Ordering something for the table is always fun to do, but it’s even better when the dish that’s served comes with an extra dash of interactive drama. That’s certainly the case with Adjarian khachapuri (pronounced eh-JERR-e-an HA-cha-PUR-ee), which not only tastes delicious, but is incredibly fun to say. Add this pizza/hot dip/fondue-ish option to your menu, and you’ll be guaranteed plenty of oohs, ahs — and copycat orders.

Simple ingredients and prep

Even better, as dramatic as this dish looks, it’s easy to make from what’s already on-hand in the pantry and walk-in. It requires just dough, cheese, butter and eggs. The final step happens tableside, as diners stir egg and a pat of butter into the hot cheese filling to finish its cooking, then break off chunks of crust by hand and dip it into the hot filling. No special serving equipment is needed, since the baked bread can rest on a wooden board or rustic platter, and diners will devour all of the “serving bowl” by themselves.

Origins

If you’re wondering about the origins of this gooey, cheesy delight, it’s the most iconic dish from the autonomous republic of Adjara, a historical, geographic and political region of Georgia. While it’s traditionally eaten as an appetizer and has gained popularity as a street food in its place of origin, it’s now appearing on many menus for breakfast, brunch and as a late-night snack. In Israel, it’s even edging out shakshuka as the most popular brunch offering at some trendy restaurants.

Who’s serving it and how

At the Georgian bistro Cheeseboat in Brooklyn, many different khachapuri versions are on the menu, including the Bubba (shrimp and feta), steak and eggs and even a vegan version made with ajapsandali, a Georgian version of ratatouille that’s made with onions, eggplant, potatoes, tomatoes, bell peppers and parsley. In New York’s East Village, traditional Greek restaurant Oda House serves up 19 khachapuri different varieties, including vegan, gluten-free and a $58 “assortment plate.” Also in New York, Barbounia bakes the bread boats in a traditional taboon, a clay oven that’s shaped like a truncated cone. Choices there include the addition of wild mushrooms, creamed spinach, a BLT version and a Croque Madame.

Read more

Eater New York article on khachapuri’s growing role as an “essential” dish

Recipes

Adjaruli khachapuri (Georgian Cheese Bread) from Saveur

Khachapuri from The Splendid Table

Eater tutorial on how to make khachapuri

The shareability phenomenon isn’t going anywhere, as diners continue to seek out “for the table” offerings that allow everyone to have a taste or two in amiable companionability. But the dishes offered in these formats have moved far beyond those perennials favorites of pizza or French fries and have considerably upped both their culinary game and their irresistible cachet for diners.

These days, large-format dining usually involves one or more large dishes designed specifically to be enjoyed as a group, not just doubled-up orderings of several entrees. With their one-of-a-kind distinction and celebratory feel already built in, these dishes tend to allow for stronger pricing models and more robust revenue generation.

Whole gator gone wild

Often, the format calls for an over-the-top animal protein, perhaps best exemplified by the Brooklyn-meets-Bayou venue Gumbo Bros, whose co-owner, Adam Lathan, jokingly describes himself as the premiere whole-alligator roaster in New York city (not that there’s much competition for the title). According to a recent Daily Beast story on whole-gator cooking by Pervaiz Shallwani, “The latest novelty in whole animal cooking, gator seems to be a phenomenon that has been gaining strength over the past decade.”

Pig heads or tails

If gator isn’t your thing, perhaps your next outsized special could be from a more traditional source, like pork. But hold on to your hat — the trendiest shareable part of a swine these days is – you guessed it – the head. One of the first chefs to popularize shareable pig’s head as an entree was James Beard-winning chef Jonathon Sawyer at his Cleveland gastropub The Greenhouse Tavern, where it’s on the brunch menu under the cheeky description of Face & Eggs: roasted pig’s head served with BBQ sauce, fried eggs and a brioche bun.

At Boston’s Craigie on Main, chef Tony Maw serves up a large-format meal of confit and roasted milk-fed pig’s head with sides of Bibb lettuce, spicy pumpkin sambal and boudin noir-hoisin sauce.

Please, just a steak

Big beef can also be beautiful, as exemplified by Boston-based RUKA, a Peruvian-Asian fusion concept that serves a 24-ounce prime corazon de ribeye served with miso mushrooms, curly salt-and-pepper-chips and piri amarillo sauce.

At Yvonne’s Restaurant and Supper Club, also in Boston, diners have several large-format protein options, including Hong Kong beef brisket, which spends 24 hours in a char siu marinade before being seasoned with Five-Spice Hot Pot and served with crunchy garlic, chili noodles, pea pod stems, sprouts, black mushrooms, Napa cabbage. Yvonne’s also goes big with its 32-ounce Niman Ranch long bone ribeye steak, served with steak fries, black garlic butter and marinated mushrooms.

Read more

How to design large-format menus to engage customers

How to grill an alligator

Recipes

Get inspired with Marzetti appetizer recipes to make shareable meals more accessible for your diners.