International media did a double-take the night that a vegan cafe in Tbilisi, Georgia, was bombarded by sausages back in May. The warring parties of the food fight were Kiwi Cafe, a pacifist vegan eatery and Military Bar, a war-themed den of Georgian nationalism.

Tbilisi’s rendition of West Side Story has pitted hippies against nationalists, salad against steak. The story made international headlines: “sausage wielding extremists” had launched an attack on harmless herbivores.

But this correspondent went behind the front lines in an attempt to hear both sides of the sausage story, and was served a curious tale which mixes everything from ultra-nationalism to homophobia, along with a dash of Donald Trump. This culinary clash gives unexpected insight into a highly conservative society, trying to find its way in the modern world.

Piles of sandbags and painted outlines of soldiers create a trench-like feeling as you walk down the stairs to the dingy Military Bar. Camouflage netting and Georgian flags are draped along the walls. In this testosterone filled tavern, beer, meat and patriotism are on the menu.