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Mon-Thu. 4:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 4:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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Very very good food. Quite spicy FYi, but very very good. I have been here a few times now and keep coming back.
Bill for 2 meals and 2 beers came to just under $25.
I been dinning for some time at different places, but this was my first experience at Assab Eritrean Resturant, I have to say that the overall experience was a positve one. the food was delicious, fresh but on the small medium side spicy....
Two challenges: Service dumm slow, on a Saturday night they schedule only one server, the poor kid was running his ass off all night. The place need cleaning on a daily basis.....
This was my first experience with Eritrean food, and I had to say it was quite delicious. Spicy, but not uncomfortably so. I went ahead and gave it four stars for the food, but beware, the service is terribly slow. On a Saturday night there was one server and a manager for the entire restaurant. There's no waiting space at all so everyone just kind of hovers in the middle of the restaurant waiting for a table. Then it took about 20 minutes for anyone to come get our drink and food order. I have to say, they were friendly and apologetic, but one server for an entire restaurant, even a small one, is pretty absurd.
That being said, I totally recommend this restaurant. Just get a reservation, and be prepared to wait.
Also, a word to the wise on the honey wine. It's incredibly sweet, so if you're not ok with that, avoid. The Ethiopian beers are pretty tasty as an alternative.
This being my third go at eritrean/ethiopian food, i'm by far no expert. that said, it was a pleasant meal. the most amazing part of my meal was trying the stumptown cherry/wheat beer for the first time. that is one tasty brew. GD, i have to find a store that carries that yummylicious booze. when ladies refer to men as a tall drink of water, that hunky score may be likened to this brilliant beer. (go with it)
the food itself was pretty tasty, and from all the meals i've had, the veg half is way better than the meat half. great food, slow but nice service, fantastico beer
Love Ethiopian food (still don't know the difference between Ethiopian and Eritrean cusine), so I was looking forward to this meal. Wasn't disappointed at all.
We ordered the vege. platter and selected about 10 items. The only complaint was that when they served the platter, they didn't explain which items were what...had to figure it out ourselves...good use of our deductive skills.
Other than that, the service was friendly, and it seemed like a very good place for a nice dinner.
I've heard for a long time from people that I would like Ethiopian food - but up until a little while ago, I had never gotten the opportunity to try it.
I make it a point to try any and all cuisines at least twice before I vow it off forever. I mean, if I were a man, I'd be Andrew Zimmern - only I don't have texture issues like he does, and I have a bit more hair and a few less pounds. (He is adorable though.)
We found this place and headed over one night. It was only when I got there that I noticed the name - - Assab Eritrean Restaurant.
Now I have never been a guru when it comes to geography. For a girl, I have a pretty amazing sense of direction - but geography, not my strongest suit. With all the travel I do - you'd think I'd have at least HEARD of most countries, but apparently not.
First, I had no idea what "Eritrean" was - most likely because I had no idea - not a single CLUE - that "Eritrea" was a country in Africa. I assumed it was an adjective for all things Ethiopian or something. I stand corrected. A tiny little country in Africa - who knew?
No really - who knew? Did you know?
Well - I enjoyed my meal here a lot.
First, we walked in where there was only one table left - meaning we were destined to be the last customers of the evening, and we arrived perhaps 5 minutes before last seating. The owner who greeted us never flinched and welcomed us. He was so patient and friendly with all of my questions - what "injera" is and how it's made, and how one eats certain dishes, as well as geographic and cultural information about Eritrea and Ethiopia.
Both Robbie-boy and I picked a couple of dishes and asked which he recommended - and abided by his recommendations.
We ordered an appetizer - an Eritrean deep-fried quesadilla of sorts with ground beef. While I have forgotten what it was called, it was delicious!
The food presented before us was on huge platters. It was slightly reminsicent of Indian dishes with the use of lentils and herbs, but without the strong flavors of Indian food. More subtle, if you will. The meats were braised nicely and
For those of you who don't know - you don't actually have to put hand to food to mouth as I thought it meant when I was told one must eat by hand. I was willing to do it, in spite of being a big believer in utensils. You simply tear off a piece injera, the spongy "bread" that is actually more like a tortilla, and take THAT and grab your food with it. It takes some talent and practice to not get any food on your hands. Midway through the meal, I did ask for a fork only so I could scoop up the goodies and pile in on top of the injera and then eat it by hand.
