Foreign Tastes - Ethiopian Night
I’m always a little worried trying new cuisine on my own because I have nothing to compare it to. For example, how do I know if this is really good injera, or if it’s supposed to really taste like this in the first place. For that reason, I try to go to restaurants owned by natives of the country where the cuisine originates from(Except Chinese).
I have a whole list of must-try cuisines, and Ethiopian has been on my list for a while soooo I finally did it!
I had an Ethiopian date night with a friend and we tried the Ethiopian buffet at Simret Ethiopian Restaurant in Roman Ridge. At the time of this post, the buffet costs ¢88, all taxes inclusive.
The owner is very hands on and present. She wouldn’t let me take close-up pictures of the buffet and set-up, but she was very helpful explaining what went with what.
Sooo what’s in the buffet?
1. Injera (sourdough-risen flatbread with a spongy texture and sour taste)
2. Beetroot
3. Doro Wat (Chicken stew) &Beg Wot (Lamb stew)
4. Shiro (made from chickpea/bean. Soupy)
5. Spinach /collard greens
6. Aliicha (Split Chickpea/Lentil Stew)
7. Tibs (Beef or lamb stir fry)
Not on the plate:
•Ayib - Cottage cheese
•Mixed vegetables
(Spellcheck because I’m going with the names provided at the restaurant)
It was an interesting food experience. The Ghanaian in me eats rice with almost everything but Ethiopian food is centered around sauces and meats paired with their staple food(Injera). That’s sort of like bread, but it’s spongy in texture and sour. The food is generally spicy and the sauces were really nice and masked the sour taste of the Injera almost completely. Everything ties together really nicely.
I wouldn’t say I loved it, but I liked it enough to try it again soon.
About the place - Simret is a very nice dinner spot - quiet and intimate. It’s open every Tuesday to Saturday, 6:30pm - 10:00pm. Reservation not necessary.