Assab Eritrean Restaurant

12/27/2014

This is my new favorite Eritrean or Ethiopian restaurant in San Francisco. It is not as good as Zoma in Manhattan, which is my favorite in the country as of right now, but it is the best in the West for now.

Every single dish was freshly made and came out piping hot. The injera was excellent as was the honey wine. The portions huge and more than enough for two. We split a vegetarian and meat combination. The beef and chicken were outstanding but the collard greens and lentils were even better.

The service was personal and you felt like you were dining with the owners rather than being served. It was fun to watch a young couple come in and have  the guy on the date try to explain the food to his girl. Everyone seemed to walk away with a smile.

The spice was perfect and I look forward to dining here many times in the future.

1/15/2015

Overall: 3 to 3.5 stars

Bottom line is this restaurant is overrated (too many 4 & 5 star reviews) but the food is good and tasty. I don't think it makes for a good date night as if it wasn't clear by now, Eritrean food is eaten with your hands and can be quite messy.

Food: 4 stars. Flavorful. We ordered both the meat and vegetarian sampler. All the dishes were good, I found each one to be well prepared, I suppose the lamb and okra dishes stood out. On the downside, the meal is very rich and salty. No acids to cut the oiliness, even the yogurt, while tasty was full fat and more like whipped cream.

Injera: 3 stars. The injera gets a separate review because it's such a staple of Eritrean cuisine. Like other people have mentioned, it's thinner and less sour than at other places. It has the consistency of a crepe. They serve the injera with the food on top and you also get a side of it. The problem is that the injera under the food is completely covered making it soggy and difficult to pick up. Other places tend to leave about 1/2 of the pancake exposed, without any food on top for this reason. The side of injera is nice, but there are no free refills and you only get one pancake.

Service/Atmosphere: 2.5 stars. The decor, dishware and overall ambiance leaves a lot to be desired. It's has a very local, divey kind of vibe. Music playing was really bad. Service is sparse and lacks for conversation. No explanation of what was given to us.

Price: 2.5 stars. All of the dishes are over $12, we paid $14 and $16 for the samplers. This was too much. Yes, the portion sizes were big, but they were too big. There was enough food for 4. I would have liked to have seen a reduction in price and portion size by about 1/3, even 1/2. Eritrean food is not good take-home material so don't think you can make up for it by getting a doggy bag.

My final gripe and this may be all Eritrean restaurants, is if I'm going to eat with my hands, I'd really like to be given something to wash with after (and preferably before as well!). A hot cloth or bowl of lemon water would be a REALLY good idea don't you think? More napkins too please.

While the food was delicious, the price, atmosphere, service and other issues I mentioned add up to me not coming back. Really wanted to like this place as it's local and I love the cuisine.

11/17/2014

Passing by this restaurant many times and smelling that wonderful aroma of delicous food, i knew i definitely had to try this place!

Went on a friday night, the place was not busy. the instant you walk in, you are greeted with the smell of spices and herbs that have been slowly cooking in their kitchen. The place feels like you're in the middle of the African Plains with their decor and wall paintings. Hehe..

We ordered the Meat sampler and the Vegetable combo. Waiter asked if we wanted "Family Style" and we said YES! Basically, family style they combine all the food in one BIG ROUND PLATE! Yes i said BIG! It was only 2 of us and we couldnt finish the whole plate. Along with your order of entrees they give you soft spongy bread to eat with the food. The food was AMAZING~~~~!! The beef was so tender, the chicken too and they were all delicately seasoned with spice and herbs and not tooo salty or too spicy. everything was right as i have imagined it to be. nothing felt over greasy.

Will definitely come here again soon, anytime i am craving for some good ethnic food!! Come here hungry, you leave satisfied!!!

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  meat sambusa

  meat sambusa
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  family style on a big plate

  family style on a big plate

4/7/2015

First time here and the Food is great and the service was excellent waitress gave us a great service she even found time to interact with my 3yr old daughter even do she was the only one on the floor great place and great food.
Be ready to eat with your hands that is the proper way to eat  Eritrean food and is not the same if you use a fork

3/10/2015

Everything was delicious and a great price! We got the #1, #4 and. #18 family style for four of us.

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  #1, #4, #18

  #1, #4, #18

3/17/2015

Fantastic!

7/21/2014

This place is perfect. If it's busy, expect to wait, cuz this is a mom n pop shop! Literally - mom came to our table and said they ran out of chicken. No problem; our party loves food so it wasn't difficult choosing something else. If you're an impatient person, either look somewhere else, or get a bottle of their delicious wine and talk to your party and relax. The food is guaranteed amazing!

