Erti

Following the success of the Erti restaurant, which serves modern Georgian cuisine, in Rostov-on-Don, restaurateurs Gadji Zulumbekhanov and Kamil Khalilov have come to Moscow and are immediately offering a bright and unusual restaurant concept that also includes a hotel. Erti is located in the Select Hotel Paveletskaya, but it is not a hotel restaurant. The restaurant's wine bar has taken over part of the hotel's reception area and occupies a spacious lobby. Wine racks that are five meters long are a dominant feature of the interior, and the restaurant boasts one of the most extensive wine lists in Moscow, with approximately 250 labels – a surprise for the capital. All wines are available by the glass, and bottle prices start at 1250 rubles. A unique feature of Erti in Rostov-on-Don is its breakfast service. It was originally conceived as a lavish experience where guests receive more than they expect. Tea, coffee, and wine are served free of charge and unlimited, making it a popular spot for celebrating birthdays, weddings, and anniversaries. The team believes they can replicate and surpass this success in Moscow. The restaurant's modern and elegant space, with its abundance of greenery and subtle ethnic touches that hint at Georgia, creates a welcoming atmosphere. Light wood, concrete, warm golden light fixtures, and colorful Dagestani Sumakh carpets contribute to the overall ambiance. An olive tree growing in the center of a large table and a grand wine rack adorn a separate room that can accommodate groups of up to 12 people. The Erti menu reads like a concise guide to Georgian cuisine: tantara (bread), mtsvadi (grilled meat), kalmah (river trout), tevzi (fish), khashli (boiled veal), and kepe (vegetables). It features all the essential dishes of Georgian cuisine, from the classic pkhali and lobio to turkey satsivi, spicy kharcho, and various types of khachapuri, including the less common khachapuri cooked on a grill. A special highlight is the tarkinsky pepper, which is marinated by a familiar aunt specifically for Erti. It has a mild, non-spicy flavor. For larger groups, the head chef of Erti restaurants in Moscow and Rostov-on-Don, Georgy Li, has created platters named after iconic regions and settlements in Georgia. He also has a sense of culinary humor. Just as Italy has the "Margherita" pizza named after a queen, why not create a stew of chicken breast with vegetables and sulguni cheese, covered with a crispy crust, and give it a Georgian name, "Margalita," meaning "pearl"? And the famous trio of chanahi, chakhokhbili, and chashushuli can be complemented by the lesser-known chakhavili – a stew of chicken or судак (a type of fish) cooked with vegetables in cream. The most popular dishes of the Georgian table are given special attention at Erti. The grill chef, Gayk Egiazaryan, is responsible for the mtsvadi (grilled meat), with the marinated Dagestani lamb with cumin being a standout. A dedicated chef ensures the quality of the juicy and flavorful khinkali (dumplings). Grigory Arutyunyan has even cooked khinkali in France and for the Armenian cabinet of ministers. At Erti, khinkali are served both boiled and fried, and the fillings include not only classic options but also unexpected choices like shrimp with cream. Erti is a family-style restaurant, so instead of boring seasonal menus, expect lively festivals of related cuisines, and in the summer, a large, green, and shady terrace for festive gatherings. Erti is a modern Georgian restaurant with the warm hospitality of the Caucasus. The concept of the ERTI menu is not just to feed guests, but to tell the culinary story of the Georgian people, while also embracing modernity.