Rive Bistro to Open in Westport
Exciting news for Francophiles! It appears French cuisine is on the comeback trail, with the upcoming April 1 debut of Rive Bistro in Westport. The restaurant is the bébé of chef/owner Eric Sierra—a native of Biarritz—once the chef at Bistro des Amis in town, and later founding chef at Il Palio in Shelton. The name is inspired by its location, right on the Saugatuck River, where River House Tavern once was.
River House never impressed me much (I have a dim memory of leaving in a huff after being served the tiniest gin & tonic ever), except for one thing—the amazing view. In all my years on and off in Westport, I had never seen such a glorious vista of the Saugatuck, just where it makes a meander or two. (For a town that’s on a river and the Long Island Sound, Westport actually has very few restaurants on the water.) So here’s hoping Rive is the special restaurant this very special location deserves.
And it looks as if the stars are in alignment: A superb chef (we were big fans of Bistro des Amis), a postcard-perfect location—and a menu that will include such signature Sierra dishes as duck and foie gras sausage with warm green lentil salad, moules frites Provencale, roasted lamb loin with ratatouille and potato gratin. Oh, and there’s a lovely outdoor patio, too. Merveilleux!
I'm making my reservation now!
299 Riverside Ave., Westport, 203/557-8049, rivebistro.com.
Rive Bistro to Open in Westport
