RIVA

BEST FOR A fun evening with seafood-loving friends. FOOD Kick off with a carpaccio (the fish changes daily), sliced and served with coconut flakes, olive oil and kiwi fruit. Another option is the tender Saldanha Bay mussels. Pasta is made in-house and the bronze-drawn spaghetti – served with cherry tomatoes and clams – is perfectly al dente. Squid ink gnocchi with prawns comes laced with vibrant threads of saffron. If you have space for secondi, there’s the option of a vast platter; a smaller platter of fried hake, calamari and bait fish; or the Abalobi catch of the day. For dessert, there’s a creamy lemon sorbet and very good tiramisu. DRINKS At the time of writing, the restaurant was still waiting for a liquor license. Take your own wine or make do with a rock shandy. SERVICE Friendly and swift. AMBIENCE It feels like a relaxed seafood trattoria, with dim lights adding some romance. (KP)