Warning - you might have to be rolled out of the restaurant from being so full!

7/2/2014

Main Points:
-Great Eritrean cuisine and service
-Good for small or large groups
-Unique dining experience (mainly because of type of cuisine)

Review:
I've had Ethiopian food, which is similar (I'd say Eritrean is spicier), but I have never had Eritrean food before this restaurant so I don't know how it ranks amongst other Eritrean restaurants, but I can say this was delicious cuisine.  We ordered both the vegetable and meat samplers, and all the items were good, most were great!  

For those not familiar with this type of food, the different mixtures are served on a large plate of injera which is a sourdough flatbread and they are eaten with your hands.  All the orders will be put on one plate, so if you are with a group of people just understand that each person's order will be on this one plate.  This makes for a unique dining experience where everyone can easily try all the different items and bond over the good cuisine and method of eating. Just don't lick your fingers!

Finally, though I read some people had issues with service, we went as a group of 5 when the medium-sized restaurant was full and had no issues with wait time for our meal/order or service.  The staff was very friendly and checked on us frequently to make sure our food was good and our drinks were full. The only thing keeping it from being a 5 star joint is the very casual atmosphere, like a mom and pop shop. Overall definitely worth trying!

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  Plate for 4, phone on pic for size reference

  Plate for 4, phone on pic for size reference

2/17/2015

I've run out of superlatives to describe this place. Perfectly executed, delicious food. Gracious service. And somehow they've made the space--a former bank--elegant and grand.

9/8/2014

Berkeley is best known for their hearty Eritrean dishes. But this spot is the closest I've gotten to a worth while Eritrean Restaurant in SF.

Ordered: Vegetarian and Meat Combo.

Pros:
Yummy
Clean
Bigger servings than other places I've been
Kind servers
Refilled water without having to ask
clean bathrooms
Affordable
Nice quite atmosphere

Cons:
Metered street parking

11/10/2014

Really friendly staff.
First time Ethiopian food eater.
Order 2 proteins + 1 veggie dish for 3 people.
Served Family style.

Way too much food, had left over.
Portions were ok, however the 'injera' crepe that they serve really fills you up.

The lamb was great, tender flavorful.
The lentils were really tasty.
The beef (#1) was ok, a bit tough.

Mango juice was pretty awesome too.

11/10/2014

This restaurant has a great homey feel to it. While it's not located on the main drag in Laurel Heights, this means it's easier to get parking. Still, it was a bit dark and isolated in the area. However, when you walk in, the service is extremely welcoming and warm. I wouldn't call the restaurant upscale, but more comfortable. There were clearly quite a few regulars inside - always a good sign.

We split a large vegetable combination platter, and asked if we could design our own second combination platter, including shiro, spinach and bersin. (Note - you cannot include mushrooms in any combination platter, it can only be ordered as its own dish). The platter came out quite fast (within 10-15 minutes), and was gigantic and delicious. So much flavor (and spice!) in every bite. My boyfriend commented he hadn't been able to find any Ethiopian food in the city that was this authentic/tasty.

I wouldn't break down each piece of the platter (as the flavors meld together quite nicely with the combined way they serve them), but suffice it to say everything had quite a heat to it, while maintaining the purity of the vegetable - so you really knew what you were tasting in each bite (okra, spinach, potato, etc.). The yogurt they serve in the middle of the platter was a nice complement to all of the heat, really cooling nicely. The injera it was all served on was spongy and soft, yet held up nicely to all of the heavy sauces, which made it a great vessel for all of the food. We also ordered a side of the yogurt, and it was quite thick and tangy - exactly what you'd expect from a homemade version.

Overall, the meal was about $40, including tip, which I thought was quite a good deal for all of the food we got - we left quite full! We'll definitely be back.

9/25/2014

It is a perfect example of "hidden gem".

This place has amazing food, especially their meet dishes are very tasteful. Overall very authentic African food experience.

8/9/2014

I've eaten here numerous times.

The food is delicious! After visiting Eritrean and Ethiopian restaurants in the Bay Area, Sacramento, and even little Ethiopia in Los Angeles, this place offers the most food in your plate, with varieties of vegetables, and not just a plate of meat. They even add traditional yogurt on the plate, something I've not seen at the other restaurants.

If you like wine, try the Ethiopian Honey Wine.

