Riva Grill on the Lake

Riva Grill on the Lake Restaurant Review:

The Riva runabout, an Italian boat hailing from the 1860s, is the namesake for this classy restaurant known for its patio seating and famous (and famously strong) cocktail, the Wet Woody. Although Riva Grill's wine list is filled with good selections from California's Central Valley, we opted for the signature fruity rum drink while facing the sapphire blue lake. Executive chef Peter Brinckerhoff is the man behind three other restaurants in Tahoe (Gar Woods, Caliente, Bar of America), and here he has created a Pacific-style seafood menu. We recommend the coconut prawns to start, lightly battered with a salty crunch and paired with a sweet pineapple dipping sauce. For entrées, the Australian lamb chop intrigued us, but proved too heavy for a day on the lake. However, the diver scallops with butter and blood orange sauce were soft enough even for purists. For dessert, try the deep-fried Oreos that come covered in powdered sugar, or if you're feeling nostalgic, have an original San Francisco It's It ice cream sandwich or a root beer float.