R
I V O L I
1539 Solano Ave
Berkeley
510.526.2542
The most difficult part about dining at Rivoli is that I rarely am able to
narrow my appetizer and main course selections down to one or two. I always
have three or more items in each category that I want to order. With prices
lower than most Bay Area restaurants, why not order more than one appetizer.
This is a fun, relaxed restaurant with some of the best wait staff in the
Bay Area. If you ever find yourself bored with your date or dinner guest,
you can always switch the conversation from the table to the view out to the
backlit garden. There you will find dining under the stars and flood lights
a group of the local raccoons, skunks and cats. That is a sight you would
not expect to find under any circumstance, but in this part of Berkeley everybody
seems to get along.
Just as you would start off with some homemade potato chips and onion rings
at The Palm restaurant in New York, the Rivoli’s must order appetizer
upon arriving at your table is the portabella mushroom fritters with lemon
aioli, parmesan arugula and caper vinaigrette. Besides one of the most perfect
Caesar salads in the Bay Area, another salad choice is Belgian endive, frisee
and arugula salad with goat cheese, blood orange, toasted hazelnuts and blood
orange and champagne vinaigrette.
Main course selections range from a vegetarian dish of morel mushrooms and
spring vegetable pot pie with flaky pastry and grilled asparagus with shitake
mushrooms, parsley and shaved parmesan to oven roasted pork with ricotta,
potato, bacon and garlic chive ravioli, corn and roast tomato jus and baby
red mustard. The top sirloin is perfect with crispy chive gnocchi, creamed
spinach, Madeira jus and horseradish sour cream. Who can forget the chicken
entrée prepared two ways! The first chicken preparation is cooked with
prosciutto di parma, bing cherry jus, and mashed potatoes accompanied with
the lemon and garlic chicken with broccoli and broccoli rabe.
You must have a dessert at Rivoli! On one of your visits here, share a hot
fudge Sunday with whipped cream and toasted nuts or order a warm chocolate
almond cake with whipped cream, mocha anglaise and chocolate sauce.
Bon Appetit!
M Y T O P T E N
1.
Chez
Panisse - Berkeley
2. Rivoli - Berkeley
3. Oliveto’s - Oakland
4. Chez Panisse Café
- Berkeley
5. Baywolf - Oakland
6. Citron
- Oakland
7. Soizic
- Oakland
8. Garibaldi - Oakland
9. Dona
Tomas - Oakland
10. tie:
Liaison
- Berkeley
Le Cheval - Oakland
HONORABLE MENTIONS