Pavel Sirotin, who is from Russia, is opening a restaurant called Bevri at 530 Bryant St. He took over the space after Vero Ristorante closed in October. The Italian restaurant had been there since 2005.
Sirotin recently moved to the Bay Area with a startup he was working for. Noticing the obvious absence of Georgian restaurants, he said he thought to himself, "'Why not open one?'"
Sirotin has not worked in restaurants before but said he's always had a passion for cooking and hospitality. He's opening Bevri with his brother and sister-in-law.
Georgian cuisine centers around meat and vegetables, he said. Traditional dishes include Khinkali, a dumpling filled with meat and/or vegetables; khachapuri, or cheese-filled bread (every village in Georgia has its own spin on the bread, Sirotin said); and kebabs.
Ingredients like spinach, walnuts, pomegranate and eggplant feature heavily in Georgian cuisine, Sirotin said.
Bevri will serve beer and wine. The restaurant's name means "a lot" in Georgian, meant to convey an enthusiasm for both hospitality and food, Sirotin said.
He hopes to be open as soon as possible.
