Our latest Ethiopian outing included a new addition to the team, Tessa Jones. As part of her inaugural dinner (and paying her dues for joining our elite band of restaurant critics), Tessa wrote the following review.

The walia ibex is an endangered species of wild goat indigenous to the mountains of Ethiopia and the inspiration for the name of a particular Ethiopian eatery on Toronto's Danforth Avenue. Toronto's two main hubs for Ethiopian dining are found on opposite ends of the city – one near Bloor and Ossington, the other on the Danforth. This presents an opportunity for any foodie to develop bias towards restaurants based on location. I for one, while making the trip from the west end out to the Danforth, realized that Ibex was going to have to leave a lasting impression in order to convince me that this commute for food was worth my while. The decor and ambiance is basic and inoffensive, being reminiscent of a casual lounge (much like the west end's Nazareth). Certainly the pictures of Ethiopian historical figures and celebrities found on the walls helped to lend the venue authenticity.

We ordered the vegetarian platter for four. The highlight of the dish was a tomato-based misir wot which was fantastically spiced with berbere. I found the other elements of the plate to be lacklustre in comparison. Other than this specific wot, the other dishes seemed to be spiced very mildly and somewhat indistinguishable.

I've always wondered why Ethiopian food is served with Italian salad. My fellow food critics informed me that Italian food, especially pasta, is rather popular in Ethiopia. I don't imagine, however, that I am the first person to realize that Italian spices do not mix well with those of Ethiopia. I find the oregano flavour taints the palette making it difficult to experience the subtleties of the Ethiopian spices. In fact, hours after the meal I still tasted oregano.

Our dinner came to $14 per person with tax and tip. This is not a terrible price, but it did seem a bit on the high end. Overall, the service was excellent and the food was good, but at this price it isn’t worth leaving the west end.

Ratings (out of 5 injeras)


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Overall

EAT goes authentic - Ethiopian in Ethiopia

- Christopher Tuckwood

I recently spent three weeks backpacking in Ethiopia. During the trip, I naturally spent a lot of time eating in restaurants and couldn't resist the opportunity to write a review. Unable to narrow down my favourites to a single place, I've put together a list below of five great places (in no particular order) to eat in Ethiopia, most of which are located in the capital, Addis Ababa. That's not to say the rest of the country doesn't have good food though, so don't be surprised if another list shows up here someday.

Itegue Taitu Hotel
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The Itegue (Empress) Taitu located in the capital Addis Ababa is the oldest hotel in Ethiopia, having been built in 1898 (Ethiopian Calendar - 1906 for us westerners) by Emperor Menelik II, who named it after his wife. The hotel definitely preserves the atmosphere of the era when it was built, with dark-stained wooden architecture and creaky floors included. It boasts a fine restaurant, made all the more appealing by its airy outdoor garden patio. Set in the hilly Piazza area of Addis, walking into the Taitu restaurant is like taking an instant respite from the busy streets just outside the walls. Popular with both Ethiopians and foreigners alike, the Taitu restaurant definitely deserves a visit.

The food here is quite good and the menu offers a mixture of traditional Ethiopian and western - particularly Italian - dishes. The selection is nothing particularly surprising to those familiar with Ethiopian food, but does include a couple of unusual items, such as injera fir-fir, which is something like a wot made of injera spiced with berbere and intended as a meat substitute. The restaurant offers decent vegetarian options throughout the year, but it may be difficult to obtain any combination platters right after the fasting period ends. The drink selection is quite good and includes soft drinks, alcoholic beverages, coffee, tea, and juices. The prices at the Taitu are a little higher than you'll find at most surrounding restaurants, but well worth it.



Wutma Hotel
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If the Taitu is a bit outside your budget range or you're just looking for a decent lunch without too much focus on variety, the Wutma Hotel just around the corner might be just what you're looking for. The Wutma is a budget hotel located in the Piazza area and very popular with budget travelers and backpackers. I stayed there for several nights on the way into and out of the country, and it offers good value for money. The attached restaurant only offers a few menu items (in fact, they don't even have a menu) including traditional combination platters and pasta with tomato sauce or vegetables. I was quite impressed with the quality and portion sizes on both counts, especially considering the low prices charged.

The staff at the Wutma is generally young, friendly, and helpful. They seem to spend most of their time at the hotel or restaurant, so there's always a familiar face around. The bar is well-stocked by Ethiopian standards, so there is a good drink selection, though the freshly-made juice so popular throughout the country is not available. The atmosphere is, well, atmospheric, by which I mean it's dark. There never seem to be more than a couple of lights on in the restaurant at any one time, which isn't helped by the frequent power outages, but this is nothing that candles can't help. In fact, the situation seems to have turned the restaurant into a popular spot for romantic dinners.



