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Vip Tours | 1
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| Riga,
Latvia |
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Society
July - 2010 |
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6 Stars
& 6 Stripes
Overall - 'Cuisine & Service' |
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The
Ultimate Award:
Seven Stars and
Stripes® |
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| Kings and Queens, Emperors, Presidents and Pop stars
in the likes of Juan Carlos, Elizabeth, Akihito, George W and Sir Elton
(PHOTO
TOUR - CLICK HERE) all have one thing in common; a passion for
original, innovative, awe inspiring and tantalizingly flavorful cuisine. The
common venue is Vincents Restorans, in Riga Latvia, a virtual ‘big
bang’ from which a cataclysmic explosion of culinary wonder radiates from
one single point. The fundamental power behind all the gastronomic alchemy is
Martinš Ritinš, Director and Chef de Cuisine of Vincents Restorans,
working quietly and slowly protecting the heritage of food, tradition and
culture while producing his signature dishes. As president of Slow Food
movement of Latvia, Chef Martinš Ritinš belongs to an organization
founded upon the concept of eco-gastronomy, which recognizes the strong
connections between palate and planet. A noble cause, but one that emphasises
local, organic and sustainable food production prepared in time-honored methods
being careful to not harm the environment, animal welfare or our own health.
Chef Martinš Ritinš menu centers around acquiring his provisions from
local small farms, bakeries, cheese makers, day-boat fishermen, chocolatiers
and his own ‘victory garden’ from which he harvests 15 varieties of
tomatoes not grown in greenhouses. Chef Martinš Ritinš is also
obsessed with the minutiae of unobtrusive, elegant and knowledgeable tableside
service, the kind that is fit for a King, but is bestowed upon anyone who
enters his establishment to dine. |
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| Chief among his staff members
is Raimonds Tomsons, Sommelier and Service Manager holding a Bachelor’s
degree in Restaurant Management and awards such as “Best Sommelier of the
World Latvia and The Baltic States 2007 and 2008” and represented
Latvia at The World Sommelier Championship in Chile. Also, Executive Sous Chef
Ivans Smigarevs acting as the right hand man making sure that every last item
is properly placed and seasoned accordingly. |
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| Vincents
Restorans Cuisine |
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| After being properly greeted at the entrance by Ms.
Beibar Evita with her mesmeric Mona Lisa smile, our walk through the restaurant
took us past a remarkable photo-wall exhibit of Chef Martinš Ritinš
with just about every important world figure followed by an impressive glass
wine humidor displaying an awesome array of international favorites, which won
the “Best Wine Selection” award for all of Latvia. Sicilian green
olives, three types of artisan bread, assorted butters and sharp flavored
Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese sticks rested on the table. From an extensive water
menu that included 19 international types, we chose Antipodes sparkling and
still water from New Zealand as our opener. |
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| Vincents
Restorans Cuisine |
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Next came an Amuse Bouche of
Petit Zucchini Cannelloni on Italian Tiles, consisting of tenderly
grilled thinly sliced zucchini wrapped around a light, rich, creamy soft
locally made cheese called ‘Virgin Cheese’ and topped with a dollop
of black caviar. Next came Field Tomato Carpaccio with Wild Thyme and
Basil, looking all the while like a Monet impressionistic mosaic combining
the subtle colors of yellow and red garden ripe tomatoes gently reduced to a
compote-like consistency and topped with sprigs of fresh herbs. |
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| A crisp and acidic Marco Felluga Collio Pinot
Grigio DOC, 2009 displaying a golden straw color offered white fruit in the
nose and a clean palate with a long refreshing finish. The first course of
Coquilles St. Jacques Florentine consisting of diver’s catch
scallops, fresh and still pulsating when they arrived in the kitchen just
before preparation, were presented gently grilled and in the shell topped with
chanterelles and placed over a bed of pureed spinach. A wonder to look at since
there was a cloud of dry ice vapor hovering around the whole dish and a delight
to eat as the scallops simply melted in your mouth with every bite
(PHOTO
TOUR - CLICK HERE). A buttery, full-bodied Miguel Torres Cordillera
Chardonnay, Curico Valley, 2007 Chile, accompanied this course showing
aromas of white flowers and white toast wrapped in a bright yellow
color. |
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| Stuffed Zucchini Flower
with Rušona Virgin Cheese arrived as a bright multi-colored
presentation together with arugula and watercress leaves, thinly sliced yellow
and green squash, home-grown tomatoes and edible flowers. The delicate zucchini
flowers are picked before the sun shines upon them as not to be fully in
blossom and later are stuffed with Rušona (homemade virgin cheese) before
combining them with the other ingredients. A bottle of Villa Maria Private
Bin Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand 2009 was the wine pairing of
choice presenting lots of tropical fruits and intense juicy herb-like
flavors. |
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| A main course of Grilled Filet of Baltic Sea Turbot
with Saffron Jus presented us with a bright white meaty ‘king of
fish’ appropriately seasoned with very light saffron sauce resembling more
like a straw yellow jus clearly allowing the fish to shine on its own buttery
flavor merits. The wine pairing of Louis Jadot Pouilly-Fuisse 2005,
France allowed for the sommelier to rely on a harmonious favorite offering
citrus and toasted almonds in a fresh full body. A second main course of
Slow Cooked Lamb Shank with Flaming Herbs gave us a chance to witness
the level of stage presence that Chef Martinš Ritinš has hidden
behind his white chef’s coat and apron. Earlier in the evening he had
brought out a display of meat cuts all arranged in position related to where
they fit on the beef
(CLICK
HERE: PHOTO). |
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| Vincents
Restorans Cuisine |
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Now he arranged to have a
cast iron pot brought to the table where the lamb shank was dutifully
flambéed in front of us and assembled with the accompaniment of
potatoes, onions and mini-carrots over which was drizzled a thick and
incredibly tasty demi-glace. A hearty meal of lamb and dark brown sauce demands
a hearty wine pairing and we were not to be disappointed. A bottle of
Marques De Murrieta Reserva 2005, Spain was the suitable choice offering
deep dark concentrated blend of tempranillo, garnacha and mazuelo all
indigenous grapes of Rioja. |
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| Finally a Caramelized Spelt Crumble with Chicory
Ice Cream and Dark Rye & Honey Ice Cream made us literally melt with
the unique blend of flavors and sweetness. When roasted, chicory simulates the
flavor of dark roasted coffee and the cool sweetness of local honey sweetened
ice cream put all our dreams to rest. This was truly a wonderful experience to
behold and our thanks go out to the management and staff who were dedicated to
the satisfaction of all guests at all times. |
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| Vincents
Restorans - 2010 Award - Seven Stars And Stripes |
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by
Edmund & Thorsten Buehrmann
Editor: John
Lomitola
Editor-in-Chief: Ingrid Lemme |
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| © 2010 ~ Seven Stars and Stripes, Inc. |
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Vip Tours | 1
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