One appetizer, two dishes and 3 beers cost a little over $45 prior to tip - which in terms of Rob's and my dinners, is incredibly reasonable. Furthermore, it was an informal but exotic dinner experience at a reasonable cost. If I had to pick one small bone, it's that with more exotic, foreign cuisine, I think the owner should make the ambiance of the place a bit more suitable for the experience instead of a plain restaurant setting. Perhaps some booths or partitions to make it a bit more private, tablecloths, dim the lights a LOT, and in general, make it more intimate. Eating with one's hands in an intimate setting is more enticing and appealing than eating w/ one's hands in a wide open, bright restaurant. This restaurant would have made my date list if not for the ambiance.
We walked out a bit more "edu-ma-cated" than before, tummies full, and happy for minimal cost. All in all, Assab was great, and we'll be back. The food was tasty, and while I have nothing to compare it to, it was not too heavy but filling, subtle but distinct.
If you haven't tried food from this region, I daresay Assab is a good starting point!
Group dinners, first-timers to eating with hands. Spice is the flavor here, incredible! and have some honey wine..
A colorful time and sweet staff, yes slow. But that's the pace you have to get down with here.
I was introduced to it through people from Eritria - Not a bad sign!
This place is so delicious, it's probably the best Eritrean I've ever had and the staff is really nice. Even when it's crowded I haven't had to wait for a table. The portions are always generous and the food is always fresh. Try the honey wine with the meal too, the sweetness goes really well w/the spicy food.
This place is absolutely delicious! They have meat and vegetarian dishes, all of which are great. The honey wine is way too sweet for my taste. It is a great experience for larger groups of people when you order food family style, which comes on a massive plate and you eat with your hands, although you can ask for a fork.
The only drawback is that the service is pretty slow since there is only two people working there at a time, a father-daughter team. But when the food comes it makes up for it.
Go here! The food is soooooo good.
Irritated. I have gone before several times, experiences in which I would rate 5/5, the very best. Pure goodness.
However, this last time, I notice the price has been jacked up a bunch! In addition, the portions are down! I got my food last night without ANY extra injera while my friends did, perhaps it was an accident...Regardless, for nearly 20 dollars I was pissed.
The food I did get was excellent, though.
I also woke up the next day with food poisoning....
Disappointed to say this, but fuck it, next time I'll go to Axum Cafe (Haight) or New Eritrea (on Irving), both of which I have greatly enjoyed...
It'll probably be a while before I go again, but when I do, I'll give a followup review.
A bit pricey: a little over $35 for two (with just 2 entrees, no drinks, no desserts), and the injera isn't free and unlimited!! Every ethiopian place I've ever gone to has free and unlimited injera; here they give you one thing of injera each and for 75c you get one more thing of injera--WTF? I think it is because they don't want people splitting an entree and filling up on injera, which is the best part of ethiopian places because then you can pay $10 each including tip and all. Also the honey wine was $5.25 for a glass and $22 for a bottle, which is also pricier than most places.
That said, the "curries" were all very well spiced; I loved the mushroom vegetarian curry I got and also the meat curries. Also, with all the entrees they gave 3 small vegetarian curries, which was nice.
The food is good, but I have had just as good for a better deal (that was in Berkeley though)
What kind of food? From what country? Doesn't matter one bit, this place is tasty.
I went with a group of six - called ahead and they had a table ready for us. I disagree on the pricey point - we each paid around $25/person, which seams reasonable for one entree a piece and a couple bottles of wine shared among the group (including the tip). Our waitress was super friendly, too!
All of the food was delicious. We had a lamb, chicken and beef dish along with three veggie sides. The chickpeas were outstanding and the chicken was very, very flavorful. And, because you can't review an Ethiopian restaurant without talking about the bread, let me just say it was sour for all that's great about sour.
