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)
Service
Food
Ambiance
Overall
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