The Neiburgs Restaurant
Author: Anothertravelguide.com2 COMMENTS
Legend has it that in the late 1800s Ludvigs Neiburgs (1871-1949) came to Riga from the country in a boat; formerly a stonemason's apprentice, he quickly became a skilled craftsman and went on to become the owner of one of the largest Latvian construction businesses of the early 1900s. In 1903 he commissioned a building designed by the prominent Baltic German architect Wilhelm Bockslaff (1858-1945) that became one of the most magnificent examples of Art Nouveau architecture in Riga and is one of the very few buildings of this style in the Old Town of the Latvian capital. This year saw new life return to the former dwelling house; the building is now home to a restaurant and an apartment hotel. Both the decor and the menu of the restaurant feature a historical traditional core complemented by contemporary and stylish details. In the light rooms of the restaurant, the Dear Ingo design lamps from MOOOI live amicably side by side with a potted palm and the Thonet chairs - with paintings by Latvian contemporary artists, creating a leisurely dolce vita-style ambience. Similarly, in the menu created by the restaurant's young, ambitious and undeniably talented head chef Sandis Bružas, dishes prepared from locally popular traditional ingredients - Baltic herring, pearl barley, chanterelles, seasonal fruit and berries - coexist peacefully with influences of a diversity of foreign cuisines. Every day between 11 am and 4 pm the Neiburgs Restaurant offers a lunch menu: a selection of two courses will set you back a mere LVL 3.90. The reasonable prices of both the food and the wine, provided by the Vīna Studija store and wine bar, have helped it become a popular lunching and dining place in the short time that has elapsed since the opening. It does increasingly look like Jauniela Street, so close to the tourist attractions of the Old Town, yet enjoying a much more relaxed rhythm of life, could soon grow into one of the favourite destinations of any lover of quiet and peaceful culinary pleasures. In the summer, you would do well to pay extra attention to the restaurant's cold soups, for instance, the cream of avocado and rocket soup with yoghurt and prawns. From the restaurant's range of starters, do try the layered dish of pan-fried Baltic herring, lightly marinated in cider vinegar, tomatoes and onion, as well as pan-fried chicken liver marinated in Riga Black Balsam (a traditional herbal liqueur). As for the main course, it would not hurt you to sample the salt-roasted Latvian-farmed rainbow trout, lamb leg steak marinated in mint pesto or plaice en papillote with chanterelle sauce.
Riga, 25/27 Jauniela Street. Open daily 11 am - 11 pm; to book a table, call 67 115 544
Your comments
evelyn
Visited: 4.12.2009
Very nice, friendly stuff. Schlumberger as aperitive should be served colder, it was too warm, and please without cherry..... Menue could be a little more systematic, too many, things. Better less and that excellent. Suggestion an evening three course degustation menue would be nice.
Tricia
Visited: Latvia
This restaurant has become a weekend favourite of mine. During the week it can be quite busy, But if you are like me and want a slow breakfast with the newspaper or magazine or chat to close friends, Pick a seat by the big window and enjoy. The food is excellent but I would say inconsistant. The service is very well presented and attentive. The well stocked bar is in a nice location away from diners and are flexible in your requests for something different.This has become my second favourite place to eat in Riga.........Don't like the lights.