The only reason there are four stars instead of five is ambiance - it wasn't very cozy here. Bright lights and hard tables - dimming the lights and adding some table cloths could put it over the edge.
I love this place. I had a good friend from Eritrea who cooked for the entire apartment complex. Since she moved to D.C. I couldn't find any good Eritrean food until I found Assab!!!
Order the Zigni (its spicy but so so good)!!!
I love this place, it is family owned and the food is the best... I reccomend the tea or honey wine as the flavors suit the food... though they have an eclectic list of beers too.
Sambusa... try both the meat and the vegetable... order your dinner and please wash your hands as they do give you silverware only if you ask... indira (spellcheck) is a soft crepe style bread you use to eat the foods with... OMG the foods are heaven... spiced for those who love spice... I have seen a few people sweat up an endorphin storm there... funny but gotta love the masochism of the tender tonge types... I feel the spice is inviogorating but be warned ok.
tzigni is deliciosly prepared beef in a brown sauce and the vegetable medly (three types of dishes) suit the meal just fine... share this plate with one and add additional foods for more people. it is served family style on a platter and again wash you hands... we used to laugh that I'd wear a white shirt on the days we would go to Assab, so i could get a singular drop on it... I know better now... but it was true for years... try it you will love the home town feeling the warm personalities of the staff, the food is what it is all about. We first got curios about the sign, went there to investigate, and have gone back now for years... hope you do too.
My second visit to Assab last night. Food is great, cozy ambiance..... most of all bathroom is very clean. It is very important for me see bathroom to be very clean, it shows about the rest of the restaurant.
Eating with hand can be fun too. One of my favorite African food!
I wasn't sure what to expect and asked them to show me Eritrean food - they didn't respond well to the request and said they serve basic food and average portions without selling the product -- The food tasted OK, not as spicy as I was hoping -- the service was blah, the atmosphere wasn't anything that I go back to -- came to $25/person
The one thing that I absolutely loved were the appetizers..sumusa's or something like that -- meat stuffed inside a fried shell -- to die for! If they only served it with a nice sweet sauce on the side that would be worth the visit
Best Ethiopian/Eritrean food I've ever had!
I've been, I think to all the places in SF now (except Axum on Haight), but the food here is head and shoulders anything I've had anywhere. The COLORS of the food when it arrives at your table are almost psychedelic. I brought my Brazilian girlfriend here and she can't stop raving about Ethiopian food- it was like a taste revelation to her!
So my roomate and I came here after our 4 mile run to Ocean Beach.... and boy were we starving... since we live just around the corner we always talked about trying this place out. I did hear that it was pretty good and you eat with your hands... and i love new things.......so...
Prepare yourselves because the food was amazing!! We had the kelwa-derho( lamb) and the kelwa-beggee.(chicken)... Please don't be intimidated by eating with your hands because trust me... it makes the food taste better and you can eat faster. We literally finished the food in 3 minutes... The owner came over because he thought we had a question... and when he saw our plate was wiped clean... he started laughing and clapping his hands.... yeah...we...all we said while we were eating was "this is so good... omg it's so good!"
it was that good! so if you like good food come here! the food is spiced perfectly.. it's not oily... and it wasn't too spicy... it was perfectly spicy... :D I highly recommend this place and the owner is so nice and cute( in a little old man way)
Just before heading out to Assab for dinner tonight with "the roomies" (HA inside joke! ...with myself) I was chatting on the phone with my mom. She asked me where we were eating and I told her, Eritrean food.
"A-what-a-what food?"
"Eritrean food, Mom."
"A rich what food?"
"NO Mom, ERITREAN food. Eritrea. It's a country in Africa?"
"Really? It is? Huh!"
Yeeeeeeaaaahhh... this is actually the typical response I get when I try to tell other people about Assab and what kind of food it is. Dealing with another's confusion, however, is a small price to pay for eating at Assab. This continues to be one of my favorite restaurants in the city and I highly doubt I will ever tire of it. I've ventured out now to try the veggie combo, which includes okra, cabbage, and zucchini... it's pretty good, but I still favor the Kelwa Derho (beef) and the Kantisha, aka the butteriest, best mushroom dish in the world. In general, the Eritrean flavors at Assab are to die for.
