Sigh. I really, really wanted to like this place. The logo! The smart website! Alex Atala! We arrived and were sort of taken aback by the hermetic look to the lobby bar. It's huge and showy, sure, but there was no music, the cocktails took quite a while to make (but I guess this is the side-effect of "mixology"), and I could never wrap my head around the stock ticker-like announcement of the upcoming music act on top of the wood accent wall. Where's the lovely green from the branding and website? Surely you can mine the retro logo a bit more with the decor as well, without being kitschy. Instead, Riviera is like a corporate office park's answer to high-end dining and drinking. Being a huge fan of Dalva e Dito for its gastronomy and for its ambiance, this was, then, a huge letdown.
We sampled the oysters, which were delicious. We also had the fine steak tartare and the queijo na brasa, which approximated the delicious originals served at the beaches of Pernambuco. The fried chicken was not quite above boteco chicken, I'm sad to say. Drinks throughout dinner were consistently delicious, and everyone seemed to enjoy the live music. Although again, the recorded announcement preceding it further lays on that stiff, synthetic feeling to the place.
I think this place aimed to be a heavyweight contender, with its all-star roster. But ultimately, it comes off as a profitable side project, with sub-par cuisine rubbed to a shiny and expensive veneer by the owners' fame. read more