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This is me eating there:
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! O OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!! MMMMMMMMMMMM!! OOOOOOOOOOOOO!!
This is me eating left overs:
Oh its still good! OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!
Food: 4.5 stars
Service: 3 stars
Ambiance: 3 stars
Overall: 3.5 stars
We haven't been here in a while, but since i made a list of Ethiopian places we've been to, i wanted to complete it with Mudai. The food was good. The atmosphere is more bare-bones and a homey eatery type of place (aka slightly ghetto).
We don't normally venture into San Jose but came down to meet some friends who were staying nearby. We got a bunch of different things and shared them family-style. Unfortunately I don't remember the names of any of them, but they were all very good.
The place has really low-key atmosphere, and they were really friendly to us even though we stayed past closing time.
This place is my go-to restaurant for Ethiopian food. I first learned about this place through Yelp and I agree that they are four stars. I would have given them five stars but for some reason I can't help but feel like an outsider every time I walk into this restaurant. I don't' speak the language and sometimes it's hard to get their attention to refill my water but one this is for sure, they make really good food.
I will continue to come here because of the food and the service is good enough.
Definitely the best Ethiopian place in town! I try to come here every other week or so. Whenever I'm out of town, I really miss this place...which says a lot since I'm on the road a lot and have access to great food. But this is real comfort food for me. The staff is really nice here and often I'm the only non-Ethiopian in the place. I've never gone wrong with anything I've ever ordered here
Hmmm, went to Mudai tonight and it wasn't nearly as good as the last few times. We ordered our usuals but they were all different in some way, and not for the better. My Kifta was good but I ordered it slightly cooked 'rare' instead of raw, but it was only warmly raw from what I could tell. I don't mind that but my friends wouldn't eat it. It sat mostly untouched except by me. My friend ordered her usual and it was a totally different color and taste from what she normally is served... weird. My boyfriends lean beef had some pieces that were very tough and some that were tender. He didn't finish it and that's saying a lot.
I'd been craving Ethiopian for a while and it was my boyfriend's first trip to try this type of cuisine. Unfortunately, we probably won't be back unless invited in a group. Some of it was good but enough of it was off to turn us off to it.
I'll only knock off 1-star in case this was just a bad night for them. Oh and, service is still extremely friendly but extremely slow. Expect that in an Ethiopian joint from my experience. Ask for your bill when you're ready. (I don't mind that either.)
Might see ya there.
Mundai is a nice little Ethiopian restaurant that's almost hidden on San Carlos. I've tried other… Read more »
Mudai is closer to my apartment than Zeni, and it's almost (though not quite) as good. The atmosphere is casual, the vegetarian options are plenty, and the food is delicious. When I go with just one other person, we generally get the vegetarian combo with foule. Mmmm.... My favorite is the mesir wat (red lentil dish). It's a little spicy, but not so spicy that it overpowers the other flavors in the food.
Service at Mudai is friendly but not overly attentive. I've never felt rushed out the door.
Kinda in a sketchy area, but worth it to taste some great Ethiopian food. I split with a friend some collard greens and lamb. The injera was really good, and everything was flavorful and well done. The service was excellent as well!
Food: 4 stars
Service: 3 stars
Ambiance: 2 stars
Overall: 3 stars
Gojo up the street is a better bet but this place is definitely worth trying out.
In the past I've been less than eager for Ethiopian food. Typically I feel unwell afterward (unknown allergy?) and when sharing some type of combo plate with friends, it seems like there is never enough food.
Nevertheless, I decided go out with my friends to Mudai (they had been previously and enjoyed it very much), but I wasn't expecting much.
I shared a beef tibs on a plate with my friend's order of lamb tibs. The other friend had a separate plate with a vegetarian offering.
The beef seemed fresher and more tender than the lamb. I did not try any of the vegetarian offering. Both the tibs had nicely cut chunks of meat win a tasty sauce with bell peppers and onions. The dishes were nicely spiced, with a slowly increasing, but never painful, level of heat. The injera bread had a good texture and was very tangy. Possibly too tangy, as it definitely did not wilt and made itself known in a mouth full of tibs and bread.
I also had two orders of the ginger lemon tea. Even though it was not quite what I was expecting and did not taste especially gingery to me, it was good nonetheless.
And in contrast to previous Ethiopian experiences, I did not feel ill, and the quantity of food made me pleasantly full. My vegetarian friend, unfortunately, did feel ill with some sort of intestinal cramps afterward. This makes me curious as to whether there is something in Ethiopian vegetable dishes that people might be sensitive to.
The atmosphere was plain. The service was friendly and accommodating. The prices were good. The food was tasty. I'll be back.
Whenever I eat Ethiopian food, I never want to say, "Oh I've been spoiled with ______ restaurant, so it's hard to appreciate anything else". Growing up with parents who DID say, "There are starving children in Ethiopia, finish your fucking food," eating at these restaurants helps me to not only appreciate other cultures and the dishes they create, but also that I shouldn't be leaving any food on my plate.
