Little Ethiopia

I was just kidding around. All good.

me and my friends go to Messob a lot

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Just commenting generally, I don’t consider eating the Ethiopian “way” to be any more “eating with your hands” than loads of other things. As you point out you tear off a piece of injera and pick up the food(s) with that. My two cents :slight_smile:

Well, when I eat Ethiopian, I’m not nearly as coordinated. So I end up getting food/sauce all over my fingers and then need to lick my fingers. And I have to stick my fingers into my mouth to get the injera there. YMMV. :wink:

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There often seems to be an anti-veggie mindset here, particularly from some posters. Well, unless the veggies are covered with pork fat and have meat mixed in :wink: Whether that’s down to pure contrarianism to vegetarianism, or what, I just don’t know. Maybe they didn’t enjoy vegetables as kids, and still don’t.

Ethiopian is rarely vegan, because of use of butter, much like the use of ghee in Indian cuisines. I’ve known diehard meat eaters that have pronounced how much they love Indian and Ethiopian veggie dishes. I admit that if I could eat Ethiopian and Indian veggie dishes daily, I wouldn’t miss meat. Yes, yes, sacrilege, I know :smiley:

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…and those people can order the kitfo. There’s more to Ethiopian than just vegetables.

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I wear meat and fish and veg every time

You also don’t even need to go to Fairfax to eat Ethiopian, as DoorDash will bring you Buna, Meals by Genet and Merkato.UberEats will also summon forth Buna and a restaurant where I have never been called Little Ethiopia Restaurant.

I just had DoorDash bring me fried fish from Buna for lunch. I’m experimenting with DoorDash’s unlimited free delivery for $10 a month (delivery is usually $1.99 to $6.99 depending on the restaurant) if you order at least $15. Buna’s fried fish is $14.99, leaving me one cent short to save the $3.99 delivery fee, so I usually add something inexpensive. This time I added Dabbo Qolo for $2, which I would never have been curious enough to try but for being determined to get free delivery. Dabbo Qolo is basically wheat flour mixed with fat (oil I think - not sure if they ever use butter) and a tiny bit of sugar, so it’s only slightly sweet, and then deep fried. It’s actually a rather tasty snack.

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I always ask for silverware at Ethiopian restaurants for three reasons:

  1. One of my earliest experiences featured potato pieces so large I kept losing my grip. It’s nice to have a fork to cut anything too large.

  2. I love having a fork for the bottom injera that is just soaked with the sauces.

  3. I strongly prefer eating the chilled salad naked and feeling the cool crisp vegetables against my cheeks. I do NOT want them wrapped in injera.

I still consume most of the meal the traditional way.

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You’re fully entitled to be wrong :stuck_out_tongue:

This post was brought to you by doordash. Are you feeling lazy today? Do you want the experience of eating ethiopian food but want none of the atmosphere or interaction? click on doordash and sit in you room being all sad eating from plates that don’t fit a full injera :stuck_out_tongue:

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I gave a thumbs up but it doesn’t seem like enough. Such a perfect reply. Thanks.

just jokes of course… would be nice at office for lunch sometimes but coworkers are smell complainers… everyone’s different and it was actually good info but it’s not really for me

I guess you could equate having the flu with being lazy. Being sick does make you lazy, but hopefully the teff boosted my immune system to fight off the invader.

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That’s funny

Years ago I had a good friend/neighbor who was Ethiopian. He loved to bring me food, and I’d do the same. I always felt like I got the better end of the deal!!

In any case, haven’t had this food in years and never have eaten it out.

But just the other day I had coffee with a few 1st gen Ethiopians.

The two places they all recommended were Rosalind’s and Messob.

Actually had these two bookmarked from a rec last year. Still have to try.

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Did someone mention vegetarianism?

We’ve been going here for years. My niece & nephew even had their wedding reception at Rahel. Unconventional, but perfect for 2 young vegetarians on a budget. The staff was very accommodating and pretty much gave them the restaurant. It was really a fun day.

They seem to take pride in their Coffee Ceremony @Nemroz.
image

For the gluten restricted, injera lovers…

Enjoy!

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Yah, you might find better food elsewhere in Little Ethiopia, but Merkato is the most fun.

Side bar: I could spend too much time checking out their crowded little market with the coffee counter/bar.

I like it a lot too. It is a little more refined though and some don’t like that.

I wonder if preferences stem not just from the food, but maybe a familiar feeling or sentimental attachments. For example - some think Rosalind’s is not as good as some of the newer places. But it’s been there the longest and may be the first place Ethiopians in L.A. felt at home. It was indeed the first place I was introduced to years ago (miss the groundnut stew, long since removed from the menu). I wonder, because everybody seems to have their favorite. I’ve been working with two Ethiopian men for years and they swear Awash is the best, so…

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Yah, I love Rahel’s as well! :slight_smile: Delicious, not overly heavy nor oily and a great value.

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