Going to Gyumri without visiting Poloz Mukuch is roughly the same as going to Paris and skipping the Eiffel Tower. It is not just Gyumri's best restaurant – it is a part of the city's character, a place where the local humour, hospitality and serious attitude toward food all come together under one roof. The restaurant sits in the heart of old Gyumri: a black tuff stone building with wooden windows, long communal tables inside, strong warm light and an atmosphere that feels more like a family wedding than a formal dining room. The moment you sit down you understand this is not the kind of place where you eat quickly and leave. At the centre of the menu is khash and khashlama – Gyumri's gastronomic pride. Khash is served the traditional way: heavy, fragrant, with lavash bread, raw garlic and a shot of dry wine or, more accurately, cognac, as is proper in Gyumri. The khashlama is tender, slow-cooked with vegetables and herbs, the kind of dish that makes you understand why people say the hands in Gyumri cook differently. But Poloz Mukuch is not only about food – it is a full performance. The waiters joke with the guests, the guests joke back, and evenings here often turn into spontaneous feasts where strangers at the next table feel like old friends half an hour later. This is Gyumri hospitality in its most concentrated form, and it is exactly why people make the trip from Yerevan just to eat here.