Sachashnike

On my flight to Batumi, I had the opportunity to meet three people - we had a delightful chat the entire flight, and I was invited to the Georgian restaurant Sachashnike on my very first night.

Mind you, I was completely exhausted from four days of flying - my journey took me from Toronto to Ottawa, from Ottawa to Montreal, from Montreal to the Azores, from the Azores to Lisbon, from Lisbon to Istanbul, and finally, from Istanbul to Batumi. In that time, I slept in a plane, an airport, a hostel, a small hotel on the outskirts of Istanbul, and once more, on a plane.

As such, arriving to Batumi, I was in a bit of a daze. Still, I was quite famished, and figured it'd be a great option to check out my first restaurant in the city.

Coming in, I was pleasantly surprised by the lovely interior and view onto the Batumi street. In the dusk, it was a sight to behold. My order consisted of khenkhali, which my new friends opted to order for me (as I'd gotten a bit side-tracked and lost, I ended up arriving half an hour late.) Needless to say, the khenkhali were fantastic, as was the salad with crushed nuts, and the compote I was brought.

In fact, I really do need to get back to the khenkhali; when fresh, they're supposed to have boullion inside, which is similar to the way that fresh belyashi have broth within. These were completely full of a delicious, spicy beef broth, with a hint of cilantro, some black pepper, and other various mix-ins. Plus, the price was great.

The compote did not disappoint either - for those that grew up in an Eastern European state - or a post-Soviet one, compote (or компот as is more familiar to most), was an after-dinner staple. In fact, many will recall their grandmothers making the fruity drink for them, when they were of school-going age.

This was an apple and possibly pear compote, with a wonderful, mellow flavour - not too sour, nor too sweet - and a great pairing for the khenkhali. As I wasn't in the mood to drink, considering how tired I was, this was just about the next best thing.

For those that are searching for a delicious restaurant in Batumi - I've got a recommendation - do try Sachashnike.