Fay Maschler recommended, in her latest panegyric in the London Evening Standard, the Riva restaurant. I wish we'd never bothered. After travelling from Highgate by taxi we were met by a surly man who moved his hand in a gesture for us to sit – without actually speaking. This he did after he looked over to another man who was hiding behind a rather large flower vase.



We should have left there and then, but we read this wonderful gush from Ms Maschler so we had to stay to try the first rate food she regaled us with in her Standard column. Again, I wish we had left – the food was ghastly; over cooked and under seasoned with prices you’d expect to pay in the best restaurants in town. Looking around, the place was shabby and the toilets left a lot to be desired.



We complained to a rather lovely Polish girl about the tasteless mains and she said she would try to deal with it. We thought it best to speak directly to the manager/florist. When we asked to speak to him he refused to come to our table - I think that says it all.

The Creole risotto was vile, frozen veg and cooked rice chucked together, paper table cloths, an owner who was obviously waiting to charm a food critic or celeb so too busy to charm new visitors, surly waitresses as uninspiring as the food. The antipasto after half hour wait was good. The rest was plonked on a plate with no finesse or interest.



Gordon Ramsay recommended Riva in his programme - that is because he was given quality for who he is. Luckily from what I've heard he doesn't conduct his business in the same way. Go to the Depot near Barnes Bridge, it’s the total opposite of Riva!

Having read a lot of good reviews on Riva, we decided to try this famous local Italian in Barnes. What a disappointment that has been!

The food has nothing to do with Italian food. I had a lobster linguini - which sounds nice but the fact is that there was only a lobster shell and hardly any lobster and the tomato sauce was so bland that it was inedible. My husband had a meat dish whcih was equally bad.

On top of it, it was all overpriced and the service at Riva was a bit of a joke. We had to hear the long list of specials (they don't have them written down anywhere) from waitress pronouncing Italian names in English and reciting very quickly as the restaurant was busy.

I don't think that I have ever been so disappointed with Italian food in London. What I found also amazing, is that looking at the people around me they seem to have been enjoying it!

My advice to anyone seeking to eat good Italian food in London is to give Riva a miss.

Personally, I think Riva is overrated. The food's not too bad but it's very cramped in there and I just don't feel at ease.

I can understand why some people rave about Riva (the food is OK), but it's just not the place for me.