Tag: Georgia

This restaurant closed on 09 October 2023. Thanks for the memories!

Adequate restaurant with larger Georgian menu than most

The handful of Georgian restaurants in Toronto are mostly clustered on the northern edge of North York and bordering regions of Vaughan. Pirosmani joined their ranks during the pandemic and seems to be surviving OK despite their secluded location in a business park.

Pirosmani differentiates itself from its competitors with a larger menu and above-average execution. If Suliko is full or if you want to discover more Georgian dishes, Pirosmani is not a bad choice.

The tourist’s guide to Georgian food

Georgian cuisine is a well-kept secret outside of CIS countries (i.e. former Soviet Union). It features fruits and nuts like pomegranates and walnuts in main courses. Its flavour profiles and preparation styles are unique in Asia and Europe. For better or worse, every great cuisine has a few stereotypical dishes that foreigners gravitate towards. India has its butter chicken, Japan has sushi, and Mexico has tacos. If I had to pick one dish for Georgia, it would be khinkali. But I’m feeling generous today, so I’ll give you 3 tourist favourites.

1. Khinkali (ხინკალი)
   This is the ugly fat cousin of Chinese xiao long bao. They are popular in Georgian bars and there are also dedicated restaurants for them. Khinkali is a baseball-sized dumpling filled with ground meat. Crucially, it has about a teaspoon of broth in it, like xiao long bong. However, the skin is much thicker and the eating protocol is different.
   • Khinkali are pleated with a knob at the top. Pick up the dumpling by the knob with your fingers.
   • Nibble off the bottom to slurp the soup.
   • Do not eat the top knob. Although it’s edible and it seems like a waste of food, it’s against custom.
2. Kharcho (ხარჩო)
   An oily soup with rice, stewed beef, cherry plums, onions, tomatoes, and the secret ingredient: khmeli-suneli (ხმელი სუნელი). Family recipes differ for khmeli-suneli, but it usually includes bay leaves and coriander. Mildly spicy and built for cold weather. Georgia has many great soups but I don’t know why this gets particular attention.
   
3. Khachapuri (ხაჭაპური)
   Flatbread with cheese topping. There are dozens of variations but the most famous one is Adjarian khachapuri. It’s shaped liked a boat. Immediately after baking, a raw egg is cracked on top and the residual heat from the melted cheese cooks the egg. This is a dish best eaten on the spot, so that one can mix the egg and cheese into a goo.

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