Ethiopian Restaurant Round-Up

Published on Friday, August 21, 2009, by Cicely Wedgeworth / Edit Post

When chefj posted an appeal for a new favorite Ethiopian restaurant, fed up with the noise and crowds at old fave Café Colucci, hounds were quick to jump in with recommendations.

Some still put up with the scene at Colucci, because food has “the most sophisticated spicing,” according to Ruth Lafler. But a couple of hounds say that Enssaro is even better. “Run by a mother-daughter team, the spicing is waaay better than the other lackluster options and even kicks Colucci out of the water,” says cheerful. “I always loved Colucci, but this place stole my heart,” adds ctm404.

Original poster chefj ultimately found that Addis pretty much fits the bill. Injera, the spongy pancake-like bread, is very fresh and tangy, made with plenty of teff. Kitfo, the Ethiopian spiced steak tartare, has a “very herbal flavor front with the cardamom and chili rounding it out.” Portions are kinda small on the vegetable combo, but the greens (gomen wat) have a nice hit of acidity and the lentils (mesir wat) are richly spiced.

While most of the area’s Ethiopian restaurants are in East Bay, don’t forget the south, says katya, who combed the East Bay for a favorite Ethiopian restaurant before finding Zeni in San Jose, which she calls “my grail.”

Café Colucci [East Bay]
6427 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland
510-601-7999

Enssaro [East Bay]
366 Grand Avenue, Oakland
510-238-9050

Addis [East Bay]
6100 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland
510-653-3456

Zeni Ethiopian Restaurant [South Bay]
1320 Saratoga Avenue, San Jose
408-615-8282

Board Link: Need a new Ethiopian Restaurant

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  • Plate-food California Mexican, e.g. tostada salad with grilled vegetables. Sunny patio is great for lunch (booths inside if it's raining), and a half-dozen assorted salsas in an ice-cooled bar. Bottomless sodas and gratis baskets of nice fresh chips. Order at the counter, they bring it to your table; at dinnertime it's menu-&-table service. Popular with tech company workers who know the...+READ

    Plate-food California Mexican, e.g. tostada salad with grilled vegetables. Sunny patio is great for lunch (booths inside if it's raining), and a half-dozen assorted salsas in an ice-cooled bar. Bottomless sodas and gratis baskets of nice fresh chips. Order at the counter, they bring it to your table; at dinnertime it's menu-&-table service. Popular with tech company workers who know the difference between real Mexican food. Friendly staff.
    Four or five vegetarian selections on the menu, including a large flour quesadilla with grilled vegetables and a vegetable tamale that comes, unwrapped, under an interesting white sauce. Last time we were there I got, as a side dish, the gordita, two thick handmade tortillas with beans and a little melted cheese in between, and it was, in its simplicity, absolute heaven. It don't know whether it's that they don't put refrieds in the other dishes I've had there, or that the other ingredients get in the way so you can't taste them, but the beans in this little sandwich were the best damn beans I can ever remember having.
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