Kesane · Forget Me Not

A restaurant in Khotevi, between Nikortsminda and Ambrolauri

«Kesane» is the Georgian word for forget-me-not. Hence the name of the restaurant, which stands in Khotevi, about ten minutes' drive from Nikortsminda on the road to Ambrolauri. Nikortsminda is already behind you, and Ambrolauri is another ten minutes ahead. Between them, among the mountains and vineyards of Racha, sits a small place made for stopping.

Kesane was opened in July 2023 by Gvantsa Kruashvili. But it is not only a restaurant. There is also a small shop and a wine hub, through which the produce of neighbouring farms reaches the table: wines from small Rachan wineries, cheeses from local cheesemakers, lori (the cured ham), preserves and other products of Racha-Lechkhumi.

The farm-to-table idea sounds particularly natural here. In a mountain village it is not a restaurant concept but a way of supporting local producers and keeping a link with what happens around. Small farms gain a place where their products can be tasted and bought. A small hotel is meant to be the next step, and growing demand is already making Kruashvili think of opening a Kesane in Tbilisi. The main difficulty, in her words, is finding a room there that keeps the homely tone the restaurant in Khotevi has.

The kitchen cooks Rachan food, simple, filling and closely tied to the place. People drive here for the shkmeruli in particular: the thick garlic and cream sauce comes out almost like fondue, and you want to dip bread in it until nothing is left on the plate. There is mchadi with toppings, lobio, khachapuri, mountain cheeses and lori. For dessert, tsandili, the traditional dish of boiled wheat with dried fruit.

The wine list, too, is built around the local. They pour the wines of neighbouring growers, and the famous Khvanchkara zone begins literally outside the window. A wine you like can be bought to take away in the shop by the restaurant, along with lori, cheeses, preserves and other products of local makers.

Kesane works by season, roughly from late April to late October. The kitchen opens at one in the afternoon. The room is small, so it is better to book a table ahead. After that all that remains is to sit down, order the shkmeruli, pour a glass of local wine and watch Racha go slowly past the window.