Appetizers: If you like spice, try the vegetarian sambusas, as they're spicier and have more of a kick.

Relaxing ambience. Ethiopian imagery and decoration. It's not too loud, and you can actually hear yourselves talk without having to yell. Relaxing.

I've brought so many people here time and one again and they always love it.

I hope this review gives you a good picture of what your experience would be.

You have to give it a chance though!

Yum yum yum!

8/10/2013

The hubby and I spent the day with my cousin and his wife at Angel Island and I had mentioned that I had never eaten Ethiopian/Eritrean food, but had been wanting to try it for some time.  My cousin's wife said, "we could have that for dinner", which is why we ended up eating at Assab.

I didn't know what to expect, but my cousins warned that you'll be eating with your hands.  I was a bit weary as I'm a germaphobe, but since I was going with my cousins, I was fine.  So, if you plan to eat here, make sure you eat here with people you know that are clean.

They said we had to try the honey wine as it's different.  Indeed it was!  You can definitely taste the alcohol at first sip, but get the honey taste after.  I liked that it wasn't overly sweet.

For food we ordered:

Meat Combination (sampler of zigni, tsebhi derho, & alicha beggee. served with dollop of yogurt)

Vegetable Combination (sampler of veg, alicha, okra & zucchini. served with dollop of yogurt )

The meat and vegetable combination came in a large tray with injera layered beneath the two combinations.  We also ordered four additional injera's.  The way to eat is you tear the injera into pieces and dip it into the stews.  The injera is quite interesting as it's a bit sour tasting.  It reminded me of a crumpet with all the little holes, but a lot thinner.  Injera is a flatbread made from teff, wheat, or sorghum.  

The meat combination came with beef, chicken, and lamb.  I'm not sure how the beef and lamb tasted as I don't eat either.  However, the chicken was delicious. It was a skinless drumstick simmered with clarified butter, onions, tomatoes and seasoned hot pepper.  It had good heat.  

The vegetable combination came with medium-mildly seasoned, potatoes, carrots, bell peppers, okra, & zucchini.  It was very tasty.  

I came in not knowing what to expect, but my stomach left happy!  Everything I ate was super tasty and delicious!  I would definitely return!

Assab is great for groups as you can order a variety of dishes to share.

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  Vegetable Combination & Meat Combination

  Vegetable Combination & Meat Combination
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  Injera

  Injera
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  Honey Wine

  Honey Wine

9/10/2013

I would rate the flavor of the food as a 5, the healthiness as a 3, and the service as a 3.5
I am not an expert on Eritrian food by any means but I can say that this restaurant was the most delishious out of 3 restaurants I've ever sampled. I really like the flexibility, pouroseness, and tenderness of the traditional flatbread.

The dishes are quite mouthwatering and hearty. The owners use clarified butter to cook up the goodness. If you do not typically consume a lot of oily foods, be prepared for some strange stomach noises to follow your dining experience. My bf and I were serenated by our singing tummies for hours.

The restaurant is very small but cozy. We were one of about 4 parties there on a Monday evening. Despite the rather laid back atmoshpere, the service was not very attentive but still pleasant enough.

All in all, I definitely enjoyed my meal and will probably bring my adventurous friends and family to try it as well.

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  Beef dish #3 was Delish

  Beef dish #3 was Delish

8/8/2013

I'll base this review on the first time I went here which was just... magical. Now, SF has its share of wonderful hole-in-the-walls... and Assab, to me, is one of those places where a hole-in-the-wall spot can be equally satisfying to a gourmet establishment. It is minimally decorated, but it's the food I want!!

We ordered the zigni, kelwa, kelwa mix, lentils, okra, kantisha, and gored-gored. That was admittedly too much for three people, but everything sounded so delicious. AND IT WAS. ALL OF THEM WERE. Now, I've done this before -- a rookie mistake -- and eat so much of the injera before we eat the sopped-up injera infused with all the flavors on what's on top... that I leave no room at the end to enjoy that part. Womp womp. Make sure you do that! As the server said to us (and looking at our faces of simultaneous pleasure and regret from eating so much): "You didn't leave room for the best part!" I know. I know. We know. We know. You gotta come in sometime for this!

12/7/2014

Shared between three: two different beefs, one chicken, and a pile of mushrooms, plus one meat and one veggie sambusa...this feast was SO GOOD. Also had an Ethiopian amber ale.

10/6/2014

This is place is fantastic. Great place for carnivores, vegetarians, and vegans.