If you haven't been here yet, YOU MUST. RIGHT NOW.
PS. I've noticed that when I first started eating here a few years ago, we'd bring home a ton of leftovers (which are always even better the next day). But in more recents visits, we've always seemed to finish the majority of our food and there's never enough left to box up. Which begs the question/s:
Are the portions getting smaller?
Or am I just getting bigger?
Omg omg omg. The first time I tried Assab, my tastebuds went to fuckin' town! Eritrean food is just,… Read more »
My favorite eritrean/ethiopian food in San Francisco!
Will expound later but had to get my 5 stars in =)
This is going to sound harsh, but I honestly think that people like the whole idea of eating Eritrean food more than they like the actual food itself. In fact, a quick scan of the diners in this restaurant and I immediately noticed at least 2 or 3 people with the same expression on their faces: "Look at me! I'm eating food that most people haven't tried yet and I'm using my hands. I'm so cultural!"
Unfortunately, the cuisine failed to leave me inspired. The beef sambusa was pretty good, but the other dishes we tasted were below standard fare. Unaccentuated flavors (I prefer Indian food, where the flavors are bold and less subtle), soggy/overly yeasty dough-bread, and inattentive service. Plus, where is there ever a wet nap when I need one?!
Bottom line: I really wanted to like this place, but it simply failed to deliver. Beyond the hype and the notion of trying new cuisines is a menu of uninspiring dishes and an overall mediocre dining experience. "A" for effort, "D" for food (and for the tummy ache a couple hours later!).
I went here on a recent trip back home to the City. It was suggested by an old grade school friend, as she frequents this place quite a bit. I had never heard of Eritrean cuisine, let alone tried it... I didn't know what to expect.
Well... I absolutely LOVED it. The food & the service were excellent. I ordered the Kelwa Mix. It's a large plate of chicken breast chunks marinated in a spicy broth. Served on top of spongy & delish injera bread. Also on the plate were lentils, yogurt, beans to go with the chicken. The food was a total surprise hit with me. I don't normally do spicy food but they can tone the heat down a little bit and they did so upon my request... I really enjoyed my dinner there. Our party also ordered a bottle of honey wine which was also very good and I feel went well with the spiciness of the meal.
It appeared to me that this was a family run restaurant. It's a small place but I saw a large party at a big table so they can accommodate more than 10 people in that area. Went there on a late Saturday night, about an hour before closing and the place was still packed. We got the last table... They even added extra injera bread to my leftovers because they said that was the only way to thoroughly enjoy the food. Thank you Assab... I'm sold!!!
The best Ethiopian/Eritrean restaurant I've found since moving from DC!!
We got the kitfo (spiced raw ground beef), the meat combo, and the veggie combo. It was all delicious, especially the kitfo. I am used to more spice in DC, but this was still very flavorful and it was preferred by some of my friends who are spice wusses - I mean, less into super spicy food.
The injera is a little thin on the sides, but nice and spongey in the middle. I like a little more tang in my injera, but it was still pretty good all in all. I am looking forward to going back!
Not gonna lie... I kiiiiinda wanted to ask for a fork or a spoon... or a spork, but my friends said they'd disaffiliate themselves immediately.
The place is small, make reservations! They were busy and it took over 30 min to get our food after waiting 30-40 min for a table for 4. Each person's meal was $18 after tip... which is not expensive but not quite as cheap as I expected.
Not all that impressed. This place pales in comparison to New Eritrea on Irving.
The veggie sambusas were all peas, and with no spicy paste for dipping. The wrapper on mine even had some uncooked parts.
We shared the meat combo and the famous mushroom dish, but neither one thrilled me. The lamb was too gamey and tough, the chicken wasn't all that tender and was a chore to pry off the bone. The injera was thin and dry, unlike the supple stuff I am accustomed to at New Eritrea, and the pieces under our entrees turned to gruel in the sauce, which shouldn't happen. Soft and soggy, yes, but not disintegrated. The mushrooms were mostly onions, and the flavors were fine, but nothing special.
