PROMO Dining / January
Photos by Edmunds Brencis (Picture Agency)
and from publicity materials
GARŠVIETA Riits
The modern flavour of the Latvian countryside
Dzirnavu iela 72, Riga
Open:
Mon 12.00–23.00
Tue–Sat 9.00–23.00
Sun 9.00–23.00
restoransriits.lv
Chef Andrejs Terentjevs
116
/ 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 modern and
chic but simultaneously very cosy. Does
it manage to pull off the combination be-
cause 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 car-
tons. 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 ad-
jectives fresh, brisk, lively, sunny, healthy,
and enthusiastic. ‘Everything begins in
the morning,’ says the owner of Riits. ‘It’s
the idea of rising and shining in anticipa-
tion 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 sto-
ries where innovation comes about by ac-
cident) born of sheer necessity. It’s a story
about the ultimate team collaborating to
put forward both exquisite food and in-
credible 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
concept 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 perfect 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
producers in the equation, too, and not just rule out
their produce because it comes in too small a quan-
tity. 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
/ 2019 / 117