Pork khorovats
The favourite in Armenia: neck, loin and ribs, long marinated in spices.
- Pork kebab (neck)10,50 €
- Pork loin kebab12 €
- Pork ribs12,50 €
Khorovats — Armenian barbecue
Khorovats (in Armenian խորոված, from «խորովել» — to grill over fire) is the heart of the Armenian festive table. It is cooked for family celebrations, weddings, for guests and out in nature.
A tradition many centuries old
Grilling meat over an open fire has always been known in the mountains of Armenia. Khorovats is not merely a dish but an occasion: it is cooked when the family gathers, at weddings and birthdays, when guests arrive from afar. While the meat is on the coals, the table fills with talk, toasts and laughter. The place by the grill is one of the most honoured: relatives and friends gather there, argue about the best marinade, and pass the secrets from the elders to the young. Every region of Armenia has its own habits: somewhere pork, somewhere lamb, elsewhere chicken or vegetables. But everywhere khorovats means that the house is celebrating and guests are welcome.
How it is cooked
The meat is marinated in advance with onion and spices, threaded onto skewers and cooked over hot charcoal — never in the flames. The fire is lit early and left until the wood burns down and turns white with ash: only then is the heat even and strong. The skewers are laid over the grill and turned all the time so the meat cooks on every side. Fat drips onto the coals, a light smoke rises — and it is this smoke that gives khorovats its aroma. Doneness is judged by the juices: in good khorovats they run clear and the edges are slightly crisp. That is how the meat gets a golden crust and stays juicy. In Armenian families cooking khorovats is an honour, trusted to the most experienced.
Marinade and charcoal
The secret of khorovats is simple: good meat, onion, salt, pepper and time. The onion is cut into rings and pressed lightly by hand to release its juice — the meat marinates in that juice for several hours, sometimes overnight. The classic recipe needs no vinegar or elaborate sauces: the onion softens the meat, and the spices — black pepper, a little red, sometimes thyme or basil — only bring out its taste. For the coals, fruitwood and grapevine are best: they give even heat and a gentle aroma. Vegetables and potatoes are cooked over the same coals, so the whole table shares one scent — the scent of charcoal.
Kinds of khorovats on our menu
Chalaghaj
Chalaghaj is meat on the bone: cut in large pieces together with the rib, marinated longer than usual and grilled whole over charcoal. The bone keeps the juices, so the meat is especially tender, smoky and crisp at the edges. An Armenian classic for a large company
- Chalaghaj14,50 €
Chicken khorovats
Tender chicken fillet, wings and gyros — a lighter choice with the same charcoal aroma.
- Chicken fillet kebab11,50 €
- Chicken wings8 €
- Chicken kebab (gyros)9 €
Vegetables and potatoes on charcoal
In Armenia vegetables are always grilled alongside the khorovats. Here you will find grilled vegetables and potatoes cooked on charcoal.
- Grilled vegetables7,50 €
- Potatoes grilled on charcoal3,50 €
What khorovats is eaten with
With thin lavash, pickled onion, fresh tomatoes, cucumbers and herbs. Alongside — adjika or our sauce “Džan Džana”. And, of course, a toast.
In Armenia the hot meat is often slid off the skewer straight into lavash — the thin bread soaks up the juices and the aroma, and it is eaten by hand. Beside it there is always a large bunch of fresh herbs: coriander, parsley, dill, basil, spring onion — eaten together with the meat to keep the taste fresh. With your khorovats you can order lavash (3.50 €), a platter of fresh vegetables and herbs (6.30 €), adjika (2 €) or our sauce “Džan Džana” (1.50 €)
