Riviera On Yarra, Geelong

Have been able to dine at Riviera on 2 occasions, very impressed with the food, menu variety pleased us, service was attentive to our needs, will go again soon, loved the decor and price was very affordable.

Price of meals are affordable for meal for one or family of four, fresh food friendly girls, my highlight once a fortnight.

It sounds like a cliché to say ‘if you want food that is to die for’ visit Riviera on Yarra, so what I will say is – if you want a truly exquisite meal, dine at Riviera on Yarra. Both versions are an accurate account of my thoughts after dining at this restaurant. As I left, I racked my mind to recollect whether I had ever had a meal that surpassed the lunch I had just enjoyed and I realized I had not.

The quality of the experience began when I rang to make my reservation. Manager, Kevin imparts an infectious enthusiasm that filled me with an expectation that this was going to be a special experience. We arrived on a wet miserable day, but the minute we stepped inside, Kevin’s engaging welcome created a sense of warmth. The gas imitation coal fire created a pleasant physical warmth, combining with Kevin’s greeting to generate a wonderful warm environment.

We sat on a very comfortable couch in front of the fire and waited for your fellow diner to arrive. It is a perfect place to enjoy a pre-dinner drink.

The meal begins with complimentary dainty hand made bread rolls and a little bowl of dipping oil, followed by a tasty little mussel appetizer. The choice of entrees range from $12 to $14 in price, on the current menu and include two seafood options, a vegetarian option, braised lamb, and pork belly. I chose the pork belly, which was served with fennel, orange and beetroot. My husband chose the grilled baby octopus dish that was served in a very stylish plate and included potato, chorizo, and witlof.

For main course, I ordered the Wagyu Rump steak, ($36) cooked rare. It was cooked to perfection and the red wine jus, baby beats and pea puree were perfect accompaniments.

My husband chose the chicken cooked two different ways ($26), and served with smoked eggplant and sauce vierge. My daughter had the vegetarian option, which was Moroccan Lentil Ragout ($23) that came with little circles of crusty bread.

Despite the fact that I am not a huge fan of pears I chose the Saffron Poached pear dessert because it came with lime curd ($13). Ohhh! That lime curd did not disappoint. It was magnificent, but what was also pleasantly surprising was how much I enjoyed the pear, which was coated in a spicy poaching liquid and served with macerated other fruits and the delicious lime curd. Now that was definitely ‘to die for’.

The portions sizes meant a meal of entrée, main course and a shared desert could be eaten comfortably. Mind you, I had skipped breakfast in preparation. The whole experience was an absolute delight and I would not hesitate to recommend

Riviera on Yarra. In addition to the Australian menu they have a Japanese menu which I gather consists of the choice of 5 gourmet platters for sharing. These are priced from $50 - $80 for the seafood option.

Riviera on Yarra – fine dining at its best.