It might be winter for a little longer, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a great meal outdoors at The River House.
Well, almost outdoors. The deck remains open through the winter; with a clear, heavy plastic covering around the deck and a powerful overhead heater, dining on the deck is as close as I’d want to come to dining al fresco right now.
Two friends and I were warm and comfortable during a recent visit to this popular waterfront establishment. We enjoyed our great view of the river, tugboats and bridges, and, of course, the great food for which The River House is known.
We kicked off our meal with a dozen Prince Edward Island oysters. They came with a delicious cocktail sauce, which had just the right amount of horseradish – not too strong, but far from bland.
Oysters aren’t for everyone. One of my friends isn’t keen on them, so she ordered a Caesar salad for her starter. It looked good – it was a generous portion for a side salad, with hearty croutons.
For dinner, I had the crab cake BLT. I like crab cakes and BLTs, so it seemed hard to go wrong.
The crab cake itself had a subtle crab flavor and good texture. The bacon was crispy, and the sandwich came on a tasty, brioche-style bun.
The meal came with fries or chips. I chose chips, which turned out to be a great choice, as they appeared to be made in house, and were thicker (and tastier) than most restaurants’ potato chips.
One friend ordered a salmon entrée. She said it had a nice flavor, with a maple glaze covering the top of it.
Her dish included roasted brussels sprouts and mashed potatoes. Roasting the brussels sprouts caramelizes the sugars in them, giving them a stronger flavor than boiling provides.
She said the mashed potatoes were good, too.
My other companion tried the fish tacos. He’d seen Mahi Mahi on the menu, and asked if the tacos were also made with it.
They were made with haddock, but he said they were still excellent. The fish came on a bed of winter greens and vegetables, folded inside the soft tacos.
It was a terrific meal. We watched the sun go down from our cozy space on the deck, and talked about tugboats and boating in general.
Two young women sat down across from us. Dressed in black shirts and wearing name tags, we assumed they were employees.
They turned out to be dental assistants at Dental By Design, and by coincidence wore uniforms nearly identical to our server’s.
I would assume that being a dental assistant is a much better job than serving tables, but things may be changing.
The River House is owned by the Labrie Group, which also operates The Atlantic Grill, Jimmy’s Jazz and Blues Club and Rio Tequila Cantina (closing soon – I wonder what will take its place).
Labrie employees have greater perks than I remember having as a server. The company offers bonuses, health insurance and a retirement plan.
The Labrie brothers, Peter and Michael, said in August that they hope to turn a Lafayette Road property they own into employee housing.
The restaurant industry is a tough business. It’s refreshing to see a local company setting a strong example when it comes to supporting employees.
The River House is located at 53 Bow Street. For hours and more information, please call 431-2600, or visit https://riverhouse53bow.com/.
For employment opportunities with the Labrie Group, see https://thelabriegroup.com/.
