We recently visited the Riviera Bar and Grill, Tamworth and from the moment we sat down everything about the night was absolute perfection. 

Located inside the Best Western Sanctuary Inn, the Riviera Bar and Grill offers a fine dining experience featuring Italian, Spanish and French inspired dishes. The menu boasts a mix of traditional Mediterranean flavours and classic dishes with a unique, modern touch to every plate.

My mum and I walked into the restaurant and were immediately taken aback by the beautiful décor, blending colours of ocean blues and whites, truly bringing out the feel of waterfront riviera dining.  

We took a seat, ordered some champagne from the charming wait staff and set our eyes on the menu. It took us almost half an hour to choose our dishes with the entire menu sounding delicious, but we finally made our choice as we enjoyed our first glass of bubbly.

After a short wait out came our mains and sides. Mum ordered the 300G Jack’s Creek Grain Fed Angus Scotch Fillet with a (2+) marble score, served with sautéed broccolini with garlic and lemon. 

I ordered the Duo of Duck with orange glazed confit maryland, rendered duck breast, mustard mash and braised cabbage. We also shared sides of seasonal greens and olives. 

The steak served by the restaurant’s executive chefs is Jack’s Creek, locally produced at Willow Tree and offering the highest quality grain-fed produced beef in the world. Mum ordered her steak medium well and with her first bite it was clear why Jack’s Creek is a two-time winner of the ‘world’s best steak’. She described her dish as tender, juicy and succulent and when I stole a bite I had to agree.

Now to my dish. WOW. I was served the best duck I have ever tasted. Each bite was delectable, with the mustard mash and braised cabbage creating a perfect combination of flavour. This meal is the highlight of my 2020 dining experiences so far and it’s going to take a lot to beat it.

We finished the night off with dessert, sharing the vanilla bean panna cotta topped with crunchy honeycomb and seasonal berries. After our generous sized mains and sides, this was the perfect way to finish up the night. The dish was light, fruity and fresh and not to mention yummy.

Overall, the entire experience was exceptional from the décor and service to the perfectly cooked meals. We will be back!