Rios d’Sud America is one of those places that you root for like a long shot filly on the inside rail. It’s so close to breaking through you can almost taste it. It has all the right markers: an impressive ambiance, sincere, dedicated service and a compelling menu of South American fusion cuisine.
When you walk in, you are struck by the look. Not only is it swank, but it’s swank in a Ricky Ricardo at the Copocabana sort of way, so authentically upscale Latin you expect a conga player in a dinner jacket to start pounding the skins. Rich wine colored drapes descend from a high ceiling, a graceful staircase ascends to a balcony overlooking the spacious dining floor where elegant tables with plush white chairs are liberally spaced, creating an open, airy envrionment. High above, the ceiling fans are slowly spinning. Contemporary South American music is playing. The cheesy light-box photo of Macchu Pichu is exactly like something you'd find in an upscale restaurant in Buenos Aires. It’s nearly perfect… and yet.
A few more plants are needed. The addition of more greenery would add a touch of warmth to an atmosphere that can strike some as too stark. My chair back was loose and the table teetered.
And that’s just the problem with Rios d’Sud America; as soon as you are done being impressed, you can find room for improvement.
The aji (Peruvian jalapeno sauce) was intriguing and delicious, but the bread was not entirely fresh. The ceviche de pescado, a sole in lime marinade with red onions was wonderfully light and citrusy, but a tad mushy. The empanadas with beef, walnut, raisins and olives was a compelling at the first bite, but dull and chewy by the finish. One is left thinking, How can they carry this through? They have everything set up right, the first impression is almost universally positive, but then it falls off.
The same thing happened with my pollo brazilero, a golden brown chicken in marinade of champagne, onions, garlic, lime and orange juice. It was separated into halves, and the first half was cooked to perfection, moist and succulent. But the other half was a little on the dry side. Damn! I thought. They almost nailed it! But not quite.
Perhaps my wife would be thrilled with her arroz con pato, traditional duck from Peru on aromatic rice with cilantro, marinated in dark beer. The waiter had recommended it and previous reviewers had sung its praises. Alas, it was so rubbery and flavorless we had to send it back. The waiter was appalled and couldn’t apologize enough. Clearly this was an aberration. On other nights – perhaps even on most nights – they excelled. But that wasn’t our experience.
We are rooting for Rios d’Sud America. It would be a shame if a restaurant that starts out so well can’t find a way to finish properly. For this reason alone, we will come back. We believe they are close, but they need to make some adjustments to acheive a winning consistency. We're hoping they'll do it.
Rios d’Sud America
2010 W. Armitage
773-276-0170 / Reservations Accepted
Hours: Tu-Thur 5pm-11pm; Sa 4pm-12am; Su 4pm-10pm; Closed Mondays
Features: Lounge Scene, Live Music, Carryout, Private Party Facilities
Avg. Price of a Meal for two including drinks and tax $80
Website: www.riosdesudamerica.com
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