I don't know if it's the norm to not heat the lentils, because at the last two places in SJ I've been to they didn't--but they do at Assab in SF. No matter--the injera was the perfect consistency; light and airy, and paired perfectly with the meat/veggie combination plate we ordered.
I don't understand why The Boy said he can eat a lot--he left some on the plate! So I ended up taking it home, because really, there isn't a bigger faux pas I can think of than leaving food on your plate at an Ethiopian restaurant.
This restaurant is pretty good, I went there with my friends who had never had Ethiopian food before and they were up for quite an experience. We really enjoyed the food.
The service was okay. There was only one waitress for the whole restaurant on a Friday night, so we had to wait a little.
Thanks Jan P for taking me here! The food was great and unlike other Ethiopian restaurants, the food came out fairly quickly.
I fell in love with the fava beans... spicy, but not too spicy. It's so hearty and without any meat! The lentils and the collard greens were good too, but I still like Zeni's better.
I'm still trying to get more of my friends to try Ethiopian food! It's so good and it's fun when you go in groups. Who says you can't eat with your hands?
The only downside to the restaurant is the lack of parking.
My husband brought me here a week or so ago when I was craving some yummy Ethiopian food! I was not disappointed!!
We got the vegetarian platter that was super good! Just enough too! Some places over serve, but there was enough to fill us both.
We had a very nice waitress, I forget her name though! It didn't matter that it was a Monday night and busy, which was another reason I was impressed! Not too many restaurants are filled on a Monday night and still have amazing service!
Great lemon/ginger tea too!
Also, the owner was out and about greeting the costumers, it was very nice to meet him and to see that some restaurants still have hands on owners that take pride in their restaurants! Mmmm i think we will be there tomorrow for dinner!!
It's hard to find Ethiopian food that's amazing that is not beef or lamb, so it became our task to seek out a restaurant in the south bay that had good chicken and veggie options. We definitely found a home with Gojo-- what I consider to be the best.
But, every once in a while you want to venture out. So, tonight we tried Mudai... and I don't regret it. We ordered their one and only chicken dish with chicken breast. It's soaking in a spicy, red sauce and has a hard boiled egg inside. We also ordered the veggie combo, in which had 4 of the 6 or so veggie options from the menu.
Overall, I found the food to be very spicy (BIG bonus) and we didn't even ask for it that way. My sensations were tingling with happiness and the baby in my belly was kicking for joy as I ate! The chicken was almost equally good to that of the Doro Tibbs that we always get at Gojo. The veggie options I wasn't overly impressed by, as some of them didn't have as much depth of flavor as I'm used to and the collard greens were too spicy, where as I always expect them to be creamy. Regardless, our choices were good and we certainly cleaned up the enormous plate. The prices, also, were higher than we would pay at Gojo.
I will definitely go to Mudai again, as the food options were good. I do recommend the chicken and the lentils OR the ground chickpeas were all good and we'll order again.
It's a hole in the wall. African cloth covers the windows, keeping some of the sun out~ but there's no AC and on a hot summer's day, the air is stifling. I ordered the lamb tibs sandwich for $5.99, and my friend ordered the normal lamb tibs entree for $10.99. Service is slooow... it took us quite a while to get our food.
"Lamb tibs" turned out to be dry little nubs of lamb meat served with slivers of sauteed onion and bell pepper. Mine were sandwiched between two slices of buttered bread, whereas my friend's were served in spicy sauce on a large, spongy, taro-colored crepe. Extra crepes came on the side (you're supposed to use them to pick up the meat) and I tried one--they have a slightly sour flavor.
We also ordered Tej (a thick, heavy honey wine) for $3.70 and "Ambo Wuha" (an imported Ethiopian mineral water) for $2.78. The total bill for two~ around $26. The one thing that bothered me is that the waitress charged me a dollar more for my sandwich than the price listed on the menu. I didn't say anything~ it's not worth causing a scene over $1~ but I felt it was dishonest.
The verdict: This was my first time trying Ethiopian food... I can't tell if I don't like the cuisine in general or if it's just this particular restaurant. If the predominant ethnicity of the customers is any clue, then Mudai *is* authentic~ almost everyone else at lunch appeared to be African immigrants. For a more enjoyable experience I recommend dropping by at night when it's cool and grabbing some appetizers over endless goblets of honey wine...
My bf and I were a little iffy on eating at a place where you don't use utensils, but ever since having this delicious Ethiopian place, we don't use utensils at all anymore! (Threw them out completely!) For some reason all the food taste extra, mighty tastier with our hands!
We always order the veggie combo and the chicken doro wot (spicy chicken with this red sauce). We usually take it out and have a feast at the house. Than after we lay around trying to breath, about an hour later we want more. This is typical when we have our Ethiopian night.
A lot of people would consider the neighborhood "colorful," but I live not too far away, so maybe I'm a little more brave than some. Since my favorite Ethiopian restaurant on The Alameda was revamped into yet another crappy taqueria, I guess Mudai is my new favorite by default.