The service was friendly, but painfully slow, taking ten minutes to come to our table, another ten to get our appetizers, and we had to ask again for our drinks when the entree arrived, while their Eritrean friends (who coincidentally happened to be friends of mine) at the next table got excellent, speedy service, and their drinks arrived 20 minutes before ours, even though we arrived at the restaurant 20 minutes before they did.
I don't see any reason to return to Assab now that New Eritrea will be open Mondays starting in March, which is why we weren't there last night.
Based on the reviews, Assab was a major disappointment.
As soon as I took a step into Assab, I knew it was going to be good. The fantastic smells wafting out of the kitchen instantly smack you (for lack of a better term) directly in the face as soon as you enter. This isn't the most lavish looking restaurant, but what is there is enough to please the visual senses. Although I couldn't check out the kitchen, the dining space looked pretty clean.
Instantly greeting us with a smile and some menus, the waiter seemed friendly enough. The menu featured enough quality selection for a difficult choice, which is much better than the alternative. We ended up getting the Meat Sambusa to start out, which although was pretty small, the size was to be expected for $2. The flavor on the other hand, was anything but small. If you've ever had any other kind of "Samosa" before, this is pretty much in the same family, but the extremely flavorful Meat in the Sambusa made it stand out of the bunch.
Unable to pick out just a single meal, we went with the Meat and Vegetarian combo entrees. For the meat - Zigni, Tsebh-Derho, Alicha-Beggee. For the Vegetarian dishes - Veg. Alicha, Okra, Zucchini. I also decided to try out the honey wine after so many people raved about it. It didn't really "float my boat" sort of speak. The flavor was almost too sweet/tart for me, and after just a few sips, I was done. Overall, food had some really powerful/interesting spices. Eating with hands was also a plus. Even though all of the dishes were great, they all tasted pretty similar, and it was ultimately hard to distinguish what I was eating since everything was served together on a colossal sized plate.
This was the first time I've had Eritrean food before, but since then I have had it someplace else, and this place is easily better. I highly recommended Assab, and would come back in a heartbeat.
One of my girlfriends and I have a monthly "ethnic" dinner night, where we try cuisine we've never had before. In February it was "Eritrean".
Given I spent 3 years in DC with friends with Eritrean neighbors in their 'hood, this was a great opportunity to try the cuisine of this small-ish African country. Of course we kept almost making the mistake of comparing Eritrean to Ethiopian cuisine whilst at dinner, but learned from our dinner companions that this is a definite no-no, given the civil war that had ensued. All this history aside, we were happy to finally have the chance to eat with our hands. And who knew we would be so full afterwards!
The bread (similar to naan) is surprisingly filling. We ordered a variety of dishes - all recommendations from our server - and we were pleased with them all. We also ordered the honey wine, and sadly, all 6 of us would advise you to not try that. I mean, do it for the experience, but the 6 of us are sticking with wine from grapes. :)
All in all - from the busy ambiance, to the long wait, it was very clear that this was a popular restaurant. And once we were eating, we understood why. It was so delicious, we all decided we wanted to return again soon ourselves!
Running around triple booked multitasking - still hadn't eaten lunch at 430p and picked up my Mac at Total Mac and yelped for something new.
(Quick and sweet just get to the meat - this aint no blog, or even a tweet.) First of all, hat fantastic SMELL when you go in. There was nothing at all from top to toe on this menu that wasn't outstanding. We ordered like hogs (2 meat plates and one veggie plate for 2 of us) and both the meat and veggie sambusa. Everything extraordinary. Total about $50, a little steep for a huge lunch, but when you spend a little more as long as you get A TON more for your money, I'm good. Can't wait to come back.
The couple that owned were EXTREMELY accomodating.
Assab? Yeah, you're okay. I'd give you 3.5 if I could. But I can't, so I'm going with the 3.