Seven Olives
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If you happen to be in Lalibela and looking to treat yourself at an upscale restaurant, I strongly recommend the Seven Olives, though the hotel it's set in doesn't seem to be worth the price, based on what more affluent travelers told me. The food here, like most other places, is a mixture of traditional Ethiopian and western food. To be honest, the Ethiopian fare is pretty standard stuff and somewhat unremarkable compared to what's on offer at lower-priced restaurants nearby. The portions, however, are incredibly generous and make the prices worthwhile. The combination platter, for example, could easily feed two people from a single serving, and I have a big appetite. The western dishes, however, are high-quality and offer a few things that you won't find many other places in Ethiopia. The grilled cheese and roasted vegetables sandwich was a surprise favourite of mine.

The real attraction at the Seven Olives is the location and view. Lalibela, famous for its ancient rock-hewn churches, is a small city set among the eastern portions of the Simien Mountains, and the Seven Olives is at the very top of one of the main roads. This affords a great view of the town and surrounding mountains and valleys. As you sit on the terrace surrounded by the garden and trees, expect to enjoy the company of the many different local birds attracted to the restaurant by nearby feeders. If nothing else, at least have a drink at the Seven Olives while enjoying the view and your avian companions.



Castelli's
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Without a doubt, Castelli's in Addis Ababa must be the poshest restaurant in all of Ethiopia, at least of those that I saw. The only possible exceptions would be found at the Hilton and Sheraton hotels, which are the domain of the richest of the rich. Owned and managed by the same Italian family for over sixty years, Castelli's is a little oasis of western decadence in the Piazza area of Addis Ababa. One would be forgiven for reacting with shock at the instant contrast between the streets outside and the perfectly polished interior of Castelli's. You immediately encounter the owner (I call him Old Man Castelli) right inside the door - a massively obese man with the look and demeanor of a mafia boss. He sits behind a desk keeping watch over his domain but refusing to speak either English or Amharic no matter who you are - Italian only here. On the wall behind him are years worth of pictures taken during visits by high-profile patrons like Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, and various former heads-of-state. The waitstaff are all Ethiopian and seem to be in constant fear of their tyranical Ethiopian boss, who definitely doesn't earn any points for popularity.

The all-Italian menu is quite good by any standards and includes a selection of Ethiopian wines, which were nothing remarkable but still good. If you go to Castelli's be prepared to pay a exorbitant price by Ethiopian standards - easily ten times what you would for a dinner at neighbouring restaurants - but actually nothing more than you'd pay at a lower-quality Italian restaurant in most western cities. Castelli's is recommended if you have the money to spend on it and really feel the need to go somewhere posh for a treat, but the average backpacker might feel a bit out of place. The restaurant is mostly frequented by wealthy locals and foreigners, so our cargo pants and t-shirts were not common sights. If you do plan to go, though, be sure to make reservations in advance, since it gets busy and Old Man Castelli doesn't like to make exceptions.



Oroscopo
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Yet another Italian restaurant located in Addis (it's amazing what a culinary influence that a four-year occupation left), Oroscopo is a good place to go for a quick bite of pizza or pasta. Located near the Piazza about a block away from the Wutma, the food you get here is best described as the Ethiopian interpretation of Italian food rather than anything authentic. I had the mushroom pizza, which came accompanied by some local green pepper sauce on the side to spice it up. The service was nothing particularly outstanding, but I got what I ordered in a reasonable amount of time. The decor was stereotypical Italian eatery fare with the odd random Ethiopian item hung on the wall. Prices here are quite reasonable and a good meal can be had for the equivalent of a couple dollars.

African Palace

www.africanpalace.ca/

- Benjamin Liu

Located in Bloorcourt Village near the corner of Bloor and Shaw, African Palace boasts itself to be “The Best Ethiopian Restaurant In Toronto!” Being a rather bold statement to make, we decided to find out for ourselves if this was true.

Immediately when you walk in, you are greeted with warm hospitality and a serving staff that will gladly accommodate you anywhere there is seating. The walls were adorned with very apropos decorations and touristy posters that gave you a tingling of Ethiopia. The space was open and uncluttered with enough distance between tables for privacy with your tablemates. The music was subdued and wasn’t quite as intrusive, or nearly as predictable, as other Ethiopian restaurants we’ve been to. Even more of a surprise was the fresh flower in a quaint little vase on every table: a very nice touch. Overall, the ambiance was pleasant to get right down to eating.

Before we began with the main dish, we ordered their lentil samosas for appetizers. They come out as these plump little triangles that could be reminiscent of a Japanese anime character. The texture was very nice and crisp, but there didn’t seem to be much depth to the flavours, as much of it was overpowered by how unsuspectingly spicy these little treats were.

Once we had set our appetites ablaze, we ordered the regular fare of the vegetarian platter for 3. On their current menu, it was listed under the “family platter for 3” and doesn’t clearly list all the options and components of the vegetarian option. However, our server explained that their menu was undergoing a slight change and that we’d be given a good selection of choices from their vegetarian section. Upon arrival, the quantity of extra injera rather sparse, but the waitress soon took notice when we had practically inhaled our food and brought some more. The food looked quite appealing to the eye, and we soon found out that it wasn’t just nice to look at.

