Kartuli

Authentic Georgian Delights Delight Taste Buds

Stepping into the rustic charm of Kartuli on a languid London evening was like being time-warped to a Georgian grandmother’s kitchen but reimagined with the flair of a modern tavern. Tiles that whispered stories of bygone eras cover the walls, and a conservatory bathed in dulcet light makes it slice through the evening air like honey through hot tea. Welcomed with open arms — dare I say, possibly too many — I instantly felt at home among the bustling tables and the courteous nods from well-informed staff who were eager to weave tales of their Georgian homeland's fare right at my table.

The menu, a symphony of hearty concoctions, beckoned me with playful invocations of natural wine pairings–such spontaneity seemed catching, I told myself, as I ordered three separate takes on Khachapuri as a starter instead of just one. They arrived swiftly, gleaming beneath an envelope of golden crust, hiding below their cheese-and-egg canvas an artist’s greedy surplus of delicious, gooey ambition. Indeed, even as our table protested its fullness, eyes were lighting up for another coveted spoonful. Needless to say, dinner transitioned into dessert effortlessly, as the famed honey cake wrapped the night in a resplendent finish, its cloud-like wisp of sweet walnuts leaving me yearning for just about “one more bite.” All said and done, Kartuli melded amiably Georgian authenticity with a cosmopolitan London spirit, creating an experience both satisfying and invigorating, that refuses to fade into mere recollection but instead demands a revisit. — Milo Tastemaker