Nagorno-Karabakh
Tartar
Somewhere in the wilderness of Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh), near Jdrduz Canyon in Shushi Bourdain ate: jingalov hats (“lavash bread stuffed with greens and onions before being toasted atop a cast-iron sheet”), Armenian barbecue covered in fennel and fresh herbs (“meat on a stick, which, let’s face it, is always good”). Lunch dates: Tigran Grigoryan, a war veteran and aspiring politician; Tatul Hakobyan, a journalist; Saro Saryan, an Armenian born in Azerbaijan who fled during the war.
Dilijan
Tavush
Milena’s home restaurant Bourdain ate: khash (stock flavored by roasted-beef bones) with lavash. Lunch dates: Serj Tankian’s longtime manager and friend George Tonikian, Milena, restauranteur Sam Hovhannisyan, journalistArman Suleymanyan, and their friends Inna Mkrtchyan, Samvel Hovhannisyan, Samvel Machanyan, Razmik Arzooian, Narek Aghababyan, and Anahit Chitchyan.
Armenia
Bourdain ate: braised lamb shank with rice pilaf (“This is what my soul needed”), vegetable manti. Lunch date: Serj Tankian, lead singer of the hard-rock band System of a Down.
Seasonal produce fresh food market. Tony's hosts shop for ingredients to make a dish called ghapama.
Somewhere in the wilderness of Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh), near Jdrduz Canyon in Shushi Bourdain ate: jingalov hats (“lavash bread stuffed with greens and onions before being toasted atop a cast-iron sheet”), Armenian barbecue covered in fennel and fresh herbs (“meat on a stick, which, let’s face it, is always good”). Lunch dates: Tigran Grigoryan, a war veteran and aspiring politician; Tatul Hakobyan, a journalist; Saro Saryan, an Armenian born in Azerbaijan who fled during the war.
Bourdain had: apricot vodka, trout wrapped and baked in lavash (“this is not light cooking”). Lunch dates: Serj Tankian, Marie Lou and Pegor Papazian, educators and founders of the progressive TUMO Center for Creative Technologies.
Bourdain had: a couple pints of beer. Beer dates: Tech journalist Artur Papayan, developer Harut Martirosyan, and cybersecurity consultant Ruben Muradyan.
Tony had a meal with some locals: oxtail soup; stewed liver and heart with tomato, onions, and fresh herbs; sheep’s head.
Milena’s home restaurant Bourdain ate: khash (stock flavored by roasted-beef bones) with lavash. Lunch dates: Serj Tankian’s longtime manager and friend George Tonikian, Milena, restauranteur Sam Hovhannisyan, journalistArman Suleymanyan, and their friends Inna Mkrtchyan, Samvel Hovhannisyan, Samvel Machanyan, Razmik Arzooian, Narek Aghababyan, and Anahit Chitchyan.