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Le Georgia offers food from
The closest this little eatery comes to décor is the parade of food photos in the window, featuring dishes from Russia, Poland and the Balkan republic of Georgia. In true post-Iron Curtain style, there are only a few tables, bare walls and, three months after opening, there’s not even a sign with the name of the place above the door yet. But man, is Le Georgia worth visiting. First of all, it’s incredibly cheap—almost everything is under $5. Secondly, it’s run by a family who prepare their homeland cuisine with loving care. The wife is from Russia, the husband is from Georgia, and a meal here is like eating at their house. They both take an immense amount of pride in their kitchen and are more than willing to discuss the finer aspects of cooking. (“Many people heat up the pan first but this is not how it should be done,” or “This stew has many, many vegetables and it takes six to eight hours to prepare, if you do it right.”) To start, there are a couple of soups on offer ($3.50). The more familiar of the two is borscht, a mixture of beets and other veggies that comes with a container of hot paste you can add to the bowl as desired. Less well known is ocrochka, a cold soup made of potatoes, egg, ham, green onion, dill and cucumber in a milky base. Vinegar comes on the side; sprinkle in a few drops to heighten the taste. It’s extremely refreshing, and has an oddly calming effect on the nerves. The soups were served with homemade bread that had just cooled off enough to be sliced. Heavenly. For something else out of the ordinary, try a traditional Georgian dish called satsivi ($4.10). This is made of chunks of chicken in a thick sauce of ground walnuts and subtle spices. Strangely, it’s served chilled, and is customarily eaten with the hands, accompanied by bread. (“And at home, always with beer or wine,” our host pointed out.) The delicious, slightly sour sauce is like nothing I’ve ever tasted before. While my friend made a mess with the satsivi, I dug into a plate of beef stroganoff, served with rice—and not noodles, as I assumed it would be. The strips of meat were coated in brown gravy, simple, tasty and freshly cooked. For $4.50, it made for a nice little meal, including a small salad. There are a bunch of other specialties here that I’m eyeing for next time. One is tchanaki, a labour-intensive meat and vegetable stew that’s baked in individual portions and topped with pastry dough ($7.50). Stuffed crêpes, prepared in the “real” Russian style, are available with potatoes, meat or cheese. Judging from the photo (which you really can do here) they look amazing, and are $2.99 with mushroom sauce or $2.50 with cream sauce. The array of homemade treats continues with veal aspic, red beans, eggplant caviar, as well as different variations on dumplings like pelmeni, pierogis, and vareneki. For dessert, coffee is served in china cups. Oddly enough, Le Georgia boasts that it has the best tarte à sucre in town, and for one crazy second I thought it might be a Russian delicacy. But no, it’s the Québécois sugar pie we all know, made by a friend of the family. And yes, it is extra good, somehow more creamy than sugary, although very, very sweet. Before you leave, check out the counter of pre-prepared items that are available to go, including marinated salads, heat-and-serve dishes, and some of that wonderful Russian rye that’s baked on the premises. : Le Georgia |