PROMO Dining / December
Photos by Edmunds Brencis (Picture Agency) and from publicity materials
Dzirnavu iela 72, Riga
Open:
Mon 12.00–23.00
Tue–Sat 9.00–23.00
Sun 9.00–23.00
restoransriits.lv
GARŠVIETA Riits
The modern flavour of
the Latvian countryside
Chef Andrejs Terentjevs
138
/ airBaltic.com
Everything good starts close to home, which is how the
idea of Riits was born – a friendly, hospitable, cosy and
vibrant place that uses the highest-quality seasonal
products, mostly locally sourced, and turns them into
what could be called the new, modern Latvian cuisine.
The owner is a true enthusiast for organic produce and
has travelled around Latvia to get to know smaller and
larger organic producers and bring their produce to his
vibrant garšvieta (meaning ‘flavour spot’ or ‘taste spot’ in
Latvian), where it can all be enjoyed by us, too.
There is a story behind everything – and here there is
not merely a story but also charm and style. Riits is mod-
ern and chic but simultaneously very cosy. Does it manage
to pull off the combination because of its quirkiness? That’s
very likely – because when you feel like you’ve taken in
the view and sit back in a comfortable seat, you suddenly
notice, for example, that the walls are covered with egg
cartons. Eggs are kind of a passion here – the breakfast
menu (and more) gets right to the point with the tastiest
egg dishes that an empty stomach could dream up.
This goes equally well (and, obviously, not by accident)
with the name of the place – Riits. In the standard spell-
ing rīts, the name means ‘morning’ in Latvian. For the
team at Riits, the idea of morning goes hand in hand
with the adjectives fresh, brisk, lively, sunny, healthy,
and enthusiastic. ‘Everything begins in the morn-
ing,’ says the owner of Riits. ‘It’s the idea of rising
and shining in anticipation of what’s to come that
inspires us.’
As for the idea of being a ‘taste spot’ – a garšvieta,
rather than a restaurant – well, this is a story (just
like the many stories where innovation comes
about by accident) born of sheer necessity. It’s a
story about the ultimate team collaborating to put
forward both exquisite food and incredible drinks.
Restaurants serve foods, bars serve drinks, but a
garšvieta is a place that offers both innovative food
and amazing drinks. A garšvieta is also a new con-
cept that binds ubiquitous flavours together in one
harmonious synergy.
The menu at Riits is compact and seasonal, and
the vast majority of the mains as well as parts of
other dishes are prepared on the establishment’s
star companion – a live charcoal grill. The coal is
exclusively oak, and the grill is set up in plain sight,
so you’re welcome to have a look at it before you sit
down to order. The light and unmistakable aroma of
food being cooked over live coals certainly transports
you right out of the city and slows down your pace
without you even noticing – it’s a bit magical.
While featuring a few permanent, unforgettable
dishes that no regular customer would allow to be
replaced, the short but diverse menu gets refreshed
often enough. No matter whether you’ve visited
Riits before or if your first encounter with it still
lies ahead, you’re in for a treat with the splendid
newcomers on its menu, like the milk-fed veal chops
with oven-cooked vegetables or the miso-glazed cod
fillet. Should you wish to start off with a beautiful
salad, the seared salmon served with sweet potato
puree, quail eggs, and mixed greens will be just right.
A delicious vegetarian option is the avocado salad
with a tangy carrot-ginger dressing. And it’s not just
salad – each menu category caters for vegetarians as
well. The same goes for those who’ve come to enjoy
a local touch in the dishes – each menu category has
something Latvian to offer, such as the smoked fish
salad with potato sauce for a starter.
The foods are hearty and satisfying but also
healthy, and the Latvian-inspired dessert menu is
as guilt-free as they come. A sweet cottage-cheese
mousse in berry sauce is full of flavour and just about
sweet enough to be considered dessert – it’s the per-
fect finish to a meal. A noticeable newcomer on the
dessert menu is the sour cream brûlée with egg yolk,
sea-buckthorn berries and white chocolate.
Riits follows the seasonality of products and works
with small batches of fresh, locally sourced goods.
The team is therefore able to offer a variety of daily
specials. They wish to include the very small produc-
ers in the equation, too, and not just rule out their
produce because it comes in too small a quantity.
They know quality when they see it, so they don’t go
by quantity and play with what they have to bring
wonderful, small-batch goods to the table.
Come and enjoy the flavours of local, organic, and
seasonal foods at the ultimate ‘taste spot’, Garšvieta
Riits, which we guarantee will steal your heart at
first bite.
Baltic Outlook
/ 2018 / 139