I LOVE Ethiopian and Eritrean food. And I have spent a lot of time in the Horn of Africa, so this isn't just some trendy love of the food.
I feel like this was not the best, unfortunately. I mean, if you live in the neighborhood, and you're craving some shiro or tibs or whatnot, it's okay. But it's not excellent. The portions are big, but the food tastes hastily thrown together, and not as though it were cooked with love.
If you've not eaten a lot of food from the region, I think you'll like it, though. Not too spicey, not generally bad, just nothing to write home about either.
Yummy - this is where my 400th review goes to! So far this is my favorite of all the Ethiopian/Eritrean restaurants my boyfriend and I have eaten at. Granted, it's pricey, and out of the way (being in SF and all), but the quality and flavors of the food are delicious.
Easy parking across the street (street parking), and easy to find, the place is pretty clean and cheery. Service is a bit slow, but the food came out much faster than what I am used to at other Ethiopian restaurants. My boyfriend ordered the beef kitfo, rare, and also tried the honey wine, which had an interesting flavor (sweet, almost like a tea). I ordered the vegetable alicha, which was well flavored and saucy. The dishes also came with sides of lentils, which were VERY delicious and surprising. The injera bread is thin and light, and not as tangy as at other places.
Will be back!
Don't fool yourself with things like honey wine or beer that's from Ethiopia. These are just gimmicks that people who enjoy things like olaliberry wine or fried twinkies will tell you to enjoy. It's about the food. Go to BevMo if you want to be wowed by flavorings in liquids.
Anyways, the food. Other Ethiopian places pale in comparison to this place. The food is just excellent. I can't say more because there is nothing more to say. Also I haven't been there in a while.
Check out the pub that's on the same block, they have a great selection of whiskeys and scotch's.
This place was amazing. I accompanied my friends who have been here more times than they can count, so it was nice to have the expert opinion on what and how to order. We got so much food that i couldn't tell you what it was, but the whole concept of using sponge bread as dinnerware was pretty great.. Messy, yes. fantastic for 5 drunkies, yes. The owner was extremely friendly, and his wife came out to talk to us at the end of our meal.. such a great environment, i'd say for 20-somethings, families, or anyone really..
We went to the Pig and Whistle down the street while we waited (30 minutes on a friday night, not bad), so when we sat down we were hungry and didn't have to wait long at all for our food...
First time eating Eritrean food and i'm hooked...
If you don't like this place you are on crack. Consistent food and service for years now. Service can get dicey when it is in full swing, but otherwise, this is a 5 star gem.
Tip: Served family style, AND you eat with your hands. Make sure everyone in your party goes to the bathroom and does a proper wash first ;)
This place was recommended to us by my friend Azriel. I knew little about Ethiopian/Eritrean food,… Read more »
Nice! The food is pretty standard but tasty, and the prices seem low for all the exotic spices they probably use. Both the honey wine and Ethiopian beer that we tried were totally off the hook.
We got there around 6:30 on a Thursday and the place was pretty quiet. They were really accommodating about our reservation for 9, which throughout the course of the evening turned into a group of 4, 8, 10, and 12.
Good job, Assab.
I hadn't had Eritrean food since the summertime, so coming to Assab was a real treat. Since I go out every week with my friend to sample different cuisines, and since I am heading back to the East Coast for the holidays, I figured, "Hey, why not do Eritrean before I leave SF for vacation?"
We were deciding between Assab and Bamboo Village. Eritrean vs. Indonesian; my friend was craving Indonesian food more since he was under the impression that "Ethiopian food is too healthy-sounding for me tonight." But, we decided we would make our final decision if we got the chance to look at both menus. Assab didn't have a menu outside, so my friend wanted us to walk down to Bamboo Village (just a block away) to check them out first. Ah, but upon approaching Bamboo Village...the place was packed. It looked like there was a big party dinner, so the whole restaurant was full (the place wasn't so big anyway). So, by default, we went back to Assab (I really wanted Assab in the first place, so this was my victory).