In the platter, there was the usual fare of lentil and cabbage dishes, but what stood out the most seemed to be their Yesimir Wot: the split lentils cooked in berbere sauce. It had a delicate sweetness that wasn’t overpowering like most other Ethiopian restaurants we’ve been to. Also to note, the selections weren’t oily, but still managed a very smooth and light feel. Overall, it was a very pleasant experience to the tastebuds, if not a bit mellow. Oh, and as a bonus, the salad served with the platter didn’t have absurd amounts of jalapeno peppers. It’s always nice not to have a fear of eating the salad, especially when you're all vegetarians.

In summary, African Palace may have nearly hit the mark in its boastful statement as “The Best Ethiopian Restaurant In Toronto!” With an excellent serving staff, tastefully decorated space, and a light but satisfying meal, African Palace can safely be placed up in the ranks as one of the best places we've been to (we're still catching up with the blog). With many more adventures of EAT ahead, we’ll have to see if it can hold its title. But, in the meantime, African Palace would definitely be one of the places to try out if you are looking for a pleasant introduction into the world of Ethiopian cuisine.

Ratings (out of 5 injeras)

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Overall

M&B Yummy Vegetarian

www.mbyummy.com

- Christopher Tuckwood

Dining at an Ethiopian restaurant is always a fun experience and a bit of an adventure. Although they all offer the same basic dishes (and background music), each place has its own spin on East African cuisine and culture. M&B Yummy, located in the middle of hipsterville at 1263 Queen St. W., is no different in this respect, but offers a unique spin by being Toronto’s only entirely vegetarian (in fact, most of the dishes are vegan) Ethiopian restaurant and does so at reasonable prices to boot. Ethiopian food is usually known for being vegetarian-friendly anyway, but M&B let’s those among us who shun meat try normally off-limits dishes like “chicken” and “beef” tebs. Let’s take a journey through the M&B experience.

When one first enters the restaurant, they are welcomed by a mellow and subdued atmosphere conducive to conversation and socializing. The lights are dim and the music is low, being nothing special in itself since all Ethiopian restaurants seem to be playing the same soundtrack (though its entirely possible that my ear is just not yet sophisticated enough to appreciate the nuances). The décor at M&B isn’t as reflective of Ethiopian culture as you’ll find at a lot of other restaurants, but was instead an eclectic mix of knick-knacks including a three-foot statue of a stereotypical Italian chef reminiscent of Super Mario. Perhaps this is a reference to Mussolini’s brief colonial ambitions in Ethiopia?

Service was lax, especially considering that we were initally the only people in the restaurant. While our server had an average level of friendliness, questions about the food generally didn’t lead to any elaboration beyond a simple reading aloud of the menu. Had we been illiterate this would have been helpful, but not so much under the circumstances. Speaking of the menu, anyone wanting to have more choice of the authentic Ethiopian dishes would be well-advised to visit here for lunch since – once again, despite being the only people in the place – many items seemed to be sold out by dinner time.

Now, let’s move on to what everyone really cares about – the food! The offerings at M&B are generally just standard Ethiopian fare that can be found at about thirty other restaurants around Toronto. It’s the vegetarian and vegan options that really set it apart. The fake meat in the “beef” and “chicken” dishes was surprisingly tender and give the curious vegetarian a good idea of what they’ve been missing everywhere else. The modest price of $9 per person gets a shared combo platter with hearty portions of several different stews. A sidenote on the injera flatbread with which you’ll be eating: most restaurants offer an unlimited supply but M&B charges for extra helpings. The initial portion is generally sufficient, but the extra charge seems unnecessary. Overall, though, the main meal was quite tasty and filling.

While there were no issues with the main platter, the beginning and end of the meal left something to be desired. The appetizer options included some curiously non-Ethiopian foods such as slightly soggy spring rolls. No major complaints there, but it seems like if you’re going to offer something out of character for your type of restaurant, you should make a point of cooking it properly. Dessert included some interesting options including a vegan cheesecake. While this was surprisingly delicious to one who didn’t know what to expect and was more than a little sceptical, portion control and presentation literally left much to be desired as different patrons got significantly different sized and shaped pieces.

So, what’s the final verdict on M&B Yummy? Overall, the restaurant ranks slightly above average for its vegetarian combo platter but most of these dishes could be gotten at lots of other restaurants in more easily accessible areas. However, the fake meat dishes really set this little place apart and are definitely worth the trip out of the way for any curious vegetarians who want to see what they’ve been missing elsewhere. This place definitely isn’t a good choice for a first-time Ethiopian dining experience, but is worth the trip for anyone making the rounds on the East African culinary circuit and wanting something different at a reasonable price.

Ratings (out of 5 stars):

Service……… ***
Food……………… ****
Ambiance…… **
Overall……… ***