With its sprawling, 200-seat outdoor terrace, "ocean-style restaurant" Ride takes full advantage of its location next to a picturesque canal. The food is modern international cuisine, with charcoal-grilled meats and seafood, creative starters and a pizza of the day. Wine and beer selections are fairly ordinary, but a half dozen or so herb-infused original cocktails add some fun to the drinks menu.

Highlights during a recent visit included a well-made, spicy Roman-style Pizza Diabolo and flavorful charcoal-grilled lamb served with a mild tomato coulis. Deviled eggs were accompanied by enticing bits of barbecued pork, and marinated herring with Peruvian chopped salad presented an appetite-whetting succession of contrasting flavors. Everything was attractively plated and photo-ready.

Desserts are also well conceived - we especially enjoyed a deeply flavored, caramelly Bavarian cream and a rich chocolate terrine paired with a milder coconut pound cake. The weakest link of the evening was probably the Pork Back Ribs in honey-mustard sauce. The meat wasn't bad, and the chef seemed to have a game plan, but the almost molasses-like sauce was just overly sweet.

Dishes for each course arrive one by one, under the assumption that you'll be sharing everything. Wines start at a reasonable Y3400 a bottle but climb rapidly; the bar also offers mainstream craft-ish beers from Goose Island and Kona Brewery as well as craft-like efforts from Kirin's Spring Valley Brewery.

Ride's indoor dining areas are attractively decorated, and the atmosphere is quite casual, with the occasional birthday-party eruption. Lunchtime options include pizza, pastas, "Oriental Curry," and a Charcoal Grill Plate with Yorkshire pudding. Budget around Y5000-6000 for dinner with drinks, or Y1300-1600 for lunch.