Review: Riverview Brasserie, Stadium of Light

So, when I have the hankering for a proper Sunday lunch – you know the ones I’m talking about, ones with all the trimmings and homemade Yorkshire puds, followed by an indulgent dessert – I have to venture out, and this time I paid a visit to The Riverview Brasserie at the Stadium of Light.

The Brasserie, which is situated on the top floor, has recently re-launched its Sunday lunch menu and it’s filled with a mouth-watering selection of dishes.

I’m actually pretty familiar with the Riverview Brasserie, as I used to work there many years ago, but for those of you that aren’t, it’s a stylish and contemporary space, which is light and offers amazing views of the river.

The menu itself is simple and offers one course for £10.95, two for £14.95 and three for £18.95. For starters I opted for the terrine followed by roast beef and then finished with a salted caramel and chocolate tart.

My ham hock and green pea terrine quickly arrived topped with shallot and parsley, and accompanied with a piece of toasted sourdough.

The terrine itself just broke apart when I cut into it and it tasted absolutely delicious, and for those who have a sensitive palate it wasn’t overly salted either. The sourdough was a little over toasted, however, I thought the textures really complemented one another.

You simply can’t go wrong with a traditional beef Sunday dinner. The beef itself was cooked to perfection; it wasn’t pink, or overcooked, it was just perfectly tender.

The meat came with mashed potato, which was creamy and lump-free, as well as crisp roasties and a large homemade Yorkshire pudding, which was light and fluffy – my favourite part.

The vegetables came in separate dishes, so you can add as many as you like to your plate. I for one added the lot; cabbage, broccoli and a delicious mixture of carrots and turnip.

I’m such a sweet-tooth person, so when a restaurant is offering a two-course or three-course option, I always choose the latter and I’m so glad I did.

My salted caramel and chocolate tart was beautifully presented. I could have eaten the whole thing again.

The top was a soft layer of chocolate followed by a sticky caramel centre and crunchy base, accompanied with a generous helping of Chantilly cream and raspberry coulis, and finished with a shard of caramel.

Overall the food was fantastic and the service was second-to-none, we were well looked after without being fussed over, and the atmosphere was lovely too. I also found the chefs to be very accommodating.

My friend is dairy intolerant and the staff were very knowledgeable and gave us a list of dishes she could eat, which was pretty much all of them. Since the desserts were all dairy infused, the chefs created her a bespoke dessert so she could satisfy her sweet tooth too.