A traditional tablecloth characteristic of The Republic of Georgia
A Georgian feast featuring an abundance of food, wine, and toasts ( sometimes poetic, often lengthy, occasionally punctuated by song )
DC’s first restaurant featuring all of the above
In case you missed it above, a “supra” is a celebratory feast, featuring tons of food, plenty of wine, and toasts courtesy of a ‘tamada,’ sort of a super-toastmaster in charge of keeping the party going.
Up from 22 in the 2018 installment, an astounding 39 affordable eateries—19 of which are new—have joined the ranks of the highly-regarded Bib Gourmand list in the 2019 MICHELIN Guide Washington, D.C.
Tunisia has its harissa, Louisiana has its Crystal, and Georgia — the country, not the state — has adjika. But to designate this spicy condiment “Georgian” is a disservice to the intensely complex pepper paste and its somewhat complicated ancestry. Unfortunately, unless you travel to Georgia — specifically Abkhazia (itself a subject of dispute) and Samegrelo, in the west — you’ll probably not taste adjika in its truest form.
In 2017, Georgian wine imports to the United States grew 54% from the year before, translating to 458,000 bottles versus 294,000 in 2016. While that still puts them way behind powerhouse countries like Spain, Italy and France, the demand for and availability for Georgian wine is stronger than ever.
The city’s premier Georgian restaurant is also likely the country’s first with an all-Georgian wine list. With over 50 labels, there’s something for every taste, and staff are eager to discuss the country’s winemaking traditions. Those in the know about the splendor of Georgian cuisine will appreciate the authentic and wide-ranging menu.
Socially, Washington is held together by the glue of brunch. More than the city’s other social institution – the happy hour – brunch allows for extended, leisurely bonding without a set agenda. And the District can never get enough of new culinary adventures – so we compiled our favorite newbies from the past year. These are wonderful places to hang out, see, be seen, and roll out refreshed and ready for the work week.
Nothing fixes a hangover like Georgia’s iconic khachapuri. If not in the mood for bread, cheese, and a runny egg, try Supra’s ajaruli ketse bostneuli — a vegetable stew that somewhat resembles the baked egg dish shakshuka.
What It Is: Supra’s Ajaruli Ketse Bostneuli is a mash-up of two worldly comfort foods: Georgia’s cheese filled bread known as khachapuri and Middle Eastern shakshuka—eggs baked in tomato and pepper sauce.
Supra co-owners Jonathan and Laura Nelms designed their debut restaurant to share the rich history of Georgian wine with D.C. diners, a long-term goal that only months-in is already gaining ground thanks to a balance of tradition and innovation — along with selections so rare they’re unavailable in their homeland.
Supra is DC’s first Georgian restaurant from husband and wife team Jonathan and Laura Nelms. Though neither has roots in the Caucasus, Jonathan has a long-held fascination with Georgia that began when he made friends with a Georgian exchange student in high school.
With so many restaurant options in the Washington area, it's good to gather intel: Here are eight spots, recently vetted by Washington Post food critic Tom Sietsema, that are worth a try.
The entire team here spends a lot of time eating, that’s kind of what we do. And we’ve had some pretty memorable bites this year. Here are some of the best things we ate in 2017 from your favorite writers here at HungryLobbyist.com (in no particular order, of course).
Supra has the distinction of being D.C.’s only Georgian restaurant, and now, it also has a mural from a famed Georgian street artist on its walls. Giorgi Gagoshidze, who works under the pseudonym of Gagosh, was inspired by the name of the restaurant, which means an abundant feast in Georgian. The mural blends old and new aspects of Georgian culture.
