Hey, I'm going to an Ethiopian restaurant today (I've never been to one before). I was wondering if someone could recommend their favorite Ethiopian dishes or entrees. I eat meat (chicken and beef). Plus, I'd try some vegetarian dishes.

Help me out if you can. Thanks.

Ethiopian food? If they try to tell you it's "invisible" get your money back...

sweetserene said:

Okay I feel bad for not giving you a serious answer so here's some info so at least you'll know some things that are probably on the menu and you can think it over before you get there
http://www.sas.upenn.edu/...iopia.html
"menu from Ethiopia"
[Edited 12/30/04 12:48pm]

C'mon, people. This is Org. We're supposed to be all-encompassing. I know somebody out there eats Ethiopian food.

They usually serve chicken and beef and stuff on, like, this giant sorta pancake thing (can't remember the name of it). You tear it off and go to town. Better than I thought.

I don't think I've ever had ethiopian. If I don't know what to order or am trying to decide between a few things I always ask the server their opinion. They ususally don't steer me wrong. Many restaurants have their wait staff sample everything so they know what to recommend, etc. Occasionally you get someone who doesn't care and tells you so, but then they don't get a nice tip.

CarrieMpls said:

Unless the waiter doesn't like you. In which case, he may recommend something crap and spit in your food.

Ace said:

And just what are you suggesting? That I offend waiters?

Ace said:

That pancake thing is called Njara. You tear it off and use to dip like bread and/or put beef mixture on it, etc. Spicy food. Love ethiopian food. There is a store here that sells the spices and makes the Njara and there is a restaurant too.

Fu-Fu is good

luv4u said:

Yeah, that's the ticket!

CarrieMpls said:

I implied nothing of the sort. Interesting, though, that you interpreted it that way.

luv4u said:

My brother told me about that dish. I think I'm going to try it... and I'm going to try out Hotleg's Fu-fu suggestion.

luv4u said:

SO yummy. I had vegetarian Ethiopian food once, which consisted of various sort of spiced pureed vegetable dishes served on njara, which tastes sort of like a sourdough pancake.

tackam said:

The njara is so yummy! A lot of people don't like it, because they can't get past the texture. I can't get enough of it. And you have got to like spicy if you're gonna do good Ethiopian food! One of my former co-workers - who is Ethiopian - brought in some once for a potluck. Since ketchup is considered spicy here in the midwest, you can imagine some of the reactions to it!

Hey people,

Well, I went to the Ethiopian restaurant last night and I was pleasantly surprised at how good the food tasted. I had an entree called Doro Tibs, it was sautéed chicken breast mixed with red pepper sauce, tomatoes, onions (served medium spicy). I ate it with njara (the texture of the bread was great, it looked like a spongey pancake). Bang on food. Plus, the honey wine accentuated my meal -- and made me a little tipsy.

If you're in L.A. the place is called Nyala. It's located on Fairfax & Pico in Little Ethiopia. www.nyala-la.com

Overall, it was cool. I'd go there again.

JANFAN4L said:

I am glad that you enjoyed the food. When I am in La, I will have to check out NYALA's.

RipHer2Shreds said:

So true. Americans --or at least Americans outside of the South-- have no idea what spicy means. We aren't even used to proper seasoning; the main seasonings in American food are fat and salt. Herbs? Not more than a pinch, it will overwhelm the flavor of the fat and salt!

It's almost like every country has good food, as if people from all countries like to eat tasty rather than horrible food.

I think we may be on to something here.

Hotlegs said:

Fu - Fu is Ghanian (my brother in law is from Ghana that's how i know)

Fauxie said:

Now, look. Many tastes are aquired to some degree. I was lucky to have parents who tried to expose me to various cuisines when I was little, so I like almost everything, but I have friends who grew up eating exclusively crappy American food, and that's all they like. Anything else doesn't taste like food to them.

tackam said:

I'm the same.

Dewrede said:

There are different kinds of Fu-Fu recipes all over Africa and not just Ghana so let's get that straight. Fu-Fu/Foo-Foo is a traditional dish all over Africa and is served with a spicy goat veggie stew. I know this for a fact b/c a great deal of my friends from S.Africa, Ghana,Senegal,Libera,Zimbawe,Kenya, and Nigeria.
[Edited 1/1/05 1:06am]

I've had it a few times before but I can't recommend anything so I'm no help I have no idea what I was eating but it was all GOOD

Hotlegs said:

So basically now it comes down to whoever has the biggest dad.

Dewrede said:

I went to the restaurant and asked about Fu-fu and they were like, ""


.
[Edited 1/1/05 7:56am]

JANFAN4L said:

Ethopian stews go under differnt names. This a mistake on my part.

sweetserene said:

I know... when I was a kid, Ethiopia was the poster child for world hunger, so the idea of an Ethiopian restaurant seems like a contradiction in terms.

Seriously, I've never had Ethiopian food, but I'd be willing to try it. I'll try just about any food once.

There was an Ethiopian restaurant in the city where I went to college, but they changed their official description to an "Eritrean restaurant" when Eritrea won its independence from Ethiopia. I don't know whether the food is any different or whether the change was strictly for political reasons.

matt said:

I used to date an Ethiopian guy and he told me about the politics. Anyways, Eritrea was once a part of Ethiopia. I went to a Somalian wedding reception in December with my Somalian neighbour and met a woman from Eritrea. Seems the food is basically the same. There are many ethnic tribes of various religions in Ethiopia.