The great Anthony Bourdain left his mark everywhere he went. When his death was announced to the world in June 2018, media throughout the globe chimed in and listed all the great things he had done for their respective city. Whereas before, tourists would shy away from exotic foods, thanks to him, travellers now go the extra mile to find and try local bites. With this in mind, here are all the restaurants Bourdain visited and the dishes he tasted when he shot Anthony Bourdain Tbilisi, Georgia for his show, Parts Unknown Season 7 Episode 6 (originally aired May 22, 2016):
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DISH – Khashi and Chakapuli
WHAT IS IT?
Khashi is a soup of beef bones, joints and tripe that goes well with garlic. Chakapuli – a stew of slow-cooked veal with onion and tomato, heavily seasoned with coriander, fennel, garlic and chili.
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WHERE IS IT?
Sazandari
78 Zurab Gorgiladze St
Batumi, Georgia
ANTHONY BOURDAIN TBILISI NOTES
Anthony Bourdain really liked the Chakapuli he had with Zamir Gotta at Sazandari.
DISH – Salad, Georgian Grilled Lamb with Pomegranate Sauce, Nigvziani Badrijani and Shkmeruli
WHAT IS IT?
Salad is a medley of raw vegetables and fruits that can be served with a dressing. Georgian Grilled Lamb with Pomegranate Sauce is grilled lamb ribs with pomegranate sauce. Nigvziani Badrijani is a dish of sliced fried eggplant wrapped around a walnut filling. Shkmeruli is chicken meat slow-baked in an oven then simmered in milk and garlic.
WHERE IS IT?
Gabriadze
13 Shavteli St
Tbilisi, Georgia
ANTHONY BOURDAIN TBILISI NOTES
Gabriadze is a café in Tbilisi that offers traditional Georgian fare. Here, Anthony Bourdain had a green salad with orange, almonds and honey, Grilled Lamb with Pomegranate Sauce, Nigvziani Badrijani and Shkmeruli.
DISH – Khinkali
WHAT IS IT?
Big, fat, juicy soup dumplings filled with spicy minced beef in hot, rich broth.
WHERE IS IT?
Sofia Melnikovas
22 Revaz Tabukashvili St
Tbilisi, Georgia
ANTHONY BOURDAIN TBILISI NOTES
In Parts Unknown Tbilisi, Anthony Bourdain described Sofia Melnikovas as a “much-loved bistro for the most-loved Georgian dish: the Khinkali”.
DISH – The Queen’s Soup, Chacha, Wild Trout Tartare and Mussels Chakapuli
WHAT IS IT?
The Queen’s Soup is a soup of caramelized onions. Chacha is Georgian pomace brandy. Wild Trout Tartare is a dish of raw ground trout meat. Mussels Chakapuli is chakapuli made of mussels.
WHERE IS IT?
Culinarium
23, Abano St
Tbilisi, Georgia
ANTHONY BOURDAIN TBILISI NOTES
Culinarium is a restaurant that gives a modern twist to traditional Georgian cuisine.
DISH – Tcharkhlis Salata, Soko, Shilaplavi and Khachapuri
WHAT IS IT?
Tcharkhlis Salata – boiled beets in wild plum sauce. Soko – mushrooms with chili pepper, mint and tarragon. Shilaplavi – baby lamb stewed in its own fat with cumin then cooked together with rice, biryani style. Khachapuri – Georgian bread baked in a tandoor-like oven.
WHERE IS IT?
Pheasant’s Tears
Sighnaghi, Georgia
ANTHONY BOURDAIN TBILISI NOTES
Pheasant’s Tears uses ingredients that are available within the area. They prepare dishes that, according to Anthony Bourdain, are not “too fancy but always soulful and delicious and always served with local wines”.
