Barents | Riga, Latvia

I went on a city break to Riga, the capital of Latvia, at the beginning of November. The first few things on my list to do were to see some beautiful buildings and taste some great food - typical me.

Barents Restaurant (Nov, 25)

Barents intertwines gastronomic experience with atmosphere. They use ancient cooking methods like smoking, fermentation and marination along with ingredients from the Nordic sea and the Baltic region’s forests.

I chose the Barents Seasons tasting menu and the chef’s table experience, with the Undercurrents wine pairing.

Barents Seasons menu (Nov, 25)

Highlights of this menu were the Carrot Bisque, Cod and Beetroot and Carrot.

Cod (Nov, 25)

Carrot Bisque (Nov, 25)

Head Chef, Artūrs Trinkens, along with his fantastic team, explained each course and the reasoning behind the ingredients and flavour mixtures which gave a the experience a much more personal and exciting touch. You feel like you’re being educated and given the princess treatment all at the same same.

Artūr Trinkens with Quail (Nov, 25)

I loved the use of in season ingredients such as carrots throughout and the use of local butchers and fishmongers. These went perfectly with the flavours from each wining pairing, which Junior Sommelier, Mykhailo, presented to me. Mykhailo explained the notes of each wine including the structure, aroma and finish, and why they go well with each of Trinkens’ dishes. He also answered any questions I had and was super friendly - no notes, pun intended.

Overall, the flavours of the food, the excitement of watching the chefs at work and the warmth of the staff made this an experience I would thoroughly recommend if you’re looking for something special in Riga.

Just Soy You Know, I’d rate this experience 8.5/10.