May 20, 2015 at 3:58 p.m.
New restaurant opens on Kemp Street
New restaurant opens on Kemp Street
By By Katie Perttunen-
Radtke, a resident of Sugar Camp since 1992, formerly owned a restaurant called "The Cookery" for 10 years. After that, he sold cars for General Motors for 12 years.
"Then this opportunity came up," he said.
Radtke sees a lot of customers from his car dealing days, he said, often up to six as patrons of Riverview at a time.
Radtke did not advertise, hoping to grow the business via word of mouth, but a local tv station caught wind of the opening. After the news segment aired, "it started an avalanche," he said.
The news segment featured the cover of the menu, with Radtke's cellphone number on it. New menus are being printed, but in the meantime, Radtke has been fielding a lot of calls, he said.
The restaurant's "opening pains," have upset some people, but for the most part, people have been understanding, Radtke said.
With 30 employees, Riverview has been serving anywhere between the high 200s to high 300s per night, Radtke said. He is seeking more employees to meet the demand of the business.
The restaurant is closed on Tuesdays. "We need a day off for decompression time," Radtke said.
Riverview's menu is filled with comfort foods, Radtke said, with popular entrees including walleye, chicken parmesan and ribs.
"It's a simple menu, not too complicated," Radtke said. Another feature of the menu is a build-your-own burger.
Everything is homemade, right down to the soup, Radtke said. Gary Treder is the main chef. Riverview hears a lot of compliments on the homemade soup, Radtke said.
Riverview sees a lot of travelers, as it is located near two hotels on Kemp Street. Radtke said he has been told that the location is the busiest corner in Oneida County.
Before opening, Radtke gutted the building and refurbished all of the kitchen equipment.
The bar area looks out onto a beer garden, and a pavilion out back along the river can be rented out for special events. It can seat more than 100 people, Radtke said.
The bathrooms have been freshly tiled, and the restaurant features river-themed artwork. Stained-glass graces the main entryway, along with a nautical wheel.
New cement was poured in the beer garden area.
The bar is a new feature for the restaurant.
Radtke said the previous owners didn't really have a separate bar area. Riverview hosts a happy hour from 3 to 6 p.m.
A grand opening, featuring a pig roast, is planned for June 13. The festivities will start at noon.
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