The Georgians love to host guests and you'll witness this yourself when you visit Al Terrace, an authentic Georgian restaurant. It's part of the Mirqab Boutique Hotel and is located in the heart of Souq Waqif.
The ILoveQatar.net (ILQ) team got the chance to visit this newly opened spot in Doha to try out delicious Georgian cuisine. Check out 5 reasons why you should visit the Al Terrace!
Al Terrace restaurant welcomes you to woody hues and red furnishings taken from the Georgian heritage. There's energetic Georgian music playing that's upbeat and welcoming. You will immediately feel like you're somewhere in Tbilisi.
Though the restaurant has a huge indoor dining room complete with fancy chairs and tables, the real fun is sitting on the terrace where you can also see the world pass by. The staff is warm and friendly, just like the people of Georgia.
Georgia lies in the centre of the famous Silk Route connecting the East and the West. Its cuisine incorporates influences from Turkey, Iran, Russia, Romania and Azerbaijan. When you order something at Al Terrace, you will clearly see and taste these influences in the food, that has been carefully crafted into Georgia's own distinct culinary heritage which is all about eating together.
The Tolma, the Khachapuri, the Khinkali, the Lobio or the Mtsvadi are absolutely delicious and you simply mustn't leave Al Terrace without having them.
Georgian food is homely and gives you comfort. It's simple, yet rich, with aromas that carry far and flavours that will fill your tummy. When it comes to the appetisers, there's the Tolma which are fresh and fragrant grape leaves expertly stuffed with rice, beef, onion, parsley, dill and yoghurt.
The Mix Appetiser plate called the Georgian Family Feast is served with crispy fried cornbread called Mchadi. Each appetiser is packed with flavours.
The Kharcho stew is a beef stew made with a rich walnut sauce and served with Gomi, a Georgian cornmeal porridge that's topped with a slice of cheese. The Gomi and the Kharcho stew when eaten together complement each other.
In Georgian cuisine, one interesting ingredient to note is the use of walnuts in salads, appetisers, soups, sauces and even the mains that help add richness and a flavour that's unique to the cuisine.
The platter of Assorted Shashliks has lamb loin kebab, chicken shish kebab, beef shish kebab, charcoal-grilled lamb chops and prawns. The shashliks are served with grilled tomato, onion and chilli, roast potato, Georgian bread and the Adjika sauce which is a spicy paste and goes well with the mixed grill.
The Lobio is a simple red kidney bean stew made with onions and coriander and can be best described as comfort in a bowl. It's served with Mjavis Asorti which is a combo of pickles. The Lobio can be eaten as a soup or with Georgian bread.
Khachapuris deserve their very own special mention because they are one of the best dishes on the menu. The Adjaruli Khachapuri is an absolute must-have. It's a soft oven-baked dough that's filled with Georgia's special Sulguni cheese, that's salted and soaked in water to give it a stringy texture, and baked till piping hot.
It's served straight from the oven with a knob of butter and a raw egg on top. To eat it, you must mix the egg and butter with the bubbly cheese, break off a piece of the dough and dip it in the cheesy mixture. It's a staple of Georgian cuisine.
Then, there's the Imeruli Khachapuri which is brick oven-baked dough that's stuffed with another popular Georgian cheese, Imeruli. The result is a slightly crispy dough with lots of cheese in every bite.
Like the Khachapuris, the Khinkali deserves its very own spotlight. This is a Georgian style dumpling made of dough that's filled with chicken, beef, lamb or mushrooms and a deliciously rich and smooth broth that adds to the flavour of this masterpiece. Be careful when you eat it though so you don't spill the broth.
The Pelamushi Gozinati is an absolute treat, made with dark grape juice, pomegranate and walnuts, and has a jelly-like consistency.
The Medok is Georgia's take on the infamous Honey Cake but has some Georgian flavours thrown in with the walnuts. If you like Honey Cake, then ordering the Medok is a great choice.
Al Terrace serves you some of the best Georgian food that's authentic, simple and comforting with a dose of hospitality that's warm and welcoming. You simply can't go wrong here at Al Terrace, so do check it out to enjoy alfresco dining and impeccable service. Check out the awesome Georgian menu here: https://mhg.to/n48vr.
Source: Al Terrace
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