Taste of Ethiopia • Pflugerville

Taste of Ethiopia • Pflugerville

By Lindy Kincaid Friday, 06 February 2009

Taste of Ethiopia is not only a venue to experience exciting new flavors, it’s a place that invites you to slow down, unwind and enjoy a long conversation over a family-style meal and a hot cup of tea.

Woinee Mariam and her husband, Solomon Hailu, were both born and raised in Ethiopia. At the ages of 19 and 16, respectively, they came to the United States seeking a solid education. They met in Washington, D.C., married and, three kids later, moved to Central Texas so that their 17-year-old daughter, who has autism, could receive the education she needed. Three months ago, they fulfilled their lifelong dream of opening their own restaurant, Taste of Ethiopia.

Mariam said she works at the restaurant from open to close seven days a week to ensure that the quality of the food is as good as the service. She is not only the owner, but also the head chef and server, treating each customer like a long-time friend. Taste of Ethiopia is nothing like any restaurant I’ve encountered in Central Texas and is an exciting step outside the typical suburban eatery.

As Mariam explained, Ethiopians have a strong sense of community, and this communal spirit is reflected in the way in which they eat meals. Entrées are served family style on one large platter and are meant to be shared by everyone at the table. Diners are not given utensils or individual plates, although they are available upon request. Instead, a basket of injera is brought to the table. Injera is a crepe-like bread made from teff, which is a species of lovegrass native to the northern Ethiopian Highlands of northeastern Africa. Rather than using silverware, one eats by tearing off a piece of injera and scooping food from the plate in the center of the table. It is messy, but fun, and thankfully napkins are plentiful.

The Doro Wot ($11.95) is the national dish of Ethiopia. Its two delicious chicken drumsticks and hard-boiled eggs are served in a rich and tasty berbere sauce. The house specialty, Kitfo ($11.95), would be well-suited for the Anthony Bourdain of the family. This mitmita-seasoned beef is served rare — and I do mean rare — along with homemade cottage cheese and sautéed spinach. In a word, it was superb. This dish is native to Mariam ’s Gurague ethnic group in Ethiopia.

“I learned how to make Kitfo by watching my mother as a child,” Mariam said. “Now I could easily make it with my eyes closed.”

For the less adventurous, the beef stew cooked in berbere sauce, Key Siga Wot ($10.95), is delicious, as is the Yemisisr Wot ($9.95), which is zesty lentils slow-cooked in berbere sauce. The combination plates, the Sampler ($17.95) and the Ultimate Combo ($19.95), can easily feed two people and offer a nice variety.

A vegetarian lunch buffet ($8.95) is available Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The children’s menu features chicken nuggets, a hamburger and macaroni with meat sauce ($3.95 each).

To enjoy the complete Ethiopian experience, have a cup of hot tea or coffee at the end of the meal ($1.75). The tea is flavored with cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. A poster on the wall proclaims, “Coffee: Ethiopia’s gift to the world.” Ethiopians are serious about their coffee, and Mariam takes the time to serve it traditionally — in a dark clay jar called a jebena, served alongside incense to create a calm, soothing atmosphere.

Taste of Ethiopia, 1466 Grand Avenue Parkway, 251-4053, www.tasteofethiopiaaustin.com, Open daily 11 a.m.-10 p.m.