Review

At the White House, owner chef Aleksandrs Nasikailovs pioneers modern Latvian cuisine with an Asian touch. The à la carte menu is more mainstream; the set degustation experience includes signature dishes. The tasting journey begins with innovative textural bites, including potato roll filled with smoked salmon mousse, caviar with blue crab doughnut, and rabbit rillette with chipotle sauce. Specialty homemade breads with sea salt, lard, and crispy onion follow. Focaccia with basil pesto is light and perfectly crusted, the pesto adding a fragrant, satisfyingly simple herbaceous hit. The menu continues with classic blue crab and avocado and delicious squid pasta with mussels before the chef’s signature of hand-dived Hokkaido scallops, dressed with burnt butter hollandaise and topped with Latvian white sturgeon caviar. Then follows an innovative tortellini stuffed with duck liver drizzled with birch tree ant syrup. Charcoal-grilled lamb rack is perfectly executed, the round centre of each cutlet, pink with a smoky flavour accentuating this stellar meat. The wine list is concise, but sufficient. To end the experience, Latvian honey cake paired with wild honey ice cream is sweet with balanced texture. Chef Aleksandrs’ chocolate bonbons have a loyal following due to their vibrant colours, a wide range of local-themed truffles, and his trademark attention to detail. On departure, pick up some for a special treat or gift.