#Treestory

• Marquês de Pombal (Linha Amarela/Azul)
• €€(€- just)
• R. Luciano Cordeiro 46A, 1150-069

Georgia, the country which sits on the border between Europe and Asia, and not the Southern US State, has an outsized influence on the world for somewhere so small. The country lays claim to being the home of where the essential industries of textiles, gold mining, and crucially, winemaking, all started.

For a former Soviet state which has only seen independence for the last 30 years, another first for Georgia in 2024 is its appearance in the European soccer championships. Conveniently for a couple of Lisbon dwellers, they have competed in the tournament against Portugal. So as the two teams lined up to face each other, we lined up in the only Georgian restaurant in town, #Treestory.

As we passed the clearly proud staff huddled over their phone in the build up to the match, we sauntered out to the large outdoor dining mezzanine. Pre-armed with the knowledge we were dining in the home of wine making, a swift request was made for a bottle of Georgian white wine. Sadly for this time, they were sold out, so we took the Douro blend along with our shared starter.

And then the very reason you absolutely must eat at this Georgian restaurant came out to our delight. The ADJARULI is a truly deviant foodstuff. The crispy dough boat, created with the kind of skill you would expect from the finest pizza chef, absolutely loaded with a mélange of feta and mozzarella and topped with an egg, ready to burst and ooze into the molten heaven. This is food which belongs behind an Only Fans paywall.

With the starter having impressed so much, the anticipation for the mains was dialled up to 11. First laid out was the Pork Mtsvadi, a log of pig meat, laid out on a delicate flat bread and adorned with all the regional influences that Georgia gets to benefit from. Lightly pickled cabbage and onion typical of Turkish salads and bursting fresh pomegranate seeds like you might find on a journey across the old Mesopotamia.

The meat was grilled to perfection, moist and tender with the pork fat elevated by the fresh charcoal cooking. To offset the meat came the hearty bowl of Lobio, a red bean stew, fragranced with more of those effervescent herbs and spices from the Middle East region and partnered with two hunking wedges of more superbly light and airy breads. With all the salads already on the mains, their take on wedges was also brought to supplement the feast.

In this modern world of globalisation, it is rare to encounter a first time food experience. But this was the first time we've ever eaten that which calls itself Georgian. And like all the best food cultures, what Georgian food does best is draw on all the influences that have touched it over the centuries, to be the best of everything. If you don't believe us, eat an adjaruli then come and apologise for doubting us.

Drinks: The Douro blended white wine

Don’t forget to order: ADJARULI, ADJARULI, ADJARULI, ADJARULI, ADJARULI, ADJARULI, ADJARULI, ADJARULI, ADJARULI.