Assab wasn't so busy at around 7pm; we sat by the window (bad idea on a cold night in SF!); we ordered the Vegetable Sambusa (fritter), the Meat Combo and the Vegetable Combo. It was my friend's first time to try Eritrean food, so he certainly was not aware that there were no silverware involved. When the main course came out (on a HUGE platter), my friend panicked a little at the thought of using his hands to grab the food. "It's not...sanitary?" he said. Meanwhile, I was fine with the idea and was already tearing away at the injera and dipping it into the food.
At first, my friend was eating the injera and meat/veg reluctantly with his hands. Then, he summoned our server and this conversation ensued:
Friend: "May I...have a spoon?"
Server smiles, shakes head "NO" and makes my friend gasp in astonishment. I knew he already felt embarrassed.
Server: "We don't have any spoons here, but I can go downtown and buy one for you if you want."
Friend: "Uh...uh...no, that's okay."
Server: "Are you sure?"
Friend: "Yes...yes, I'm sorry, I didn't know."
So my friend really believed that there were no spoons available, and settled for using his hands. He said he was "getting used to the idea" when the server came back and actually handed him a spoon. Then, my friend used the spoon the rest of the time we were eating.
Anyway, that was a fun/funny experience in itself. But onto the actual review--
Food: Great; I loved the spices/seasonings. I'm not quite educated in Eritrean food just yet, but I liked what I ate at Assab. The meat and veggie combos are great for those who aren't familiar with the different dishes yet.
Prices: Average for dinnertime; of course not as cheap as Chinese/Thai/Vietnamese places, but I'm under the impression that the prices at Eritrean places are a little more expensive ($10-$15) due to the experience and to the exotic nature of the food (please pardon me if I am wrong).
Service: The server and the cook were both very nice. Food arrived relatively quickly, and the server made sure to check up on us from time to time. Also, I liked his sense of humor.
Atmosphere: Not as dreamy/intimate as New Eritrea in the Sunset, but still a nice place for dinner. Seemed to accomodate groups okay; the place itself is smaller than New Eritrea though.
Location: Extra props for being super accessible from the Geary bus stops.
Overall, I really like Assab, and hope to be back in the New Year.
Great meal, but we were soooo full afterwards! As many mentioned, service is very slow here, but once you get your food, it doesn't really matter anymore because you'll be digging into your dishes with both hands!
This place NEVER disappoints.
I'm not so sure that it's authentic--I've never really had Eritrean food in Eritrea--but it's great. If I had to classify the food taste in terms of what I'm familiar, it would have to be a more intense version of indian food. I love that I have to eat with my hands out of an enourmous family style "thali".
YUM
I just found out that my friend's family owns this place! YEAH I love supporting family owned establishments--and you should too!
Thought it was excellent; I used to go to Cafe Colucci all the time in Oakland, and thought Assab was just as good. The service was fine, and the honey wine extremely potent!
Tip: make reservations in advance - I called 2 days ahead and the latest we could get in on a Saturday night was 6:30pm.
The best finger food you will ever have.
We got various beef, lamb, chicken, and vegetable wat (stew) and they all tasted great. The stew is similar to Indian stews and curries, but with a lighter and sweeter flavor.
If you order 3 or more entrees, it is served in a huge bowl that with an injera (spongy flat bread) layer on the bottom.
Injera is awesome! You tear off a little piece of it and use it to scoop up the delicious stew in the bowl.
Go now!
With the nice sweet honey wine on one hand and an ever smiling friendly waiter, being the first time in an Eritrean locale, we went for the safe bet, putting together the vegetable combination and the meat combination all on one giant platter of yummy...sponge?
Not used to eat with our hands, we dove into this rainbow of flavors and colors, sweet, sour, different types of delicious curry.....
I will definitely come back and have me some food fun again!!!
Neighborhood: Inner Sunset
Category: Ethiopian
Neighborhood: Mission
Category: Ethiopian
Neighborhood: Lower Haight
Category: Ethiopian
Neighborhood: Western Addition/NOPA
Category: Ethiopian
Neighborhood: Haight-Ashbury
Category: Ethiopian
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