Sit back on a beige banquette, sip a glass of rich dry saperavi red and contemplate the seemly surroundings at Tamada. Plate-glass windows look on to quiet, select Boundary Road, and upholstered chairs are tucked into plain wooden tables. True, the pastel-hued walls have large photos of Georgia to bring colour, and some appallingly fine Georgian crooners display their vibratos on the soundtrack, but tourist knick-knacks are kept in check. There’s a small basement for overspill.
A kind young waiter provides the wi-fi code without being asked – not that you’d need electronic diversions once the food arrives. Starters are divided into hot and cold lists. The mixed meze looks an enticing choice for two; alternatively, explore the wilder reaches with piping-hot kuchmachi: tender cubes of pork heart, liver and lung in a rich, mildly spicy gravy spiked with tangy pomegranate seeds.
Next, plates of dumplings of impressive dimension are worth considering, though lobio is equally hearty: a red bean vegetarian stew the consistency of porridge, boosted by coriander, served with pickled green tomatoes and gherkins. The famed khachapuri flatbread arrived straight from the oven, oozing mildly flavoured cheese (pricey at £7 for a naan-sized portion).
To finish, fruity, wobbly Georgian pudding, a zesty opaque jelly covered in ground walnuts, made a mercifully light conclusion to a highly satisfying meal.