Grill Town — Review by Sorted Food
Batumi, Georgia — Georgian
The reviewers visited Grill Town in Batumi for an immersive khachapuri masterclass with chef Ramaz, learning to make Georgia's iconic cheese bread in a traditional wood-fired oven. Despite a complete language barrier, they successfully created their own versions and tasted the authentic dish, finding it rich, indulgent, and delicious.
What was great: Authentic khachapuri preparation experience with expert instruction, beautiful wood-fired oven, delicious cheese-filled boat-shaped bread with runny egg yolk, universal food language that transcended language barriers
What could improve: Nothing mentioned
The Dishes
The star of the experience was khachapuri, Georgia's most iconic dish. The Adjarian version, shaped like a boat to honor Black Sea sailors, was filled with sulguni cheese and topped with a runny egg yolk that symbolizes the sun rising over the sea. The reviewers participated in making their own versions under the guidance of chef Ramaz, with one reviewer creating a double-yolked version for extra richness. The finished khachapuri had a beautiful, pillowy dough with visible bubbles, melted butter, enriched yolk, and a sour cheese flavor that created an indulgent, soup-like consistency when eaten. The dish was described as rich, sour, and absolutely delicious.
The Experience
The experience was highly interactive and memorable, featuring a hands-on cooking masterclass with chef Ramaz. Though Ramaz spoke no English and the reviewers no Georgian, they communicated through charades-like gestures, creating an unexpectedly charming bonding experience. The atmosphere centered around a stunning brick wood-fired pizza oven with visible heat and smoke, creating an authentic, traditional setting. Ramaz guided them through the technique using sign language: pokey-pokey (stretching dough), stretchy-stretchy, and slappy-slappy (shaping). The reviewers were amazed at how food and cooking proved to be a universal language that transcended all communication barriers.
Value & Pricing
Pricing information was not mentioned in the transcript, though the experience appeared to include the khachapuri masterclass with expert instruction and the finished dish to eat.
Notable Moments
Whilst we didn't really understand each other, we completely understood each other. That's what's crazy. We ended up with something that is far from perfect, but pretty close to his one.
Food and cooking is a universal language. We understood this much and we still ended up with khachapuri.
The Verdict
Grill Town offers a genuinely unique dining experience that goes beyond simply eating khachapuri to actively learning its creation from a skilled Georgian chef. The masterclass format, combined with the beautiful wood-fired setting and authentic preparation methods, makes this ideal for travelers seeking cultural immersion and hands-on culinary experiences. The khachapuri itself is indulgent, flavorful, and symbolic of Georgian heritage.