I've been here before multiple times with small and large groups (6+) and it has been an incredibly pleasant and consistent experience. Great food and great welcoming warm atmosphere.

I once arrived with 6+ people a 45 minutes before closing and felt really bad because they were already pretty busy and we didn't want to make them stay late just for us. Of course, we still tried our best to eat quickly and made sure to tip well because the server was so nice the entire time and ensured us to take our time throughout.

FOOD:
Full of flavor
Large Quantities
Comforting
Delicious
NOT greasy
NOT heavy on sodium

ATMOSPHERE:
Feel at home
Cozy
Gracious host
Good for small & larger parties

SERVICE:
Superb!
Genuinely nice
Great sense of humor
Always on point

PRICE:
Can't complain.
You're getting quantity & quality.
That's hard to beat!

PARKING:
Street parking in front is metered but 2 Hour parking is available on the adjacent streets off of Geary or longer term parking up on Anza street. Not bad at all.

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  Delicious family style eats! We each ordered something different and got it all on one awesome gigantic plate.

  Delicious family style eats! We each ordered something different and got it all on one awesome gigantic plate.

11/2/2014

The food was amazing!  It was wonderfully spiced and delicious.  I could've used a few more dishes in the sampler for the price,  but overall it was a wonderful meal! I'll be back.

2/25/2013

My review is 4.5. They lose half a star because the wait was ridiculous and I was ready to go anywhere else so I wouldn't die of starvation. The restaurant is small, so there is no waiting area. Standing for over an hour is killer, especially as you're staring at everyone while they eat and hoping they hurry up!

I'm glad we didn't leave. This was my second time having Ethiopian food, and this place was delicious! We tried the chicken, beef, and okra, and all were seasoned just right. They are limited in the amount of injera they give you. It's about $2 to get another couple of rolls which isn't bad, but it's almost a guarantee you'll need more than what they give you. Again, not only was the wait time to be seated a very long time, but the wait time for the food was also very long. BUT, the service was incredible and every bit, amazing. So that made up for all the waiting. But bring a snack in case you have to wait though, seriously.

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  Okra, chicken and beef

  Okra, chicken and beef

10/14/2013

Well-prepared food and a cool experience.

I'll start this review by saying that this is my first time eating in an African restaurant, let alone an Eritrean restaurant. With that said, my experience here was A-Okay. My friend and I had to wait about half an hour for a table. I didn't mind waiting but there wasn't a waiting area nor a hostess stand so the whole process was a little confusing. The food was reasonably priced and was very fresh. In some weird way, I felt at home here. Assab feels very much like a mom and pop shop.

All-in-all I found that I'm not a huge fan of Eritrean cuisine. It's nothing against Assab. I would recommend trying this place if you're in the mood for a new and exciting experience.

3/13/2014

My favorite Eritrean / Ethiopian in the city. The injera is slightly bitter which is ideal. The veggie combo has the typical lentil, carrots, potato but also okra, greens, mushrooms. Chicken on the bone is also really tender. Definitely get on the bone as it's more tender than boneless. The sambosa app is good too if you are really hungry. My only complaint is the recent lack of Harar beer, which imho is the best out of Ethiopia. Apparently the distributor has been having trouble or stopped importing altogether. Major bummer. I spent about 6 weeks in Eritrea and Ethiopia, so I can tell you, this stuff is some of the most authentic you'll get in the USA. It does get a bit more spicy back in Africa, and they use more goat, but adjusted for the American palate, this place is perfect.

11/15/2014

VERY friendly staff/owners.  Assab is definitely my favorite Ethiopian place in the city.

9/2/2014

It was my first time eating Eritrian food and it was interesting. There's tons of variety, which I love. Service is a bit slow but the food is worth it.

9/10/2014

This is my absolute favorite restaurant. Of all time. Ever.

I really could write a novel, but all the words in the world could never truly capture just how incredible this place is. My mouth starts watering when I even think about it. No joke.

Do yourself a favor and go. Don't be in a rush, but GO.

1/30/2014

First time having Eritrean food. I must say I liked the food itself. Very filling for the portion sizes. However, as other Yelpers have mentioned--the server that helped us did not explain any of the dishes...like at all...

We mentioned that it was our first time and asked for suggestions. He listed a couple of numbers..okay great..thanks...
Then, when he served us the food, he did not explain what was what on our plates! Also, we had no idea we were supposed to eat with our hands..a head's up would have been nice, just because it was our first time. haha. I have no problem with that, but I just did not know that was the protocol. Two of us got samplers so there were different things on our plate..which we just had to figure out on our own. haha.

