Author: Jacob Goldstein
If there is a downside to Los Angeles’s thriving, multiethnic restaurant scene, it is that the plethora of foreign cuisines no longer seem new and exotic. After all, this is a city where pad thai has all but replaced spaghetti, elementary school children snack on sushi, and tapas bars are “so five years ago.” That said, even the most jaded foodie will be surprised by the food at Messob Ethiopian Restaurant. Located in LA’s Little Ethiopia district, Messob serves up delicious Ethiopian cuisine that is exotic yet appeals to a wide audience.
While the food might be adventurous, the restaurant’s interior is simple and homey. Red, yellow and green stripes stretch across the beige walls, which are decorated with framed photos of famous Ethiopian figures. Instrumental Ethiopian music plays softly in the background. A row of traditional “tables”-composed of low, backless chairs gathered around a woven, column-like pedestal-is the only indication of the exotic meal to come.
The menu, divided into meat options and vegetarian options, reflects the cuisine’s emphasis on meat and vegetable stews. Most entrées are in the $8-13 range, and all are served family style. If the menu’s clear descriptions do not suffice, the friendly servers will happily answer any questions about the food. These helpful touches are much appreciated, considering the exotic nature of the cuisine.
Ethiopian food is eaten with the hands. The entrees are all poured onto a giant circle of doughy, slightly sour injera bread, and the diner then uses additional pieces of injera to scoop up his or her entrée. Injera is to Ethiopean food as naan is to Indian food; it functions both as a spoon and a way to counteract the spiciness of the food. It is difficult to describe the taste of Ethiopian food; its flavors and textures are completely foreign to the American palette. But that is part of the cuisine’s appeal-it wows the customer with new and unexpected flavors. My dining companions and I particularly enjoyed the doro wot, a traditional stew of chicken and peppers. It was meaty, pungent and spicy, with tender pieces of chicken.
Equally delicious were the zelzel tibs, sautéed strips of beef with onions and green chili peppers, and the yebeg siga alitcha, a lamb stew with garlic and ginger, both of which were bursting with hearty flavor.
Venturing over to the vegan side of the menu, the four-entrée combination platter we selected more than held its own against the meat entrees. Especially delicious was the yemiser wot-split lentils in a red pepper sauce-which was similar to Indian daal but had a spiciness and complexity of flavor all its own.
The only thing more pleasant than our meal was the check; split among five people, our seven-entrée feast came to a mere $12 per person, including tip. It was quite a deal in a city like Los Angeles, where a single appetizer can often cost $10. If there was anything to dislike about Messob, it has to be the distance from Occidental. Located at 1041 Fairfax Ave, the restaurant is on the border between Los Angeles and Culver City. That translates into a 30-minute drive from campus, plus additional time to find a parking spot on one of the busy neighborhood streets.
In the end, however, the food at Messob is worthy of the logistical hassles that accompany taking a trip to Little Ethiopia. No matter what you order, your taste buds are in for a delicious surprise.
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