Sunday, November 02, 2008

A taste of Ethiopian Flavors















Photos: Sample platter of various brasied meats, Salads, Goat Cheese and Vegetables,
Ethiopian Harrar Brand Beer, Injera Bread, used for picking up food

My daughter had a dinner with her global studies class at a Oakland Ethiopian restaurant and I was lucky to join her. I don't recall ever eating food from that Country in Africa, so I jumped at the chance. The restaurant is called Addis and is considered one of the best and I have to agree. It has very friendly staff who were helpful with making choices. Our group decided the best way to eat is to just let them send out platters of food. To start we all ordered Ethiopian drinks to try, there were two kinds of Ethiopian beer, lager and stout. Full bodied with spice and a sweetness that everyone was not used to, next came a honey wine which was more like honey mead beer, it had a sweet apple taste with lots of spice. We felt that the sweet and spicy taste of the beer and wine compliments the food and was not to good on there own. When the food came to the table it was served on big pizza trays covered with a large flat bread. There were lots of different stewed lentils, potatoes, vegetables, chicken and beef, a small bowl of hot chili sauce on the side and a huge basket of a form of spongy pancake called Injera, This pancake was your knife and fork, tear a piece with your fingers and scoop up some of the food. The foods seemed very similar to Indian, but a lot milder. It was fun also to watch the kids eat with there hands, they did not get in trouble for this because the parents were eating the same way.

Addis restaurant, 6100 Telegraph Ave. Oakland, Ca, 94609 510.653.3456

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