What should we know about Georgian Delight?
Even the savviest of this city’s food lovers might not have ventured into Moore Street Mall, the cavernous treasure trove of diverse eateries that sprawls out below Dublin’s famed fruit sellers. Mo(o)re’s the pity - this thriving basement arcade’s array of Brazilian, Bolivian, Balkan and more, consistently throws up top-tier value, so when we got word of a new Georgian arrival we couldn’t wait to get in.
What should we have?
We’ve waxed lyrical in the past about khachapuri, courtesy of Talbot Street bakery Ella’s Heaven - this bubbling boat of molten cheese crowned with wads of butter and a fresh egg yolk has rightly taken on the mantle of Georgia’s national dish. The steaming symphony of salty-sweet cheese and fluffy dough is regularly held up as a surefire cure for even the most stubborn of sore heads – it’s easy to see why.
That most famous Adjaruli khachapuri is just one of the three varieties Georgian Delight offers, along with other stuffed breads that use the same dough. Lobiani was another we tried, this one rolled thin and loaded with a pinto bean mash, grilled to a blistered crisp and glistening with hot oil. It’s not in the same league as khachapuri – what is? – but it’s a good option for anyone seeking a lighter bite.
Khinkali are a great example of Georgian cuisine’s cross-continental influences at the intersection of Europe and Asia - these soup dumpling-style knots of thin dough come filled with ground meat in a hot broth. The traditional technique for eating is to hold them by their topknot and gnaw off a corner to suck the steaming liquid through. It might take some practice though, you’ve been warned.
Speaking of steaming: there were gasps all round at the volcanic pot of lobio that arrived to the table next, bubbling with a vigour that made it look likely to erupt at any moment. This spiced red bean stew, thickened with ground walnuts, is a flavour feast we found ourselves fighting over, all desperate to get to scrape down the clay pot’s walls.
We finished on kharcho, with chunks of seared and stewed beef swimming in a broth flavoured with cherry plum puree. This is surely the most distinctly different thing you’ll taste in Georgian Delight and mileage may vary – for our part, we couldn’t get enough of the intermittently sweet, sour, salty sensation. If not for the carby excess of the khachapuri and lobiani leaving us struggling for breath we’d have welcomed lavash flatbread or mchadi cornbread to mop it up – if you’re in for a more sensibly restrained lunch than us, be sure to get some on the side.
Why should I go?
For exceptional value, first and foremost - all of fed three to excess for just €45. With khinkali at €2 a piece and the most basic khachapuri costing a tenner, this is up there with the best bang-for-buck lunch offers in the city centre right now. The owners are actively seeking premises for a dinner spot, and based on our visit we should all be crossing our fingers it comes to pass.
Georgian Delight
Moore Street Mall, Dublin 1
