Sambusas
Open Tuesday through Saturday - 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM, 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM | Closed Sunday & Monday
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pastries, accompanied by a small dish of red dipping sauce.
Even though I was quite full, I couldn’t resist eating
one of the hot sambusas. It was so delicious, it is hard
to describe. The pastry was flaky and light and had an
excellent taste. The sambusa was totally filled with the
lentil mixture and the flavor of this was also delightful!
The dipping sauce was made from red chilis and had a
very appealing and slightly tangy taste, but was not overly
spicy! I would highly recommend ordering the sambusas
when you visit A Taste of Ethiopia!
To end our meal, we decided to order from the
three desserts offered on the menu: Baklava, Vegan
Chocolate Cake, and Gluten-free Teff (a fine Ethiopian
grain) cake. The Baklava and Chocolate cake desserts are
the only thing that is not made from scratch at A Taste
of Ethiopia. Unfortunately, they did not have either the
Baklava or the Teff Cake available that evening, so my
guest and I shared a piece of the vegan chocolate cake.
To go with the cake, I ordered the Buna be Jebena. Tigist
made the coffee and served it in the traditional clay pot,
accompanied by a small jar of white sugar, and a round
cup without a handle. The coffee was very good—not as
hot as I typically like it—but it had a very good flavor.
The liquid seemed a bit thicker than coffee usually is,
and I detected a slight taste of cinnamon and cloves.
The chocolate cake didn’t taste very different from other
chocolate cakes—perhaps just a tad less moist, but still
very delicious!
Toward the end of our visit, Tsege arrived at
the restaurant and we had a chance to visit with her
for a short time before we left. We shared our dining
experience with her, and she was surprised to hear that
we didn’t care for the injera. She went to the kitchen
and brought out a roll of injera and asked us to taste it
plain. We both tried it and surprisingly, it tasted very
much like sour dough bread! When I’d eaten it earlier,
I didn’t detect the sourdough taste. Tsege explained that
she makes the only gluten free injera in the area and it is
very popular with customers. Is made fresh every day at
the restaurant. Tsege explained that injera is made from a
starter, much like sour dough bread, and that it ferments
for 3 – 5 days before it is ready. She also explained that
it is important to eat Ethiopian food with the injera as it
enhances the food flavors. The spongy texture is perfect
for sopping up sauces, stews and other wet dishes that are
prevalent in Ethiopian cuisine. I promised that the next
time I dine there, I will enjoy my food together with the
injera!
Tsege shared that that the restaurant has only offered
the exclusively vegetarian menu since August 2018.
Earlier menus also included meat dishes, and there are still
many customers who would like to have the meat dishes
be added back to the menu. Tsege is considering adding
some meat entrees back onto the menu in the future. She
loves her customers and wants to please them. She has gotten to
know many of the repeat customers by name, and even knows
their usual orders! Tigist and Bezu work with Tsege regularly
at the restaurant, as well as a few other family members and
close family friends. Tigist and Tsege do much of the cooking
themselves, so when you dine at A Taste of Ethiopia, you can
be assured that you are getting an authentic dining experience.
Not only will you enjoy delightful cuisine, but you will be
exposed to genuine Ethiopian hospitality. Next time you’re
looking for a unique dining experience, and/or a menu with
plenty of vegetarian selections, visit A Taste of Ethiopia. Tsege
offers loyalty cards for repeat customers, so be sure to get yours
when you visit, as I’m sure you’ll want to return again and
again!