Staten Island Restaurant Tour, Part VIII: Riva (Eltingville)
I nearly made a terrible mistake in this latest episode of the Staten Island Restaurant Tour, in which I pick a train station in New York’s most distant borough and find a place to eat. Eltingville — originally known as South Side or Seaside but now named for a family that settled there in the early 19th century — offered two major dining clusters: one on or around Amboy Road near the Staten Island Railway station, one farther south on busy Hylan Boulevard. I thought I might pick a representative of the island’s growing Chinese population on Hylan, though a later walk-past suggested it was more of a takeout joint. At the last minute, as I was riding from Upper Manhattan to my destination, and remembering my warm welcome at Laila in Richmond Valley, I decided to try middle eastern again — Turkish, not Syrian, this time. It proved to be an inspired choice.
The MTA — “now more than ever, for speed and reliability, going your way” — got me there without a fuss, as usual, as I agonized over my oversized phone. Here is the SIR passing over Richmond Avenue a few dozen feet from the station. Many stations on SI’s single rail line, which is not a subway because it is not underground, were built in 1860, then rebuilt in 1939 to eliminate “at grade” crossings, thus minimizing conflicts between trains and other traffic.
This is a safer arrangement, obviously. A few stations even have scenic red brick station houses over the platform crossing, which must come in handy when it’s cold and wet. But it also means riders must struggle up and down tall stairways. The only station with an elevator is New Dorp, which got it just two months ago. I witnessed an elder with a cane struggling down these stairs, then down the other side, step by painful step. I kept a respectful distance to avoid rushing her. As a 66-year-old, I am quite aware of how fragile old bones are. In 20 years it will be a miracle if I can use these stairs.
I could have walked to the restaurant, full name Riva Mediterranean & Turkish Cuisine, along Amboy Road. But I consciously have begun avoiding traffic-choked two-way streets in favor of quieter one-ways. On Oakdale Road, running in parallel to the main drag, I encountered what might be a famous boxer with a stern expression.
The same home’s entrance was guarded by two pensive cherubs caressing doves. I appreciate these efforts to civilize the street, though SI’s streets, for the most part, are pretty civilized already.
The bright splash of green in the landscaping, rather striking for early December, drew my attention to this home’s handsome brickwork, curved chimney, and double peaked roof. Eltingville had a substantial influx of Norwegian migrants in the early 20th century. Either this house is an exemplar of their influence or I just don’t know beans about architecture.
Autumn leaves also drew the eye with rich, now muted color. I probably missed the prime part of the foliage season by suspending the Tour to travel overseas last month.
No walk on the island is complete without a pedestrian non sequitur. At least this one didn’t force me into oncoming traffic.
Most Tour episodes have featured bright blue skies but Riva’s modest exterior was basking in more muted light by the time I got there.
There’s my richly upholstered seat at far left, complete with almost invisible red pillow, in the Turkish style. This is a very handsome restaurant. It opened just three months ago, which I found out not because I’m such a hotshot journalist, but because I overheard a conversation.
Here is my long-suffering server at left. My social anxiety disorder was really acting up that day and I may have seemed more awkward and befuddled than usual. I was treated with consistent kindness and professionalism.
Let’s play Spot the Writer.
I suspend calorie counting and other dietary concerns on the Tour but the salmon kebab was probably the healthiest meal I’ve had yet, eight episodes into the project (despite the refined flours in the bread and white rice). It was both delicious and drop-dead gorgeous.
Worth a second look, overhead shot this time. Imagine the love and care that went into this artful presentation. The server asked for an opinion and I said this isn’t just healthy food, this is great food, period. Would I come back? Definitely. Recommended.
The meal was so perfect, I waved away the dessert menu, but was given baklava and tea anyway. It’s a Turkish pistachio and honey confection and this tiny taste wasn’t enough to tip my feeling of happy fullness into heaviness. (For those keeping track, I used the Samsung A14 for all shooting this time. It takes better pictures than the Pixel 7a about 60 percent of the time.)
Afterward I took a long walk to scope out the neighborhood’s other dining scene on Hylan Boulevard. As usual there were points of interest, such as this study of blue hydrant and beer can. No doubt the can was thrown by a passing driver and would be picked up as soon as the homeowner spotted it. Staten Island homes are almost invariably immaculate and maintained with the same kind of care that went into my lunch.
These two new-looking houses were part of a larger group. I liked the look of them. The home on the left was well into the holiday spirit, and probably had a son or two judging from the curbside hoop, while the one on the right was a soothing beige, in the style I now call Staten Island Tasteful.
Here’s another home in the holiday spirit — but it’s subtle. By day I could barely see the clear bulbs above the first and second floors though the effect at night must be beautiful. Season’s greetings to whomever got up on a ladder to do this. Do I detect a touch of Norwegian restraint, in both the architecture and decor, or am I just imagining it?
Reclining Kermit.
Pedestrian non sequitur II. My new walking shoes are nominally waterproof but I decided not to test them by wading down this sidewalk. The tall turf on either side of the pooled sidewalk reminded me of hedges in country lanes in Middle England.
These decorations took some balls.
The porcine motif of this display reminded of my previous venture into food criticism, a book called Happy Pig’s Hot 100. It’s out of print and I’m debating whether I should turn the Staten Island Restaurant Tour into an ebook.
On a more somber note, many “in memory of” wreaths outside St. Clare’s School. I lost a sister this year. When the people who love you die…well, you know.
The Tour’s first moment of incivility — or maybe second, if you count the beer can thrown at the blue hydrant — came when a motorist cursed out another motorist outside the Top Tomato Italian supermarket. I know I’ve presented a naive and idealized portrait of Staten Island and its people throughout the Tour. This is a conscious choice. I would prefer to dwell on the best in people and cars seem to bring out the worst in them. The one thing that makes me uncomfortable about this predominantly suburban borough, as you may have noted in the frequent “pedestrian non sequitur” comments, is its over-reliance on cars despite having pleasant walkable streets, a very functional rail line, and extensive bus lines I have yet to explore. Still, whenever a missing sidewalk has forced me into the street, drivers have been courteous, perhaps because they’ve been there themselves. Today’s incident notwithstanding, they behave a hell of a lot better than the privileged honking demons of my own neighborhood in Upper Manhattan — a place I also love, but for totally different reasons.
Previously on the Staten Island Restaurant Tour:
Part I: Angelina’s (Tottenville)
Part II: Fina’s Farmhouse (Arthur Kill)
Part III: Laila (Richmond Valley)
Part IV: Il Forno (Pleasant Plains)
Part V: Breaking Bread (Prince’s Bay)
Part VI: Woodrow Diner (Huguenot)
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