Colchis Review

Book a table at Colchis

Best for: Georgian wine and food.

Great: Cocktails and customer service.

I get so sick of the same old conversation on Fridays and Mondays that go like this:

FRIDAY:

Jo Bloggs: “So what are you up to on the weekend?”

Buggerlugs: “Nothing much. Just going to the movies/going to so and so’s birthday/catch up with friends/mum and dad/family.”

MONDAY:

Jo Bloggs: “So what did you get up to on the weekend?”

Buggerlugs: “Oh I just went to the movies/went to so and so’s birthday/caught up with friends/mum and dad/family.”

Colchis restaurant and bar in Notting Hill is marshmallow cosy between two white mansions on a street of several more white mansions that are so big and majestic they don’t so much look down on you as provide protection from the dreary weekend out in the real world.

Walking towards the restaurant, I half expected the council to be sweeping up the ‘dirt’ from my shoes on the footpath after me. I spotted a derelict mansion, in desperate need of a lick of paint and some TLC. Hmmm, maybe I could try and buy that place. Well, I could probably put an offer in for the two front steps. What am I doing here anyway? Oh yes, that’s right, I’m a restaurant critic.

Only in its 6th month of life, this restaurant seems as though it has long been established. It’s austere, refined presence and customers seem made to match. I’m really glad I wore heels, having nearly dismissed the idea in exchange for my Converse.  

After a gracious greeting from our evening hosts, it didn’t take long before our marble tabletop was decorated with a feast of Georgian food and drink. Colchis is the place to have a sensational eating and drinking experience. As it is one of only 3 or 4 Georgian restaurants in the whole of London, you can truly expect something new and amazing.    New to me was the scrumptious Georgian homemade flat bread, hugged by a layer of cheese.  

If I thought my Lychee Martini and my Pomegranate Mojito were incredible, they were nothing compared to Georgian Orovela Red Saperavi wine. I don’t like being a supercilious wine snob who swirls, sniffs and spits - no, I do not - but the wine gods must have been in my favour; this wine was made for me! And so I couldn’t help but succumb to such heirs and graces. It was so delicious, I just had to swirl and sniff. I didn’t go so far as to spit though because for £11 per glass (the same cost of Buggerlug’s weekend movie ticket), I had to savour every little sip.  

All this spluttering occurred between tiny mouthfuls of the Pkhali Platter. Now these were my spicy veggies for the night, being leek and spinach minced up into little green balls.  They reminded me a little of the moist clippings that have been sitting in the lawnmower for a few days. They were also decorated with sprinkles of pomegranate, which made the whole dish look like a mini kids playground. It was a playground for my ecstatic tastebuds, that’s for sure. Aubergine bites dolloped with clouds of walnut puree (Georgians love their walnut) were also part of the playground. The green-balled playground was followed with a very creamy bowl of chicken in a walnut sauce, ironically made without cream!

Perched at a bar, here I was eating off marble tabletops, and probably standing on marble too. Food was served on slabs of slate and the wine glasses were so classy, that, if this were my house, they’d be a decorative feature.  Especially considering that most of the time I’m drinking out of plastic cups at “so and so’s weekend birthday” bash.  

Unsurprisingly, suited gentlemen and eccentric looking ladies with large pieces of gorgeous jewellery were steadily streaming in through the evening, even past 10pm coming in for a late dinner or drink. It crossed my mind that a celebrity might walk in at any moment. Would I choke on the best ever Georgian stuffed peppers I was eating as I clumsily tripped over my heels to scramble for their autograph? No, I’d probably ignore them and, if I got drunk enough, demand that I sign MY autograph on THEIR boob!

As I left the restaurant I wondered what a Friday conversation would be like between its clientele.

Rich Jo Bloggs: “So what are you up to this weekend?”

Rich Buggerlugs: “Nothing much. Just flying out to Croatia so I can take the yacht out for a sail around the islands/going to the charity ball, and might finally get to see Will and Kate together for once!”...read more

Philippa Morton 27 Apr 2012

Colchis Description

The quirky light fittings and feature wine wall create a convivial, welcoming bar area that leads through to a traditional dining room, which like the bar, is flooded with natural light during the day, and candles in the evening.

Colchis Opening Hours

Additional Information

• Cuisine Type: Georgian
• Group: (Independent/Freehouse)