Oradea – Rivo

Rivo, which takes its name from the riverside location by the Crişul Repede, is one of the more expensive restaurants in Oradea. However, they had a business lunch meal at a reasonable price, although the location was probably still a little upmarket for my normal tastes. The restaurant is quite large and it must be a challenge to get a lunch trade here, but their offer was tempting.

Modern decor and all very comfortable. Service was efficient other than no-one noticed me enter and so I was standing looking confused for a longer time that I’d have ideally liked. After that though the service was entirely satisfactory.

Ursus Black is a Romanian dark beer and in a country where these aren’t particularly easy to find, this was a decent drink. Tastes of coffee and a rich flavour, although it’s 6% so that’s not unsurprising.

The fish and chips was neat in its presentation, although I’m personally a little sceptical about these smears, I’d rather just have a heap. Fish was perch, perfectly well cooked and the coating had some crunch and texture to it.

The chocolate fondant with a cherry compote, along with some random fruit. Beautifully presented and although this isn’t a dish that I’d usually order, I’m glad that I did on this occasion. The fondant leaked beautifully when I cut into it, the compote was rich and the fruit added some texture to the whole arrangement. The ice cream probably wasn’t needed, but it complemented the fondant well and so this pleased me.

The meal was a little expensive by Romanian terms, coming in at around £10 for the two courses and the drink. Given the quality of the experience and the comfortable nature of the surroundings, this entirely met my expectations. The staff members spoke perfect English and the service was welcoming throughout, or at least, it was after they saw that I was waiting.