Farm-to-table fare defines the cuisine at Riits, a restaurant so sought-after in Riga that it took us two days to get a seat in the airy dining room.
It was well worth the wait.
Riits is clearly proud of the local produce in Latvia, serving up organic ingredients prepared with a contemporary flourish. The menu includes dishes like “Latvian gold” – a combination of sprats and potatoes –; pumpkin soup; and a whole variety of meat and fish dishes cooked over natural oak charcoal.
My aunt and godmother opted for a special offering: duck breast with vegetables and a squash purée, all prepared over the open fire.
I, meanwhile, went for staple of the menu: pork ribs with a cheesy pearl barley risotto and a ginger-spiced barbecue sauce. While the risotto was just fine – a bit slimy for my taste – the sauce was excellent and the ribs exquisite: perfectly cooked and filled with flavor.
For dessert, we shared a sour cream “crème brûlée” – a slight misnomer, seeing as there was no caramelized topping. Instead, a flavorful crumble was sprinkled on top of a layer of sea buckthorn: a bright orange berry we’d been encountering throughout our time in Lativa.
With a texture somewhat akin to goji berries and a bright, citrussy flavor, the sea buckthorn was a great match for the rich cream and the perfect end to the meal.
Riits – Dzirnavu iela 72, Centra rajons RÄ«ga, LV-1050