Grande Brasserie Riga
Restaurants
By RigaNOW!.
20.09.2015
When you hear the words "French fashion" or "French perfume", the most sophisticated garments and flavours come to mind. But at all times, also French cuisine has been the benchmark for perfection. Of course, each country's gastronomic culture is an important and essential part of the local identity, and yet, exactly French cuisine is one of the finest kitchens in the world. It simply must be accepted as a fact! For centuries, France was considered to be a style-setter in cooking. Many of the world's greatest chefs come from this country. After all, it must be acknowledged that French cuisine secrets influenced almost all western countries’ culinary basics. Thanks to the incredible diversity of dishes, starting with the stunning patisseries usually served for breakfast and ending with the main courses, it could be described as a very sophisticated.
Nowadays the delicious French dishes are made not only for kings and nobles, but at each family kitchen throughout France and elsewhere in the world. But usually prices at the restaurants serving French cuisine are disproportionately high... However, there is a brand new restaurant in the capital of Latvia – Riga Grande Brasserie – located in the city centre, at the junction between Dzirnavu and Baznicas Streets, next to the Radisson Blu Hotel Latvia. Here French cuisine is available for very democratic prices. It is a deliberate policy of the restaurant owners – Georgian businessmen who already have a restaurant chain at their homeland and now, full of ambitions, are willing to develop their business in Europe. And Grande Brasserie Riga is their first project outside their native country! The businessmen decided to open a French cuisine restaurant in Riga, because there are pretty many places with Mediterranean culinary trend, and not enough offers of French cuisine.
The restaurant was opened recently, so each new day here brings new improvements and additions. The restaurant's halls are spacious with tables for about hundred guests, so the visitors can feel quite comfortable. If one wishes to have a dinner in the particularly intimate atmosphere, then there are some tables on the second floor which looks like the balcony and allows, for example, to look at the bartenders from above! The restaurant design is a bit confusing with its dark tones and... Japanese motifs. But, as the owners explained, a designer from Paris who arranged this place said that the French restaurant, in his vision, may have such accents. Why not?! It is a matter of taste. If we think it as a drawback, then a lot of visitors do not agree with us. In any case, it does not influence the taste!
We tried a lot of dishes here. Practically all food ingredients come twice a week directly from France, so the authentic taste is assured. A chef Maxim Cekots stresses that the menu will change seasonally, but the "core values" here will always be present. For example, classical French croissants /€ 2/ or foie gras with red onion marmalade and brioche /€ 6.80/. And, of course, oysters – available not only in the traditional form, but also fried and breaded with bread crumbs /€ 8.20/. Most probably, this is the only place in Riga where you can enjoy this dish!
Of course, there are other delicious offers that will be a journey to the world of new flavours, for example, a cold cream-soup made from fresh cucumbers and melon /€ 3.90/. Once again, it is good value for money. The restaurant's owners say that it is not a financial error, but a balanced policy, as the Grand Brasserie Riga motto is "quick, but excellent service for reasonable price". This policy also includes special business lunch offers that you can assemble yourself. For example, entrecote steak as the lunch offer costs only 6 euros. We also tasted it and can surely say that the portion is big enough for a hearty meal. A well-prepared meat with a pleasant aftertaste of spices, served with fried new potatoes and carrot salad. And if you finish the meal with a dessert like the classic lemon-pie /€ 4.80/, the lunch will be fit for a king of France!
More than ten typical French appetizers, various tartars, soups, meat and fish main courses, hot and healthy, delicious sides, excellent steaks, desserts and a varied range of wines... It turns out that to taste that all you do not even have to go to Paris – the authentic French cuisine is available in the very city centre! We can reveal a small secret – after a few weeks since the Grand Brasserie opened in Riga it has already have a number of regular visitors. That says a lot!
- sirloin steak with a choice of garnish – € 14, garnish – € 3.50
- oysters fried in breadcrumbs with green peas, lime, fennel, artichoke and pink pepper /3 pcs/ – € 8.20
- corn chicken with different port-glazed carrots and artichokes – € 10
