Unlike Western culture, Ethiopians place importance on communal dining traditions. Diners eat from a common platter, and the breaking of bread together takes on a strong social significance, for it is considered essential to maintaining loyal bonds, and friendship. An example of this is the custom of GURSHA; GURSHA means "mouthful" and refers to placing food in another's mouth, usually a gesture of friendship or affection.
Ethiopian cuisine is brought to life with the addition of special spices that gives each dish its flavor. MITMITA and BERBERE are two common spice mixtures used in Ethiopian cooking. Staple foods for most Ethiopians are INJRERE and WOT. WOT is a stew that usually contains a pepper mixture and can be prepared from meats, vegetables. INJERA is a type of unleavened bread with a spongy texture, made from TEFF, a grain similar to wheat.
Tips
What to Drink
Choose from a list of hearty Ethiopian beers, or warm up with a cup of the spicy tea--perfect for a sore throat.
What to Drink
Order traditional honey beer and wine to counteract the spiciness of the food.
Customer Reviews
Ok food. Bad service Reviewed by aarthiasdad on
2009-07-22T22:51:30Z
Ok. Dont eat here unless you have about two hours to waste. Seriously, it was a little more than two hours that this place took to serve us (2 people). Only one waitress who keeps going into the kitchen all the time and hides herself there and no refill of water. Our orders were taken 20 minutes after we arrived. Drinks were served about 30 minutes after that and the food arrived 50 minutes after the drinks! My husband and I were starving by the time it came. The food did not taste great for the amount of time taken! Waste of time and money!
Pros: None
Cons: Service, Parking, Food in that order
Not recommended Reviewed by IndianFoodLover75 on
2009-04-04T21:59:38Z
Not enough vegetarian menu items as compared to other Ethiopian places. Food was just okay - mostly bland. The cabbage was undercooked. They had NO Ethiopian coffee even though it was boldly advertised outside. No parking in Capitol hill is another draw back. Ambiance was so so. I wouldn't go there again.
Pros: None
Cons: Very little selection for vegetarians
HORRIBLE SERVICE, NOT A GOOD CHOICE FOR AUTHENTIC ETHIOPIAN FOOD!!! Reviewed by saway on
2009-02-23T11:18:16Z
BRIDE 2 BE IS FROM ETHIOPIA. GROUP OUTING: WE MOVED 2 THE FLOOR AREA. THE WAITER DID NOT HELP W/MOVING DRINKS, NAPKINS, ECT OVER. WAITER KEPT LEAVING THE DINING RM 2 GO IN BACK. WE HAD FORMED A LINE TO MOVE OUR DRINKS, & AGAIN, WAITER NEVER ASKED TO HELP EVEN AFTER SHE CAME BACK TOWARDS US. MY ETHIOPIAN FRIEND WAS TRYING TO GET HER ATTENTION, BUT IT GOT TO THE POINT IT WAS GETTING RIDICULOUSLY FUNNY. IT WAS NOT BUSY WHICH IRRITATED ME. FINALLY, WE ORDERED. MENUS ARE MOSTLY STANDARD IN ETHIOPIAN REST. BUT THE RECIPES IS WHAT'S SUPPOSED TO GRAB YOUR APPETITE. "DOE DOE WET", HAD VERY SMALL PIECES CHICKEN, ONE EGG IN IT, YOU THINK IF YOU ORDERED BIG PORTIONS THERE WOULD BE MORE MEAT, "KITFO" DISH WAS NOT BAD, BUT VEGETABLE DISHES WAS NOT WELL SEASONED THE WAY YOU CAN TASTE THE BERA BERA (BUTTER) & CAYENNE BLEND THAT GIVES IT THAT MMMNNN TASTE. NOT ONCE AFTER THE FOOD WAS BROUGHT, DID WE GET MORE WATER. OUR TEA & NAPKINS NEVER MADE IT TO OUR TABLE EITHER. YOUR SUPPOSED TO EAT WITH YOUR HANDS!!! I HAD TO GO FIND SOME FROM THE BAR AREA. WE PAID FOR OUR BILL, DAMAGE WAS ALMOST $100. LEFT TIPS, (DOUBLE AMOUNT OF TAXES). EVEN AFTER NOT RECEIVING ANY ATTENTION, NO 2ND ROUND OF WATER, NO TEA, NO NAPKINS!!! NEXT DAY CHECK MY BANK ACCOUNT, WAITER CHARGED $16 EXTRA ON TOP OUR BILL FOR TIPS, BUT SHE HAD RECEIVED $14 TIPS IN CASH AS WE LEFT SAME DAY, EVEN AFTER OUR EXPERIENCE. THE BRIDE TO BE WAS SO EMBARRASSED FOR THE SERVICE, NOT ONLY THAT, IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ALL TRADITIONAL STYLE. WE HAD NO INTERACTION B/C THE SERVICE NEVER CAME AROUND, EXCEPT TO GIVE US OUR BILL. IF YOU DONT EAT ETHIOPIAN FOOD OFTEN , YOU WONT KNOW DIFFERENCE IN AUTHENTIC TASTING DISHES & CULTURE OF SERVICE. THIS PLACE WAS NOT. IT WAS A SAD EXPERIENCE FOR THE MONEY WE PAID AND THE EXTRA TIPS THAT WAS CHARGED ON TOP OF ALREADY GETTING CASH TIPS AT TIME OF SERVICE. I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS PLACE UNLESS YOU LIKE TO SETTLE FOR THIS KIND OF SERVICE.
