at least four of them. Finally we made our decision. To start, Claudia
ordered the "Carpaccio of tuna marinated in a chili pepper and coriander
oil with home made tapenade and a small watercress salad." This combination
of ingredients gives the palate a strong taste of lime while the hot chili can
be enjoyed lightly at the end. I ordered the "Deep fried calamari with the
special house dressing" very cleverly served hidden in a leaf of kelp. For
the main course we shared the "Pan-seared yellowfin tuna with foie gras,
black truffle risotto and small vegetable salad" and the "Roasted filet
mignon with wild mushrooms in a mild red chili sauce". We both thoroughly
enjoyed it. We also found out why The
River Café.is known for its fine cuisine. Simply excellent ...simply
"delicious".
Taking into account that the restaurant
was full, the timing of our dishes was excellent, while the attention and service
worked perfectly together. Our waiter and his steward always approached us with
sincere smiles on their faces, something we valued and acknowledged, since elsewhere
the importance of this touch is sometimes simply forgotten or overlooked and not
practiced, perhaps due to routine. I received the dessert
menu and was tempted by my sumptuous devil, but stopped by the plentiful servings
of our dinner, I preferred to pass on the temptation …until the next time.
Besides, while we were dinning we were able to appreciate how a gigantic and delicious
lobster was served at another table, that we would definitely love to try. Now
we have the perfect excuse to come back as soon as possible. The
more than two hours that we spent there represented a time of true quality. I
would like to mention that the owner of the restaurant, Mrs. Evangelina Sanchez
Dueñas has achieved that her personal touch and style become outstanding
among Vallarta's gastronomic world, so competitive nowadays. I can assure you
that 100% of the guests we were awed by the food, the drinks, the music and the
general ambiance.  I
want to specially mention that the group that played that night, named "Lobo
y su Banda", is fantastic. It had been a long time since I had listened and
enjoyed live music with such excellent interpretation. We even acquired one of
their CD's which I'm listening to now as I'm writing this review. The River Café
offers live music daily from 8:00 to 11:00 p.m. Until the middle of February "Lobo
y The Banda" will be playing on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesday. The rest
of the week features the duet of "Beverly and Willow", which also plays
exceptionally. I've had the opportunity to listen to them on several occasions
and I might say that they are among the best of their kind in Puerto Vallarta.
If what you wish is to enjoy a delicious dinner in a
relaxed romantic ambiance, hoping to be attended to as an international traveler
searching and valuing the quality in food, drinks, service and attention, definitely
Claudia and I recommend The River Café to you most highly. The restaurant
offers a wide open area by the river or an ample roofed area with a view of the
river. Depending on their selections, a couple may enjoy an exquisite dinner for
$690.00 pesos (including one national drink). The place is open for breakfast,
lunch and dinner. There is an exclusive bar area at the entrance with a view of
the island path, where besides being able to watch the activities of the area,
you may enjoy the freshness of their fountain. The restaurant is also a perfect
setting for the exhibition of the renowned artist Martha Gilbert, who by the way
was also present that same night, enjoying the place. For your comfort they accept
all mayor credit cards. For those of you who are curious
to find out how the retro feedback between Claudia and I ended, I must tell you
that of course all my suggestions were flaunted at my face!… but at the end
of the evening, we agreed that focusing on our qualities and practicing, coming
to visit places like the River Café, are two of the best recipes to reaffirm
the affection that exists between us. The
River Café.will definitely be the best option to celebrate Valentine's
Day next February 14th. My recommendations: Make reservation
ahead of time. Dress casual but elegant. The place is worth it. Take a camera.
The
River Café.
Isla Rio Cuale No. 4 Downtown
Puerto Vallarta, Jal.
Phone: 223-0788
Website: http://www.RiverCafe.com.mx
Email:
rivercafepuertovallarta@hotmail.com
Jesús de Avila
editor@pvmirror.com | 
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