“You want me to eat this with my hands,” I asked Senke, my waitress at Abyssinia in West Philadelphia. “Yes,” she said with a smile. "With your hands.”
My dining partner and I looked at eat other with puzzled expressions. Here we are at 11am on a Friday just getting over our hangovers and we’re supposed to eat scrambled eggs with our hands? I had never eaten at an Ethiopian restaurant before, so I guess I should have expected the unexpected.
Abyssinia is a traditional Ethiopian restaurant and a truly cultural experience once you step foot in the door. The television at the bar broadcasts a strictly Ethiopian channel, no subtitles and the walls are covered with authentic tapestries and paintings. Go with a group and eat out of Abyssinia’s tall, colorful, woven baskets for dinner and drinks, then retreat upstairs where it turns into a nightclub with pool tables.
Since I made it in time for brunch, I ordered Ye’ Inqulal Tibis, a scrambled egg omelet with hot chili, onions, herbs and spices–a burst of traditional flavors served with injera, Ethiopian bread that looks like a folded tortilla and feels a bit rubbery. Once we got over the initial shock of not having a fork with our scrambled eggs, we got creative and used the injera to make a burrito.
This is absolutely not the restaurant for picky or clean eaters (it can get messy, but fun). Although wet wipes are abundantly available for every guest, those of us who are OCD about getting our hands dirty will probably just freak out.
If you plan on visiting on a weekend, head to the bar for a drink and relax while waiting for a table. The best deal is Abyssinia’s ridiculously cheap Brunch menu, which is served from 10am to 2pm and has prices that range from $3 to $5.75.
AroundPhilly Staff
