The Georgian

Address: 27 Balham Hill SW12 9DX

Website: http://www.georgianrestaurant.co.uk/

Nearest tube station: Clapham South

It’s date night, so part 2 of BYO London sees us visiting the Georgian restaurant in Clapham South for some, well, Georgian food. And that’s Georgia in the Caucasus, not Georgia in the good ol’ US of A, so don’t come here looking for fried chicken and burgers.

For a starter, we shared the Georgian mixed mezze, which consisted of four different cold starters – an aubergine and walnut pate, a leek and walnut pate, shredded beetroot and a grated carrot dish (quite like coleslaw). I was pretty happy with my lot, as I had been unable to choose between the two pates as a standalone starter – but I got to try both.

And I was even happier when the waitress brought out the Georgian cheese bread. Which is exactly what it sounds like – freshly cooked bread filled with molten cheese, slowly oozing out of the cuts made to quarter it, but running as freely as magma from an exploding volcano when torn apart. Delicious.

The only downside to the starter was that we didn’t leave any of it, and were rather full before our main courses had arrived.

The wife had tolma, minced beef and pork wrapped in cabbage, served in a tomato sauce [picture below], while I had mtsvadi (I pointed at it on the menu, rather than trying to pronounce it…). This is a dish of pan fried pork, roast new potatoes and a Georgian salad – tomato, cucumber and white onion [top picture]. Both main courses were excellent, though it was a struggle to finish them.

It’s good value too: £46.50 for the two of us, without a tip (they don’t add one automatically – which I like – and don’t give the option of adding one on card. So take a bit of cash along for them). That got us a starter-for-two, two main courses and a soft drink. And as an extra bonus, there’s no corkage charge.

For places to get drinks, you’re spoilt for choice - there’s a small Sainsbury’s two doors away, an M&S food opposite, a large Tesco about a minute away and, for those who like to buy in bulk, a Majestic within sight.

PS The Georgian is also a café during the day and serves both English and Georgian breakfasts. The Full Georgian – a Georgian take on a full English – is worth a try. Though I don’t know what their view is if you BYO at breakfast…

PPS the photos were taken on my Nokia 6500c. Yes, I am still using a phone launched in 2007.