GEO: Barbarestan

Mouth-watering duck fillet consumed by royalty in the past!

A restaurant in Tbilisi that I'd highly recommend to everyone is Barbarestan. That's where my BFF and I spent our last evening in the capital city of Georgia. Boasting remarkable dishes from a recipe book written by Barbare Jorjadze, a Georgian princess in the 19th century, the stunning restaurant is a hit among foreign visitors and locals alike.

My BFF and I had an awesome dinner at the restaurant with such lovely ambiance and friendly, professional staff.

Nadughi with Pumpkin Seeds GEL 7.00 (~S$3.70)

Taste: 8/10

A small bowl of appetiser for sharing, the local cottage cheese had an interesting taste that's hard to describe. It was quite creamy without any piquant smell with a somewhat coarse structure, but by no means bad. There were only a few pumpkin seeds on top of it though. We enjoyed it, whetting our appetite for the main courses.

Red Beans Lobio with Racha Ham and Georgian Pickles

GEL 22.00 (~S$11.65)

Taste: 8/10

A light, yet satisfying main course, the mashed kidney beans warmed my soul. They were cooked with smoked ham from Racha, a highland area in the northern part of the country, although the amount of the meat left much to be desired. The accompanying beetroot pickles provided a refreshing twist to the dish.

Duck Fillet with Stewed Pears GEL 35.00 (~S$18.50)

Taste: 9/10

Cooked to medium perfection as requested, the duck fillet was mind-blowing. Albeit small, it was bursting with natural juice, going well with the dark-coloured sauce, presumably based on a kind of berry, that reminded me of kecap manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce). The stewed pears made it even merrier with their heady aroma.

Chocolate Dessert Mousse GEL 10.00 (~S$5.30)

Taste: 8.5/10

If the portion of the dessert shown above seems too small for you, fret not. That was after the chef had divided the mousse into two separate glasses for us. Definitely one of the best I've ever had thus far, the mousse was truly velvety, topped with peanuts for a contrast in terms of texture. If not for the slightly higher sugar content than my preference, I'd have given it a higher score.

Melon's Rating

Taste: 8.5/10

Ambience: 8.5/10

Service: 9/10

Overall: 8.5/10

Given the high quality food and the service rendered, it's so awesome that Barbarestan doesn't cost you an arm and a leg.

The underground level looks amazing.

Pika's advice: You can request to have a look at the treasured recipe book as shown in the picture below. You can't flip through it though. The manager of the restaurant was so passionate in explaining the history behind some of the dishes.

Barbarestan

132 D. Aghmashenebeli Avenue

Tbilisi

Georgia

(Daily: 10.30am - 11.30pm)

*Prices quoted are nett prices.

Have a nice meal,

Cliff(y)