Other than that, the food was very flavorful and filling, and yeah, I'd go again, especially since I now know what the deal is. Haha.

10/26/2014

OMG. one of the best food experiences! i love ethnic foods, and absolutely loved this place! food is absolutely delicious with lots of flavor and tons of options. i absolutely loved the lamb dish (forgot exactly what it was called), nad their "rare meat" dish was also amazing. would definitely definitely come back here at any day!!! loved it. oh and it was  also fun to be able to eat with hands.

8/20/2014

My experience here was overall satisfying. The service was a bit slow but that was due to the mom and pop feel of the restaurant. The food was delicious I ordered the Kitfo beef and the Kelwa chicken. As my first time eating Ethiopian cuisine, I was pleasantly satisfied. I would definitely give this restaurant another try or get take out.

8/5/2014

A very solid experience. Family owned and operated and a great family style place. The good is always consistent and just outstanding. This is one of our favorites in SF!

12/11/2013

I use to live across the street from this place on Collins St and I'll admit that I ate here at least once a week! I've tried out a ton of other Eritrean places and I have to say this is by far my favorite in the city!

WHAT I ORDER:
I usually come with at least one other person so the regular dishes I order is:
- 1 Veggie Combo and 1 Meat Combo.
- Sambusas are great and come in Veggie or Meat.
- When I'm really hungry and cold ... I also like to start with the lentil soup.
- To drink, their Ginger Beer is pretty awesome.

PRICE:
If you order the above (for 2 people) the bill will probably come to around $50, Give or take a few.

LOCATION:
There's a bus stop right in front of the restaurant so you can easily get to it using MUNI (38 Geary). It is on the corner of Geary and Collins. The restaurant decor is fairly simple but very CLEAN!

SERVICE:
I think this place if family owned. Usually there's 2 servers walking around to sit people, take orders and bring food over. Its pretty hard to get their attention otherwise and sometimes they can come off a bit stand offish. The food will also take a while so be patient! But rest assured, it will be AMAZING!!

PLEASE NOTE:
Though in the end you end up sharing all the food ... the owner is very adamant about people NOT sharing. He prefers everyone to order atleast 1 entree.

12/24/2013

Decent Ethiopian but not the best.

Good things:
Perfect Kitfo (raw beef)
Lamb dish is very tasty
Quick service

Bad Things:
Lentil soup too salty
Veggie dishes too watery
You only get 1 injera at a time (most places give you a plate of injera right away)
Slightly more expensive than most places with dishes at $14-16.

Try the honey wine- but beware of a hangover to sugar rush.

6/29/2013

Food gets a five. Service is super friendly, polite, but just not efficient.
Got the meat sampler and vege sampler - both of which were superb.
Physical space is quite simple but clean.
They take credit card which I've found to be hit/miss in SF.
I'm definitely coming back!

5/19/2014

This really is a great restaurant, just make sure you go with people you are comfortable sharing food with. No need for silverware here just wash you hands and dig in! Its actually a lot of fun for groups from 2-6 people any more than that and I am not sure that would have a plate big enough to accommodate. We had 6 people and they brought out the biggest plate I have ever seen that had 7 entrees on it and of course the food was awesome. Also their special Ethiopian wine is nice its kid of a mix between dessert wine and white wine. I would also recommend the mushrooms.

6/6/2012

For the last three years I've been told by people that SF has no good Ethiopian food. For some reason, instead of doing my own investigating, I believed them. But I am here to tell you that people are wrong! Assab was absolutely delicious. I would have given it four stars, but the quantities were pretty small for a fairly high price.

Two of us split:
#8 Alicha-Beggee ($12.95) - mild seasoned cubes of lamb mixed with potatoes, carrots, and bell peppers. This was really good, I wish there had been more of it.

#5 Kelwa-Derho ($12.95) - chunks of chicken breast sauteed with butter, hot peppers, jalapenos, onions, and tomatoes. This was OK, but compared to the lamb it was pretty boring.

We also each ordered a glass of honey wine, which (surprise surprise) turned out to be too sweet for both of us.

Like all Ethiopian places, instead of forks, they gave each of us one piece of the injera to use as a vehicle for the food. One piece is definitely not enough unless you really ration your injera, but unfortunately they charge $.75 for every additional injera.

Although Assab didn't blow my mind, it's definitely a solid choice if you're looking for Ethiopian/Eritrean food.

