Tarkhun, St. Petersburg 06-2019

After eating several different cuisines, the favourites were Georgian and Uzbek. There were a few different Georgian options to try - Khochu Kharcho which I so enjoyed in 2013 and vowed to go back but was further in a different direction, and Aragvi, Tarkhun and Adzhabsandal all in the same area near Bolshoi. In the end, I picked Tarkhun, not for any great reason over the others but just did.

Manezhnaya square had some live stand up comedy (in Russian of course) going on that evening. But our entertainment was a live Russian singer performing karaoke style in the restaurant. The English speaking staff were generally friendly and polite.

- Kharchapuri Megrelian style 550g 500rub - I dreamt of this moment, sharing kharchapuri since my Khochu Kharcho visit. Megrelian style means cooked with cheese and then extra cheese added on top. The bread was crisp, with lots of flavoursome soft cheese. Delicious;
- Kharcho - slightly spicy beef soup, warming, with a nice flavour but could be more spiced/seasoned;
- Georgian dish of vegetables like ratatouille without thyme. Just warm oil with lots of roast/vege flavour. Really nice;
- Mini-khinkali - mushroom mini dumplings were only ok. Not that much filling and no liquid. Definitely nothing compared to those as Khachapuri in Moscow;
- Chashushuli 300g 690rub - beef very soft in a minimally spicy tomato sauce. Nice vegetables;
- Odzhakhuri with lamb 400g 640rub - ultra soft lamb, seasoned potatoes which could have been a bit more crisp, but nice balance from the herbs, pomegranate. A single clove of raw garlic just for measure.

The samsas looked really good (although on the expensive side) but I would live to regret not ordering them.

It was a great meal and probably my favourite of the trip. Service 10% was included into the bill, and that seemed fair.