Davit and Ketevan Sinjiashvili’s new restaurant in Round Rock proudly displays paintings, pottery and even native traditional dress of their native country of Georgia. Take it as a sort of introduction into the rich cultural background of the food they serve.
The pair hosted the grand opening of their Nikala restaurant on Nov. 1. It’s located in the Lake Creek Crossing shopping center, near Lamppost Coffee and Hoody’s Sub Shop, at 1205 Round Rock Ave., Suite 115.
Ketevan, who goes by “Kate,” noted their emphasis is on providing authentic dishes, baked in the traditions of their home.
“That’s the reason we’re getting all the spices from Georgia,” she said.
Travel back in time through food
Khachapuri – a dish of bread, cheese and sometimes egg or beans – dates back to the 12th century and is Georgia’s national dish.
You’ll find varieties of Khachapuri from different regions of the country on the menu. Adjaruli comes open-faced, with a blend of cheese, egg yolk and butter snugly wrapped in dough. In contrast, Imeruli and Megruli are baked like pizzas, but differ in that the cheese is within the dough in Imeruli and atop it in Megruli.
Besides the meat and cheese pies on the menu, you’ll find dumplings (Tbilisi) and appetizers featuring eggplant or a combination of spinach, beets and bell peppers seasoned with vinegar, greens, garlic and walnuts (Pkhali).
Main courses include hearty dishes such as a beef stew simmering in tomatoes, greens, onions and a blend of Georgian spices (Ostri) or chicken in a creamy garlic sauce with cilantro (Shkmeruli).
Soups, salads and barbecue kebobs offer variety, and can be paired with any of 32 Georgian wines on the menu.
A long road to a new home
Nikala is the longtime dream of Davit Sinjiashvili, who painstakingly applies his craft to each dish as master chef.
Together with his wife and children, Sinjiashvili uprooted their lives in Georgia to move to the U.S. shortly before the COVID outbreak hit in 2020. Kate worked odd jobs while taking English classes at Austin Community College, while Davit eventually put his IT background to use at Facebook and Google.
Three years after their arrival, they set out on their own, renting a commercial kitchen and making deliveries on weekends. It served as their way of introducing themselves to the area, and they were surprised to meet many other Eastern Europeans looking for a taste of home.
They soon began looking for possible restaurant locations. Davit located their spot, formerly the location of Teji’s Indian restaurant, and Kate used her restaurant accounting background towards preparation for the opening.
“I was thinking God gave me this opportunity to learn how to run a restaurant business but at the same time, I was scared,” she said.
The grand opening was complete with live music, dancing and visitors driving from as far as Houston to take part.
Now, they are finding regulars who return as soon as their doors open for the day, and who stay hours into the afternoon.
Nearly overcome with emotion as she told her story, Kate reflected on the struggles to make their dreams a reality.
“Sometimes I’m telling myself, how did we do that? It was so hard,” she said.
Restaurant details
Nikala is open seven days a week, from noon to 9 p.m. They offer delivery through DoorDash and Uber Eats, and are online, but are not currently taking online orders. However, diners may call in their orders at (512) 284-7917.
