Iberia Georgian restaurant

Iberia Georgian restaurant

The Georgian restaurant “IBERIA” in Islington 294-296 Caledonia Road, London, N1 1BA is a new addition to Georgian restaurants in London. Iberia has been open just over a year and offers many traditional Georgian dishes.

 Do not be fooled by the Spanish sounding name. Iberia is the name of a region in eastern Georgia. The restaurant has a modern interior but it is not a cold ambience, due to the unusual hand carved wooden items that include the map of Georgia. 

 The restaurant offers many traditional dishes to be sheared as well as ordered individual if desired. We were advised to order meze for two from cold vegetarian starters, which was combination of four, do not worry about the difficult names of the dishes as all dishes have a description in English. “Badrijani”- roasted Aubergine in a walnut sauce and Georgian spices with pomegranate seeds, “Pkhali”- steamed Spinach with walnuts and Georgian spices, “Lobio”- boiled red Beans with walnuts and Georgian spices and “Salad Olivie”- steamed root vegetables with hard boiled eggs dill with mayonnaise. All four dishes reminded me of my mothers cocking. 

 We have then decided to order “Imeruli Khachapuri”- this is Flat bread stuffed with Georgian cheese. Iberia offers vegetarian dishes as well as meet and fish. We where pretty full at the end of our starters, therefore we decided to shear a main course and yet again we were advised to try traditional Georgian dumplings “Khinkali”- Succulent and juicy grounded pork and beef wrapped in a very light dough it was yet another amazing dish. 

 The food is generously served and the best Georgian food that I have been served in London. Service was very welcoming and attentive. The staff were all very friendly and happy to explain the different dishes for people who have not yet become acquainted with Georgian food.

 Prices are moderate, starters starting from £4.50 to £7.00 and main courses start from £8.50 to £16.00, do not be put off by these prices as they are average prices for London’s dinning. Iberia offers many of Georgian wines prices are from £13.00 a bottle to £37.00. All an all I would like to rate Iberia 4 out of 5 stars.                             

Gorbachev celebrates his 80th birthday in London

Mikhail Gorbachev 80^th Birthday 

The formers soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev celebrated his 80th birthday on the 30th March with his friends and family at London's Royal Albert Hall. This celebration took place in London because it was easer to gather his preferred guests from all over the world in London then elsewhere.

Mikhail Gorbachev was the president of the USSR from 1988 to 1991. He was born 2 March 1931. 

On his 80^th birthday, for which the celebration was held at the Royal Albert Hall and sponsored by the Gorbachev Foundation which was founded by Mr. Gorbachev and his daughter Irina to help children suffering from leukemia, amongst other sponsors likes: Vertu, Faberge and Christie’s. There were many celebrities invited to raise funds. This event was primarily to celebrate Mr. Gorbachev’s birthday as well as to raise funds for the trust and to raise awareness of the trusts work. The funds raised will be divided between the British fund MacMillan Cancer Support and the Saint Petersburg Institute of Children Hematology and Transplantation behalf of Raisa Gorbachev.

Red carpet and the celebrities started arriving in style, amongst the celebrities were Dame Shirley Bassey, Sharon Stone, Kevin Spacey and ex Californian Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. There was one question raised over and over again throughout the evening, why Mr. Gorbachev decided to celebrate his 80^th in London and not in Moscow? First of all there were a lot of celebrations held in the name of Gorbachev in Moscow and secondly it was ease to bring all VIP guest to London.

 It seemed that the hero of the day Mr. Gorbachev was a little embarrassed by such a reception. However, he took himself in hand and thanked friends. "I never thought I would live to 80 years, but now I have to say with confidence that I want to see you on the 90^th birthday! - Admitted by Mikhail Gorbachev.

 This amazing event carried on in a luxury Royal Garden Hotel on High street Kensington where many of guest including Mr. Gorbachev’s grand daughters and others raised glasses of champagne once more to wish Mikhail Gorbachev Happy Birthday.