The River Canteen

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The River Canteen

You’ll find Melissa Blease soaking up the weir views as she sings the chef’s praises at Bath’s gorgeously located new Italian

Considering that a river runs right through the heart of the Heritage City, it’s surprising how limited opportunities for messing about beside it are. So, when news hit the grapevine that the fairly recently vacated, characterfully stylish former boathouse right by the weir was once again being given the attention it deserves courtesy of the River Canteen (which, despite rumours to the contrary, has absolutely nothing to do with River Cottage Canteen), my hopeful heart went pitter-patter-splash.

Many of us, of course, have dived into this unique location before, as it was once home to Il Tocco d’Italia, a formerly upper-crust Romanesque (ad)venture that rather bizarrely morphed into a steakhouse and grill before biting the dust altogether. Now we have another Italian stallion in the form of Napoli-born head chef Pasquale Rea behind the hob, and all indications so far point towards Rea becoming the chattering-class grapevine’s Next Big Thing. Rea isn’t just good, he’s molto, molto good - Bath may have an over-proliferation of Italian restaurants, but few can boast a quality and style of Rea’s standard.

After an Aperol spritzer evocative of 1,001 Venetian nights enjoyed at the RC’s chic little courtyard-level bar, we took to a table by the huge windows in the first-floor dining room, adjacent to a decked alfresco veranda that makes the very most of that weir view. Starters of silky beef carpaccio and earthy chicken livers infused with just the right amount of chilli raised the curtain on the gourmet operetta to come, while a bottle of the lesser-spotted Primitivo Bisanzio (an absolute bargain at £26) fully lived up to manager Raff’s recommendations.

It was Raff who urged us to “eat like Italians”, too, which is partly why we opted for another dish to share before our main courses proper hit the table (the other half of that partnership decision being based on the fact that I can’t resist risotto, especially when pumpkin and prawns are involved). And grazie al cielo, I went with my instincts, for this dish was a perfectly al dente thing of beauty to behold, served in one half of the pumpkin from which it was partly wrought. After that came a classic example of tagliata (a huge, juicy, on-the-bone sirloin steak topped with generous shavings of perfect parmesan and a handful of rocket) and a specials-board fish dish consisting of spankingly fresh halibut in a luxurious white wine, mushroom and mustard sauce, with which we ordered sides of crisp roast potatoes and lemon oil-infused French beans scattered with roasted almonds.

Following a bracing breath of fresh air (or, as some may call it, a quick puff) on that gorgeous upper-level veranda that offers what’s probably Bath’s best alfresco experience when the sun comes out, Raff urged us to try a selection of Rea’s sweet treats before an obligatory perfect cappuccino. Of our sharing platter, a warm, fluffy brioche bun filled with pistachio ice-cream, a cube of creamy ricotta cheesecake and a deeply sensual chocolatey thing (by this time my notes had degenerated into chaotic nonsense) confirmed suspicions that began to take hold at the get-go: River Canteen is set to make very big waves indeed.

For an experience as all-encompassing as the gargantuan boat that we pushed out, expect to pay around £78. Take a lighter stroll along the towpath, though, and you could enjoy a still substantial feast for half the price, and for far less again at lunchtime, when even a three-course max-out is a bargain at £11. Tante grazie, Rea.

CONTACT

THE RIVER CANTEEN SPRING GARDENS RD, BATH, BA2. FFI: 01225 424800

THE VERDICT A riverside revelation