Restorani Tbilisi - a Georgian culinary feast (Berlin, Germany)

Last december, we had a nice Christmas dinner at this Georgian restaurant - the Tbilisi. I wasn't quite sure what to expect, I have never had Georgian food before. Well, actually, long long ago, a former student dorm roommate cooked us a delicious roasted chicken and potato dish...

I do like to try new food places and also new flavors, so I was quite excited. As I am very particular about meat, I just hoped the meat and vegetarian options would be balanced. I did not need to worry, they had delicious vegetarian appetizer and stews, but also very tender grilled meat options.

The food was delicious! I actually have to say that the appetizer plate was my highlight, the amazing flavors of the Phkalis just stood out here.

Georgian Cuisine

The Georgian cuisine counts to one of the healthiest in the world. Some of their most common spices include coriander greens, walnuts, pomegranate, and fenugreek. Some of the most famous dishes include the Mzwadi (marinated shish kebabs cooked on fire), the Chatschapuri (the Georgian alternative to a pizza, a quark sourdough bread filled with cheese and baked in a stone oven), the Phkalis (Georgian tapas, better described as patés with walnut paste, herbs and diverse vegetables), and the dishes baked in so-called kvevris (ancient clay pots) including some tasty vegetarian stews.

It is custom in Georgia to not just dine, but to have a feast (supra) together on a large table with family and friends. Here, a huge variety of appetizer and entrées are served that will cover the entire table. Dinner is a social event :)

Our Christmas Feast:

Appetizer plate:

• Phkali spinach - paté made of steemed and pureed spinach, walnut paste, coariander and pomegranate
• Phkali red beets - paté made of smashed red beets, walnut paste, coriander and pomegranate
• Lobios salad - paste of green beans, walnut paste, coriander and herbs 
• Badrijani nigvsit - baked eggplant stuffed with walnut paste, fresh coriander and pomegranate
• Gebjalia - cheese roll stuffed with Georgian mozzarella and fresh ricotta-mint filling, topped with a mint-milk sauce
• Quartuli - salad with cucumber, tomatoes, spring onions, coriander, parsely and a walnut dressing
  
• Imeruli Chatschapuri - round bread disk made of quark dough, filled with cheese, and baked in a stone oven, similar to a pizza

Main Entrées:

• Mzwadi - marinated shish kebabs (also called "shashlik") with chicken and lamb meat, served with baby potatoes, grilled vegetables and two sauces (a sweet plum sauce and a spicy tomato paprika sauce)
• Tabaka - marinated young chicken, baked in the traditional clay pot (kvevris), served with vegetables and potatoes
• Adjapsandali - vegetable stew with eggplant, potatoes and tomatoes, stewed and served in the traditional clay pot (kvevris)
• Lobio kotanshi - bean stew with red beans, fried onions and herbs, stewed and served in the traditional clay pot (kvevris) with pickled vegetables

 Dessert plate

• Khada - pastry with walnut paste filling
• Thathara - pudding cream made of grape juice and walnut pieces
• Mskali gvinoshi - in redwine poached pear with vanilla ice cream

Appetizer plate (Phkali spinach, Phkali red beat, Lobios salad, Badrijani nigvsit, Gebjalia)

Appetizer plate with Quartuli salad and Imeruli Chatschapuri (cheese bread) in the back

Mzwadi (shashlik) with sauces

Tabaka (baked chicken)

Adjapsandali (tomato-potato-eggplant stew)

Lobio kotanshi (red bean stew)

Dessert plate