RESTAURANT REVIEW: SHAVI LOMI, TBILISI, GEORGIA

RATING

*****

When my sisters and I got into the taxi to go dine in Shavi Lomi, the taxi driver himself was not sure of the location and had to call the restaurant to get specific directions. As luck would have it, many of the roads at that time were blocked, and he had to keep changing directions and we could hear him mutter under his breath angrily every time we reached a roadblock and he had to take a detour.

Eventually, he dropped us off at the side of a road and said “there’s the restaurant”, and drove off. We stood there, confused, looking around for the restaurant. We were worried, thought he got so frustrated he decided to get rid of us. There were no signs anywhere. It looked like he had dropped us off in some random narrow alley in a neighborhood, far from any main roads. 

Suddenly, we see a group of people walk into the house we were standing right in front of. Uncertainly, we follow them, opening a very shabby, run down door, into an entryway that suddenly fills your senses with the sound of chatter, smell of delicious food and the clutter of people shuffling quickly, while carrying plates. Although it is not easy to find, with no sign identifying the restaurant, but the place was packed with people from all over the globe, which really proves that location doesn’t matter if the vibe and quality of food is excellent.

When we were seated, we quickly learned that Shavi Lomi, translating to ‘Black Lion’, is named after a famous painting by one of Georgia’s favorite artists, Niko Pirosmani. In fact, in their gorgeously quaint garden, and on the sidewall of the building, there is a huge mural of a Black Lion painted like graffiti. 

With its patterned tablecloths, textiles, bohemian flea-market furniture, antique pieces, mismatched dinnerware, cozy garden and distinct art pieces, Shavi Lomi is the ideal setting for hipsters, cool kids, artsy locals and tourists alike. They offer a very unique menu, using the freshest of ingredients, creating traditional Georgian cuisine with a twist.

Some of the dishes we tried include their signature sharing platter called Gobi. It comes in a huge wooden bowl with a variety of appetizers that include jonjoli (an assortment of cheeses), mchadi (cornbread), phkali (beet, walnut and spinach dips) and other delights that is meant to be placed in the middle and shared amongst friends and family. Our wonderful hostess explained to us that because of this dish, the Georgian word ‘megobari’, which means friendship, was created. 

We also had a smoked eggplants with walnut dish that was absolutely delicious. It reminded me of our ‘mutabbal’ dips, and is actually very similar. In Shavi Lomi, they cook the eggplants on the grill to give it a deep smoky flavor, which is very different to how the Georgians traditionally cook their eggplants, but is actually very similar to how Palestinians traditionally cook their eggplants for ‘mutabbal’. I thought that was very interesting to learn. 

Our mains included two dishes, Gebjalia, which is a traditional Georgian dish incorporating Sulguni cheese with mint and tarragon in a creamy sauce. I can’t honestly say this was my favorite, it was OK, but I probably wouldn’t order it again. The second dish was chicken ShKmeruli, which was my all-time favorite, and reminded me so much of home. The flavors, the way it is cooked, it felt like I was having my mother’s food at home. This Georgian dish is made out of village chicken in a garlic and sour cream sauce that is cooked to perfection. The chicken was cooked beautifully with a perfectly browned, crispy exterior, and the creamy garlicky sauce was so delicious, you’ll want to eat it alone – perhaps with a piece of bread to dip into.

We ordered a traditional tomato, cucumber and avocado salad to accompany our main dishes. The salad was infused with Georgian sunflower seed oil that is homemade and very special to the Georgians, they call it Kakhetian oil, named after Kakheti, the region where this oil was first made. 

The food embodied the simplicity of fresh ingredients, traditional recipes and originality. The whole experience was pure perfection, and the vibe absolutely beautiful, making you linger way after you are done eating, to just enjoy the music, the chatter around you, and the company you’re with. 

Out of curiosity, we did ask the hostess why they didn’t have any signs to clearly mark the restaurant, and she told us that they tried a few times to put up a sign, but the neighbor's kids and some street hooligans always took it down. Eventually, they just stopped trying.

Located in an old house, down a narrow, beaten path in the gold quarter of Tbilisi, Georgia, Shavi Lomi was, easily, the highlight of my very short trip to this beautiful city, and is really worth visiting. In fact, a visit to Shavi Lomi is the best way to experience Tbilisi at its most authentic.