Jonathan had an idea to visit a back-street khinkali restaurant which seemed like something of an adventure. Khinkali are traditional Georgian dumplings that consist of pleated dough parcels typically filled with a spiced mixture of meat, such as beef, pork, or lamb along with aromatic herbs. The defining characteristic of the dish is the savoury broth trapped inside the dough, which is created as the meat juices release during the boiling process. Eating them is a specific ritual in Georgia, they are held by the ‘kudi’ (hat) or thick dough knob at the top, which remains uncooked and should be discarded, while it’s expected the diner makes a hole in them and drinks the soup. It all sounded like a right faff.
This wasn’t a shiny chain restaurant, it was very much a traditional and basic food option that has likely been serving locals for decades. There was a friendly welcome and an inviting atmosphere, so it all looked positive. The restaurant was full for most of our visit, so this was a fast service venue that was obviously popular, with the shop next door selling uncooked versions of them to take away.
That’s the entirety of the menu there, you can have beer and khinkali. There is nothing else.
They are not presentationally great if I’m being honest. I discovered later that they can be fried or steamed, just like the similar Polish gyoza, with the fried versions always looking better. I was quite suspicious about these before tasting them, but I had one and they were really rather lovely. No-one else in the venue seemed to be piercing a hole and drinking them, so I just cut into them and the liquid had a depth of flavour and some spiciness to it.
It was Jonathan’s turn to deal with the bill. I did try some of Jonathan’s beer, but it was, er, a little basic. But, it’s hearty stuff and I don’t think they’re trying to compete with my craft beer bar diet of sours with a chicken schnitzel. Definitely a recommended experience and the service really added to the whole arrangement.