Last night, Georgian restaurant Chama Mama had its soft opening on Montague St., and it proved to be a fantastic new dining option that we can all be excited about. At prime dinner time, almost every table and bar seat was taken. The hostess remarked that the staff was surprised by the turnout, since they hadn’t announced the soft opening date publicly. If you build a new restaurant, Brooklyn Heights will come.
The wait for the opening was long, but the space has been renovated beautifully, with an open kitchen and an expansive dining room that gives every party enough space and privacy to talk, without hearing other people’s conversations. The music was ambient and unintrusive. Even with a full house, you won’t have to shout to be heard by your dining companions.
The dishes? Hard to pronounce, but delicious! Our server said that the Imeruli Khachapuri (sort of like a naan but melt-in-your-mouth soft and with cheese inside) was a must, and she was right. The Adjapsandalit (ratatouille but Georgian), Taste of Georgia (a medley of chunky dips served with bread and salty string cheese), and the Georgian Salad (how do they make a tomato and cucumber salad this interesting?) were huge hits at our table. The wine list is exclusively Georgian wines.
The service? There was plenty of staff making sure everyone was having a perfect meal. Plus, they all looked as excited as the diners to be there.
Apologies for no photos of the food, but Chama Mama does a much better job showcasing their dishes, as you can see in their Instagram feed.
Starting next week’ish, Chama Mama (121 Montague St.) will be open for lunch, brunch and dinner.
Check out menus and more info on the Chama Mama website and follow on Instagram @chamamamanyc.
