Ethiopian cuisine is served on a crepe-like bread called injera.
Exotic Ethiopia may be far, but Chicagoans can experience the country’s cultural practices right in their own city–no passport required. Ethiopian Diamond Restaurant, located just south of Chicago’s Rogers Park neighborhood, cooks up meat and vegetarian dishes that offer a genuine taste of Ethiopian cuisine.
A crepe-like bread called injera comes with every entree, and is used to scoop up and eat varieties of stew. Spices characterize the exotic tastes of the dishes. If spicy food isn’t your forte, that’s okay too. The menu includes a range of mild options as well.
But Ethiopian Diamond brings more than Ethiopian food to the city. It brings a country’s entire dining culture. True to the traditional Ethiopian meal, the restaurant serves its food on a large community platter in the middle of the table. According to the country’s dining rituals, in eating from one common plate, diners signify the bonds of loyalty, trust, family and friendship. To demonstrate these bonds, diners can participate in the practice of gurrsha–placing food in the mouth of another diner from one’s own hand.
Two friends and I split two main entrees–one vegetarian, one with meat–amongst the three of us:
Doro Tibs: Chicken breast marinated in fresh lemon juice and garlic, sautéed with onions and green pepper
Yatkilt Watt: String beans, carrots and potatoes cooked in a mild sauce with spices, onions, garlic and ginger
Ethiopia is Africa’s top coffee producer, so don’t forget to try a hot cup after the injera’s all gone.
HUNDREDS IN ONE 