khachapuri.[Photo by Dong Fangyu/China Daily]

To ensure the authenticity of khachapuri, Tomaradze says, she uses sulguni, a Georgian cheese variety hard-to-find in Beijing that she makes on the premises about 24 hours in advance.

This super stringy cheese, very soft inside the fluffy crusts, was an enchanting discovery, particularly given how little I know of the hundreds of types of cheese there are.

If you like cheese and bread, I am sure this dish will win you over, heart and stomach.

When another staple of Georgian cuisine, khinkali (42 yuan) showed up, I was amazed by how similar it is to Chinese xiaolongbao (soup dumplings). The juicy Georgian dumplings at Georgia's Feast come with your choice of beef or lamb filling.

First diners may find it challenging to eat khinkali. These large dumplings require delicate handling so that you can enjoy both the juice and the meat without spilling anything.