River: A Waterfront Restaurant and Bar
Wethersfield
July 30, 2024
River restaurant is located in an unassuming location in Old Wethersfield: the back of an office building. It’s well-hidden unless you know what to look for, but the reward is great food and an awesome view of the Connecticut River from the back patio.
Unfortunately, the patio is off limits for those seeking to save a buck or two with the happy hour menu, as the deals are only available for customers who dine at or near the bar. I was there for happy hour, but I made sure to grab a seat at the bar that still gave me a decent view of the river.
First things first, I ordered the River Margarita, which consists of silver tequila, blue curacao, grenadine and fresh lime juice. It was a strong drink. The tequila overpowered the flavor of the other ingredients, save for a hint of the grenadine that came through.
I wanted my next drink to be a little more tasty, so I ordered an And Don’t Call Me Shirley, a reference to one of the greatest movies of all time. The drink was made with Castillo spiced rum, ginger ale, lime juice, grenadine and garnished with a cherry. The flavors were more balanced in this drink; the ginger ale added a refreshing effervescence that the margarita lacked.
When it came to food, I wanted something different than the typical bar food, so I ordered two of the flatbread pizzas on the menu.
I first tried the shrimp scampi flatbread, which comes with seared garlic shrimp, a garlic scallion aioli, provolone cheese and diced tomatoes. The taste of the garlic matched perfectly with the shrimp and provolone cheese, with each flavor providing a distinct hit to my tastebuds. The crunch of the flatbread was great too, and it felt like I was eating a thin crust pizza with an extra crispy crust.
I also ordered was the sausage and pepperoni pizza. Covered in sweet Italian sausage, Rosa Grande pepperoni and basil, it offered a nice contrast to the lightness of the shrimp scampi pizza, with a heavier red sauce complimenting the spiciness of the sausage and pepperoni. The cheese wasn’t quite as flavorful as the provolone on the shrimp scampi, but it gave the meats more room to breathe and dominate the flavor profile.
Still, even though I was feeling adventurous, happy hour ain’t complete without at least some buffalo wings. River’s wings were crispy and well done without being burnt, and came paired with a blue cheese dipping sauce that didn’t overwhelm with cheesy flavor. The wings weren’t spicy, but I preferred them that way, as I was able to more fully enjoy the savoriness of the buffalo sauce itself. I also ordered bacon and cheese French fries which were good, but not particularly noteworthy.
River provided a good happy hour experience, and a nice view from inside the bar area. I want to return someday to try dinner, and sit out on the back patio to fully enjoy all that the secret location has to offer.
NEXT
River: A Waterfront Restaurant and Bar is open seven days a week.
Jamil heads to Elizabeth Park for a concert in the rose garden.
