Buzz on New Rivera Restaurant in Downtown LA

Rivera just opened in January 2009 and it is already creating a sensation in the LA food scene. For Downtown LA it represents a true food destination; not just thinking about it as a restaurant that one goes to before an event at the Convention Center, Staples, or LA Live.The restaurant is the inspiration of chef John Rivera Sedlar. I guarantee that you will have more fun exploring your way thru the menu of latin inspired small plate dishes, especially the whimsical small bites. With an outstanding wine list from Spain, Portugal, and Argentina, Rivera could be a cousin of another outstanding LA restaurant known for wine and small plates, AOC. I have no doubt that when Los Angeles Magazine does its best new restaurants for calendar year 2009, this one will be near the top of the list. My Rivera food pictures from our recent visit can be seen here. A restaurant like this deserves the word of mouth and social networking buzz that is spreading the word of Rivera as a downtown LA dining destination. The online buzz on Rivera began a year ago with Rich Alossi's reporting on Angelenic on what to expect from this up and coming restaurant. Comments from those visiting the restaurant over the last week or so are now starting to appear on this blog posting. For those who want to better understand the impact of social media, we have a free workshop on February 18, 2009 at the LA Central Library. Our visit to Rivera occured later in the evening during the February Downtown Art Walk.