Recently, while researching about possible places where I can taste Russian dishes in Toronto, my interest was caught by a place that just its name, looked interesting for me. I am talking about the restaurant Chaihana.
The word Chaihana in many languages from Central Asia has the same meaning: House of Tea / Teahouse. A place to have some social interaction while Tea and light dishes are served. (In Persian: چای خانه.[Chay Khaneh]; in Turkish: Çayhane; in Uzbek: Choyxona; in Azeri: Çayxana; in Tajik: Чойхона; and in Russian: Чайхана;
The first thing that impressed me was its decoration. You can see some pictures on their website. This place advertises as a restaurant that specializes in Tajik and Uzbek food. The truth is that you can find there a great selection of dishes from different parts of what was once the Soviet Union, from Russia to Kazakhstan, and from Georgia to Ukraine.
My First visit started with a Borsch (Борщ), a Ukrainian style sour soup where its main ingredient is the beetroot. This dish is in general very popular in Eastern Europe and it might have Cabbage, carrots, potatoes, onions, and a tablespoon of sour cream is added. Meat can be added but is optional. This is one of the dishes that I used to eat frequently in my home since my early childhood.
The main dish was a traditional sausage-like food from Kazakhstan but very popular also in neighboring countries: Qazı or Kazy. It is made mainly with Horse meat, from the ribs. The dish had a side of salad and Kasha (Каша), a popular dish in Eastern Europe, similar to porridge, made with buckwheat.
To take out, I asked for a Khachapuri, a cheese filled bread, traditional in Georgia where it is its national dish.
My next visit started with another soup. This time I had Kharcho (Харчо), a Georgian lamb soup, that has walnuts and rice and served with finely chopped coriander. I will try to prepare this same dish in my home soon.
Then I had Chicken Tabaka, a traditional Georgian food. It’s a traditional pan-fried chicken with herbs. For better effect, the chicken is first flattened. It is common to use a pan with a heavy cover to fry the chicken under pressure.
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