Still standing or standing still?
Pro Original ideas, and some flavours that'd make a crocodile rock.
Con I don't wanna go on with you like that.
Pay
€€€
Per Person €27 starter, main, shared dessert, 2 large beers, coffee. Gratis: pork scratchings.
Yummometer (in Beta)
Low High
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Website
Access One little step.
In Short
Hopes. Semething new.
Reality. Stuff we've never tried before. Success.
First Impressions. Looks very unprepossessing outside. Smartish, disguised Ikea inside.
USP? Huge range of dishes you may never have tried. Or even heard of.
The offer in three words. Feels pretty authentic.
Service! Unhurried. If you're on a clock, you might think it's gonna be a long, long time.
Friend friendly? Almost two pages of V-friendly dishes.
Rating for dating. Hone your chitchat for lengthy gaps between courses.
Tip? No.
Change one thing? It needs to be more...enjoyable.
Revisitability? Moderate to good.
Compare & Contrast
Havana Blues for good-natured tastes of Cuba.
In Pictures
On Google Images
What's the story?
Tastes of Latin America in generous portions await at Rio Grande.
There are exciting things to try. Let's start with the sig dish. Pupusas are a fresh semi-flat bread stuffed with cheese plus something. Foodie hepcats, I know what you're thinking - So far, so kachapuri. That's a good start, but then we get the Latin America touch as the chilli flavours come like a rocket, man.
There are two components:a jug of mildish sauce and, spectacularly, a jar loaded with chilli-powered salady stuff. Like a palette cleanser with the cleans turned up to 11, it's a terrific accompaniment. Recommendable. And the combination of flavours is superb. Of our two, we're recommending the beanz n cheez over garlic.The latter's very tasty, so it's no sacrifice at all, and recommended if you're on a date with a Transylvanian you want shot of sharpish. Suffice it to say, I'm still standing.
When dessert arrived, the presentation seemed to be asking the same as the mains. Is it ready for love? Yes it is, yes it is. A flamed plantain - more fibrous and filling than banana - with some cinnamon and custardy sauce, it really doesn't look the part and flavour-wise was a bit wobbly. The fruit on the desayuno tradicional felt like it needed rotating with this one. Like the circle of life.
Service started pretty well. Drinks - we stuck to Amstel, but other beers are on offer - came in good time, and bill paying was easily done, but we weren't expecting a debate about the cup of coffee we'd had to ask for twice being charged for twice. There are at least two ways to deal with mistakes; a smile and a "sorry, we've been a bit busy" or...nothing. Sorry seems to be the hardest word. We got harrumphiness, with an implication we shouldn't have asked twice. In return, I saved them the presumably unwelcome hassle of carrying a tip away.
Pro Original ideas, and some flavours that'd make a crocodile rock.
Con I don't wanna go on with you like that.
Pay
€€€
Per Person €27 starter, main, shared dessert, 2 large beers, coffee. Gratis: pork scratchings.
Yummometer (in Beta)
Low High
Find
Website
Access One little step.
In Short
Hopes. Semething new.
Reality. Stuff we've never tried before. Success.
First Impressions. Looks very unprepossessing outside. Smartish, disguised Ikea inside.
USP? Huge range of dishes you may never have tried. Or even heard of.
The offer in three words. Feels pretty authentic.
Service! Unhurried. If you're on a clock, you might think it's gonna be a long, long time.
Friend friendly? Almost two pages of V-friendly dishes.
Rating for dating. Hone your chitchat for lengthy gaps between courses.
Tip? No.
Change one thing? It needs to be more...enjoyable.
Revisitability? Moderate to good.
Compare & Contrast
Havana Blues for good-natured tastes of Cuba.
In Pictures
On Google Images
What's the story?
Tastes of Latin America in generous portions await at Rio Grande.
There are exciting things to try. Let's start with the sig dish. Pupusas are a fresh semi-flat bread stuffed with cheese plus something. Foodie hepcats, I know what you're thinking - So far, so kachapuri. That's a good start, but then we get the Latin America touch as the chilli flavours come like a rocket, man.
There are two components:a jug of mildish sauce and, spectacularly, a jar loaded with chilli-powered salady stuff. Like a palette cleanser with the cleans turned up to 11, it's a terrific accompaniment. Recommendable. And the combination of flavours is superb. Of our two, we're recommending the beanz n cheez over garlic.The latter's very tasty, so it's no sacrifice at all, and recommended if you're on a date with a Transylvanian you want shot of sharpish. Suffice it to say, I'm still standing.
This looks like some kind of multi-limbed mollusc, but the desayuno tradicional is an unmissable enigma. Fried bananas. A salty, sweet creamy thing it's hard to describe in words. Think Philadelphia, with a lot of freedom. Some beans refried to a puree. Like dishes in smarter - and way more expensive - places, it's a flavour combination you keep on at as you can't quite work out what's going on with it. It's not a dessert. as two elements are very savoury. It's not a starter, as the bananas are too sweet. It's definitely not a main course. Go! Try it.
The main courses/platos principales are large portioned and about the right price for what you get. Presentation is functional rather than fussy, but it's not something that impinges on flavours. What does struggle a bit is ingredient quality.
The main courses/platos principales are large portioned and about the right price for what you get. Presentation is functional rather than fussy, but it's not something that impinges on flavours. What does struggle a bit is ingredient quality.
The churrasco is very generously sized, and well-seasoned with a garlic butter type thing. It's not the highest quality meat on the planet which is not the end of the world. It would be even less important if it had been cooked a smidge less. As it is, the flavours are great, but some of it too chewy to be enjoyable. Rice is excellently cooked, refried beans are present again, and those two condiments from the pupusas are still to hand to liven things up. You'll want them, and they add a special something An avocado quarter did seem a bit of a spare part, but the creaminess was a nice contrast. The grilled chicken portion is similarly handsome, but would benefit from a minute less on the fire. A tasty coleslaw was provided on this one, acidic, almost like a tiny dancer on the tongue. Both dishes' meat cooking, and maybe the waiting time, suggest Rio Grande are operating a small kitchen or need an extra chef to keep an eye on quality levels.
Service started pretty well. Drinks - we stuck to Amstel, but other beers are on offer - came in good time, and bill paying was easily done, but we weren't expecting a debate about the cup of coffee we'd had to ask for twice being charged for twice. There are at least two ways to deal with mistakes; a smile and a "sorry, we've been a bit busy" or...nothing. Sorry seems to be the hardest word. We got harrumphiness, with an implication we shouldn't have asked twice. In return, I saved them the presumably unwelcome hassle of carrying a tip away.
So, really interesting food ideas, mostly well-cooked. On the basis of those pupusas we fancied going back as the menu's got lots and lots to try. But the service standards mean we're keener to find what else is on offer elsewhere.
Yep. That's a slightly sad, sad situation.
Yep. That's a slightly sad, sad situation.