After spending my morning and early afternoon on a tour of Old Riga I was dropped off by my guide at Hotel Bergs. A sleek designer retreat hidden away in the hip cultural quarter of Riga, Hotel Bergs, a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, is a five star designer boutique hotel nestled behind a 19th century brick facade in Bergs Bazaar, with Latvian grand masters’ family portraits and contemporary art and haute cuisine inspired by local fare.
I enjoyed lunch at the hotels Restaurant Bergs with Guna, Riga Tourism’s PR pro who had been a great help in facilitating my itinerary. While some may have felt a bit glum with the rain pitter pattering against the windows I was energized with our colourful dialogue which touched on culinary tourism initiatives, social media and the cities unique tourist profile. The restaurants Chef Kaspars Jansons is reveared in Latvia as the creator of a new global cuisine which stays in touch with local roots but also connects with Europe’s current food trends. He came by the table to drop off a few plates, each of which were picture perfect and an excellent contrast of local seasonal flavours and textures.
We enjoyed:
bralis lager
latvian cheesemaker’s cheese
fresh basil tomato trio, artichoke cream
chicken with honey mustard glaze
mustard-dressed lettuce, fresh plums
cold watercress yogurt soup
fresh cucumbers and iceland shrimps
gin and juniper marinated elk shashlik
pearl barely and garlic sauce
baked aubergine wrapped goat’s milk fetaki cheese
sesame chickpea relish
bilberry soup with tapioca pearls
goat cheese yogurt cream with nut muesli
