RioMar proved two important things. First, that a seafood restaurant could be credible in New Orleans without letting the deep fryer take over the menu. And second, that an exciting, successful restaurant could be built around Spanish cuisine. Despite our city's Spanish heritage, the food of Spain hasn't had much luck around New Orleans. Maybe the missing ingredient was the seafood all along.
RioMar opened in 2000 as the first in which Chef Adolfo Garcia was an owner. An Orleanian with Panamanian roots, he cheffed a series of unusual and excellent restaurants, none of which were much like RioMar. In 2012, Adolfo moved on to other projects and his business partner Nick Bazan (his background is Argentina) took over sole control. He also owns La Boca, the Argentine steakhouse two blocks away. Miles Prescott, who has made a wide tour of the kitchens in the better local bistros, is now chef and co-owner.
The restaurant is in a converted warehouse, with concrete floors and stucco walls decorated with wrought ironwork art. The open kitchen usually has the chef working on the line. A new bar with a cooler style serves tapas every evening and offers wine tastings most Wednesdays. When the weather is tolerable, they throw open big windows.
Order four tapas per person at lunch and pass them around. They run special wine and tapas events in the bar with some frequency, but not on a reliable schedule; these are delicious and fun.
| Attitude | 1 |
|---|---|
| Environment | 1 |
| Hipness | 2 |
| Local Color | 2 |
| Service | 1 |
| Value | 1 |
| Wine | 2 |
