I adore Ethiopian food. The first time I tried it, I was living in Washington, DC (a city with a large Ethiopian/Eritrean population), and I was instantly hooked on the unique spices and presentation, luscious honey wine and the fun & sensual experience of eating with your hands.
It was almost a year ago now that C finally agreed to give this cuisine a try, and his reaction was the same as when he ate his first banh mi -- "Why is this my first time eating this?!?" Since then, despite craving Ethiopian a couple of times a month, we don't ever seem to make it, just because it has always meant a miserable drive into Berkeley.
Last night was Date Night, however, and I just HAD to have Ethiopian. Nothing else sounded nearly as good, but I was getting grumpy just thinking about the drive. Then I remembered hearing about Enssaro, a new restaurant on Grand Avenue in the Grand/Lake district, which is just about stumbling distance from our house. Off we went.
Turns out, Enssaro is some of the best Ethiopian we've ever eaten. C's Kitfo ($8.95) was deliciously buttery with the exquisite build-up of heat that typifies this culture's food. My Yebeg Tibs ($8.95) was made with well-trimmed lamb, lots of onion and peppers, and a hint of lingering cardamom.We also shared an order of Ata Kilt ($6.95), which is a wonderful way to take the heat down a notch. Enssaro's version is loaded with cabbage, carrot and potato, lightly sweetened, lightly savory. Delicious.
We washed everything down with two bottles of Ethiopian beer -- light for C and dark for me -- which surprised us with their complexity and, well, perfect pairing with the food.
Total damage, including tax and tip? $48, making me a pretty cheap date!
Tags: Food, Food and Drink, Restaurant Review, Ethiopian, Oakland, San Francisco
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