Chama Mama
Contact Info:
Address: 149 W 14th St
City: New York, NY
Zip: 10011
map: View the Map
Phone: (646) 438-9007
Website: https://www.chamamama.com/
Food Info:
Menu: View the Menu
Cuisine:
Georgian
Payment:
Accepts Credit Cards
Cititour Review:
Chama Mama is a true charmer. The restaurant is serving up Georgian cuisine on 14th Street in the West Village. The space is beautifully decorated with hardwood floors, a large sharing table with books on Georgian cuisine and culture for browsing. There is also a full bar serving up Georgian wines and signature cocktails. The centerpiece is an open-air kitchen with a huge clay oven, called a tone, used for making breads. It's quite spectacular and so is the food. Dinner begins with Ekala, a spread made with wild bitter greens (said to have health benefits) and crushed walnuts. It's served with a piece corn bread that is more dense than what we're used to in America. Grape Leaves stuffed with lamb, garlic and cilantro are among the best I've tasted, served with a dollop of matsoni, a Georgian yogurt. Traditional dumplings, called Khinkali, arrive piping hot stuffed with a blend of beef and pork in a soupy broth. The proper way to eat one, so I'm told, is to cup it in your hands and suck out some of the juices with every bite. Go for it. Other popular items include an assortment of cheese breads, including Adjaruli, a boat-shaped open-faced Khachapuri filled with cheese and a sunny side up egg. Shared plates include Shkmeruli, slow-roasted game hen in a creamy garlic broth, and Megruli Kharsho, braised short ribs with safron, walnuts, tomato and cilantro served with grits. But I think what struck me most about Chama Mama is how each guest was treated like family. That's something you don't find everywhere. >>
Review By: Thomas Rafael