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  Injera

  Injera
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  #8 Lamb and #5 chicken. The lamb was awesome.

  #8 Lamb and #5 chicken. The lamb was awesome.

7/26/2013

My friend invited me out and thought it would be cool to make me try something new. Frankly, Eritrean food is quite different if you've never had it before.

When we arrived at the restaurant, I was surprised to see that some of the meat entrees could be prepared "raw". I normally don't get anything less cooked than a medium rare. To my horror, my friend ordered us RAW "Kitfo" to share.

When the food arrived, it looked strangely appetizing and a little like baby food. However,  I was still a bit doubtful about its flavor. After witnessing my friend happily grab his first bite, I decided it couldn't be too bad. It was weird grabbing the meat (or anything else) with the piece of bread. Everything was cooked until it was very soft, even mushy.

To my surprise, the first bite (of the meat) wasn't bad.. it was actually pretty good. I proceeded with a second bite of the next closest colorful pile of mush on the plate.. then the next.. then the next. The meat, the greens, as well as the curry-like paste.. the whole dish was delicious and packed with flavor! My only complaint was that it was quite spicy. It might be hard for some to cope with, though I'm sure you could request for it to be more mild. Serving size was great as well, the two of us couldn't finish all the food. Unfortunately we couldn't box anything. By the time we were finished, a decent amount of the foods had already soaked into the bread making it soggy.

Service was also decent. I didn't experience the long wait time other reviewers mentioned, but maybe because it wasn't at all crowded in the restaurant.

Anyways, came in a bit surprised, but left with my stomach happy. Will definitely try this place again!

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  Kitfo served raw.

  Kitfo served raw.

10/22/2014

We went here on week night and there was no waiting time.The lady was extremely sweet and friendly. The place had a very nice, home-like feel. I ordered the vegetarian platter and my friend ordered the meat platter. They were both delicious and plentiful. I loved the different flavors of the vegetables. The injera was amazing. I highly recommend this place.

8/15/2014

Terrific food. If I lived here, I would be back often. Friendly and nice people and place. Try the Eritrean beer and the honey wine, too.

9/11/2013 Updated review

Years later, third update, this is still one of my favorite restaurants in San Francisco. I live in LA now and once tried one of the supposedly best Ethiopian restaurants in Little Ethiopia here. In my opinion, said restaurant's food does not even come close to Assab. On a recent visit, I told these exact praises to the owner--he was extremely humble, explaining that he encourages people to explore different restaurants of the same cuisine, even if you're in love with a particular dish at one specific restaurant. i.e., I am in love with Assab's kantisha (mushrooms), but that shouldn't bar me from trying kantisha at another Eritrean restaurant (should they have it). I think the owner was basically saying that different places might have different renditions of Eritrean and Ethiopian food, but in a good way, so don't close yourself off to the possibilities. While I appreciated his modesty, I know a good thing when I taste it: Assab is still the best in my book, and probably always will be. Out of nowhere, I sometimes find myself craving Assab's spicy dishes and their mouth-poppingly delicious flavors soaked up in that soft, spongy injera (shoveled straight from plate to mouth with my own fingers, of course). And then I am sad, because I live so far away from Assab :(. At least  thisgives me something to dream about and works towards. I'll be back soon enough--that is a promise!

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  Left to right: Kelwa (beef) and Kantisha (mushrooms). NOM

  Left to right: Kelwa (beef) and Kantisha (mushrooms). NOM

3/4/2013

I think the food at Assab is better than New Eritrea in the Sunset.  You can read my review on New Eritrea and I'll focus this review on Assab.

The food at Assab has bold flavors that awaken the palate, but it's not overwhelming.  My friends and I ordered chicken, beef and okra, and our plate was full of chickpeas, collard greens and other veggies on the side.  The injera bread is soft and moist.  It costs extra to order more, and you will definitely need at least one extra order.  But injera does fill up the belly pretty fast so I can't imagine ordering more than two..

The space is small, so my friends and I waited about an hour... There was no place to sit so we were getting impatient as our hunger grew.  Once we were seated, we ordered right away.  Service was friendly, and the patrons at this place are friendly too!  A couple moved to another table so that my party of 3 can have their bigger table.

The prices (at least for dinner, not sure if they use the same menu for lunch) are higher than New Eritrea, but I think it reflects the quality.  I hope they invest in outside space heaters so people can wait outside.  It was awkward waiting in the restaurant and looking at people while they were dining.