For a good period of time, there was a lack of upscale but casual dining restaurants in the Bryan-College Station city limits.  If you weren’t happy with the limited choices (which were basically Cenare or The Texan), the other option was to drive to Austin or Houston.

It might seem the case is the same today, but you just need to look harder to find some of those hidden gems.

Tucked away in the corner of a shopping center on Texas Avenue, many diners have probably driven by La Riviera Restaurant & Bakery and not known it.  Others may have written it off thinking the quaint restaurant only made cakes and finger foods.

But those who have actually set foot inside know that La Riviera is much more than just a bakery.

The restaurant is decorated in the style of what you’d expect a nice sidewalk café in France to look like.  The servers are dressed in total black, with a gold tie to add some color.  White linens cover the tables, topped with a small candle and a fresh flower.  The silverware is setup in a basic formal setting (two forks to the left, spoon and knives to the right, napkin in the center), which always seems to make for a fancier date than when a server throws down a rolled napkin with just one fork and one knife inside.

The menu offers a wide range of French and European-style cuisine, from Steak Au Poivre ($19), a NY strip with a peppercorn crust topped with an espagnole sauce to Pan-seared Muscovy Duck ($17), that’s garnished with apricots and a honey-mustard glaze.

We started off with New Orleans Crab Cake ($7), which consisted of three small crab cakes served with a spicy charred tomato remoulade and garnished with a corn and tomato relish.  It was easy to tell that the crabmeat wasn’t cheap imitation meat, and was lightly fried to perfection.  The remoulade, which had hints of curry or paprika, really brought out the flavors of the other spices that were mixed in with the crabmeat.

Easily the most popular dish on most of the other tables surrounding us, we decided to try the Strawberry and Brie Salad ($6) next.  With such a generous portion of mixed greens on the plate, this could almost be a meal in itself.  The house vinaigrette was pleasant in taste, as the chef obvious strayed away from using balsamic vinegar in the base (which some restaurants overdo, making it too bitter). Hints of a slight sweet citrus flavor in the dressing complimented the strawberries and candied almonds well.  The brie was soft, and wasn’t bitter with an ammonia taste that some versions have.

For the main course, we decided to try the La Riviera House Filet ($21) and the Grilled Yellowfin Tuna ($17).  The presentation on the white plates was beautiful, as if they were ready for a picture.

I started with the yellowfin tuna.  It was a good, thick cut of tuna, lightly grilled and topped with a ginger-garlic syrup.  The tuna was cooked to a medium temperature, and was soft and flaky, but not dried out.  The ginger-garlic drizzled on it really brought out an Asian flavor, and paired along with white rice and bok choy (which looks like a leafy celery but tastes similar to spinach) that were both drizzled in a teriyaki vinaigrette, it was quite a delicious dish.

The house filet continued the positive dining experience.  The medium-sized cut of meat comes topped with two jumbo prawns (similar to shrimp) and a cilantro-jalapeno butter.  The meat was tender, but lacked the juiciness and flavor that a great steak packs.  The cilantro-jalapeno butter definitely picked up in that one area where the steak lacked, however, as it didn’t overpower it with a spicy taste but also didn’t drown it out with a fatty butter taste.  The twice-baked potato and vegetables were a nice addition to the meal, but the real star on the plate was the steak and prawns.

When the dessert tray was presented, it was hard to say no.  From a flourless chocolate truffle in a raspberry sauce, to a snicker-doodle cheesecake, everything looked exquisite.  We decided to try the crème brulee, the famous French dessert with a custard base and a caramel crusted top.  It was slightly warm, and had a hint of vanilla, but wasn’t overly sweet as some crème brulees fall victim to.

The menu offers a short wine list, as well as domestic beers and specialty espresso and coffees for those who want to enjoy a non-alcoholic post-dinner drink.

The one detraction from the whole dining experience was the atmosphere.  The windows need to be darkened a little bit or some foliage needs to be added to the front, so for those sitting in front area aren’t on display for Texas Avenue.  While the owners have worked well with the limited space they have, the restaurant might benefit from taking out a table or two, to give the patrons and servers a little more personal room.  Chairs couldn’t be scooted all the way out without bumping another table, and servers had to stand on tiptoes or make ballet-esque moves to get from the table to the kitchen.  Also, there seemed to be a lack of background music; while it isn’t always necessary and can be overdone if the volume gets too loud, it always helps add to the overall atmosphere and dining experience.

In all, the overall experience at La Riviera was pleasant.  It’s easy to tell that the chef prepares his dishes with compassion, not only because of the plate presentation but also because of the phenomenal taste.  This is a great place to bring a date or a food enthusiast, and not have to fork over an entire bank account.  For those who take the time to find this hidden gem in Bryan, they will be rewarded from beginning to end.

And the best part is, it no longer requires driving to Houston or Austin to find this kind of restaurant.

RATINGS
Overall -- ***1/2 (3 1/2)
Food -- ****  (4)
Service -- *** (3)
Atmosphere -- **1/2 (2 1/2)
 
 
 
Noise – semi-quiet to medium
 
 
 
Price -- $ to $$$
 
 
 
La Riviera
3700 South Texas Avenue, Suite 300
979-846-5913
Lunch:
Monday - Sunday: 11 am - 2 pm
Dinner:
Monday – Thursday: 5 pm – 9 pm
Friday & Saturday: 5 pm – 10 pm
 
 
 
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KEY
* - Try at your own risk
** - Fair, but needs improvement
*** - Good
**** - Excellent
***** - Stellar -- stop reading and get to the restaurant now!
 
 
 
$ - 1 to 10 dollars
$$ - 11 to 20 dollars
$$$ - 21 to 35 dollars
$$$$ - 36 to 50 dollars
$$$$$ - Over 51 dollars

Past Reviews:

Koppe Bridge

La Bodega

Papa Perez

Or visit www.kbtx.com/blogs/jordanmeserole for a complete list of reviews