l’Osteria
Restaurants
By Jarvis Howard.
12.08.2015
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Marijas iela 25, Riga, RigaRīga, Latvia
Mobile: 371 27658691
Working hours: Mon-Sun 11:00 - 23:00,
Four gastronomic artists from different regions of Italy - Francesco Collacchioni from Udine, Fabio Lavanna from Rome, Alessandro Podestà and Luca Napoli both from Genoa – are combining their energy and launching their own Italian restaurant, l’osteria, on one of Riga’s more Bohemian streets, Blaumaņa (the registered address is on adjoining Мarijas, but it’s easy to find).
They have created a cozy nook of true Italian hospitality. Everything is in harmony here: 15 seats, bay windows, soft music, a homey Italian lounge-style atmosphere, all perfectly harmonized with the delicate cuisine.
Raw cured ham on the counter was the first thing we noticed. As it appeared later
it was that famous Prosciutto ham from
tiny San Daniele (prosciutto di san Daniele, €10). And of course, we couldn’t resist it. The meat that was sliced in front of us had a delicate taste and was lean and tender. We had never experienced anything similar in Riga before.
The wide range of dishes on the l’osteria menu tempted us to have a feast, but we decided to taste the Italian classics and ordered lasagna Bolognese (€8.50). There is no disputing that it is l’osteria’s hallmark and we recommend you to taste it.
While we were there, a number of Italians were also visiting for the first time. They ordered an offer of the day that was suggested by chef Francesco that week – spaghetti with neapolitan-style ragu with strawberry (€5) and continued to revel serenely in friendly banter and delight in
The aromatic coffee. and here it may be observed that the gastronomic artists of l’osteria did their best, as it is not easy to cheat a fellow Italian!
During our stay in this cozy Italian lounge we were told that brunch is also served here (€7 without drinks) and that Francesco renews the menu every two months, as He uses both Italian and local ingredients
for the dishes. “simplicity is the ultimate sophistication”, as one of the owners Fabio Lavanna describes l’osteria. And his words turned out to be true, as the essence of this restaurant lies in its concept of letting the guests experience the best dishes of Italian cuisine and making them forget their dining etiquette, but stressing their attention on the quality and nature of the food.