My favorites are always collard greens and lentils. The tibs were excellent, very tender. Everything but the cabbage, potatoes, and carrots (bland!) were perfectly seasoned with just the right amount of heat. I didn't find the injera to be more sour than other places as some have commented, but that may be just me.
Minus one star for the insanely slow pace with which we were served. They can't get more than one poor woman to serve as hostess, server, busboy, and cashier? We were the only people in the restaurant who got anything other than coffee, and although they did have a steady line of takeout orders, it still took us close to 30 minutes to get our food. And then it took a long time to pay. We will go back, but only if we have an entire afternoon to kill, just in case!
This was my first time eating Ethiopian food, but thankfully I had a savvy gourmet with me who helped me understand what I was eating!
We ordered a vegetarian sampler with a side chicken dish. The food was plentiful, but expensive for lunch - it would be nice to see some smaller portions offered on a lunch menu.
I really enjoyed all the dishes, but the lentils and chicken dish were best in my opinion. The injera was good and definitely added an interesting flavour to the other dishes (I tried them all without the injera too, to see how the flavours worked together).
Service was slow - although there wasn't much of what struck me as a "lunchbreak from work" crowd - and the ambiance definitely is more "hole in the wall" in feel. I did like the pictures from Ethiopia on the walls, but think the place would benefit by more of the traditional tables set-ups vs vinyl chairs and linoleum topped diner tables.
Our table was clean, the waitress caught an issue with the food before serving it and took it back to fix whatever was the problem, and leftovers were packed up for me to take home (although in a rather willy-nilly way into one take-home carrier).
I'd come back to try other dishes, but not for lunch - too pricey, too much food for one meal, and too far for walking to at lunchtime from where I work in downtown (corner of Almaden and Santa Clara).
First impression when walking in was a real hole in the wall. However, over half the customers were black so it passed the sniff test for authenticity...
The selection here is quite small, but the food here is excellent - really tasty. The injera bread could have been a little fluffier but overall the meal was great.
They also have at least 6 Ethiopian beers - wow! Harar, Hakim, Castle, Meta, St. George, and another one I don't recall. My favorites are the Hakim and St. George.
This place also has a backroom of sorts with a pool table -- oops, were you supposed to know that? Watch out Zeni's! I'm going here on weekends...
The Vegetarian Combo dish was very good. One of the items were a bit salty, but it was still very delicious.
I love that authenticity of this place. In the kitchen were Ethiopian workers. The waitress was Ethiopian as well. (She was wonderful.)
The waitress asked if I ever had Ethiopian food. I replied yes and she smiled. The service here was excellent. The waitress was very humble and always made sure we had everything we needed. Her smile added to the appeal of the place.
If I want to introduce any of my friends to Ethiopian food. This place would be the first stop!
Plus this place closes at 10pm! Which is great for all of you who eat later (But beware, they close on Tuesdays!)
It was my first time eating Ethiopian food, but I gotta tell you...it was BOMB! I was introduced to this food by my friend and it was totally different from anything Ive ever eaten. The sour dough bread is super delicious. The food is pretty spicy and has a unique smell like Indian curries for those who like spices - A mixture of meats and vegetables. You can even sit in these small private rooms and also has unique seatings if your with a date. Get ready to dine with your fingers instead of silverware!
beware: food does not look substantial but you will be surprise how much it will fill you up so don't order too much.
The only con of this place is that serving takes FOREVER! (atleast 10-15 minutes even when its not too busy)
Found another great little Ethiopian place that is closer for me than Addis. This one is slightly more expensive, perhaps by a dollar per meal than Addis. My friend and I shared the Vegetarian combo platter which is the same 4 dishes that Addis prepares. The red lentil dish is absolutely wonderful! The yellow (chickpeas?) dish would be very good if it wasn't too spicy for my taste. My friend enjoyed it. The other two are unexceptional but still edible. The injera (spongy "crumpet-pancake" bread) is less tangy/sour than at Addis, that is not a good or bad thing, just different. The plate of food was about $12 for two people. I couldn't even finish because I was so full. Yum!
I had never had Ethiopian food before so I didn't know what to expect, but I have an adventurous spirit (and stomach!) and LURVED Mudai's...
From the outside it looks like nothing special, and from the inside it's even more simple.. here you won't find the votive candles, mood lighting--- or utensils for that matter! (you're supposed to eat with your hands)---no, what you'll find here is honest service and a restaurant that takes pride in sharing a bit of their culture with others.
My lunch companions and I all shared the # 2 beef (not spicy) and a veggie platter which we devoured... we sopped up all the yummy juices with the bread they provided (the bread was completely different from anything I have eaten.. it's rolled thin and is somewhat sticky and sour... eaten alone it didn't do anything for me but combined with the entrees it was an excellent compliment).
Even the coffee was delicious and much needed after all that food... I saw an interesting selection of Ethiopian wines and beers that I REALLY wanted to try but couldn't because I was working (hi boss!)...
Definitely recommended and if I'm in the South Bay again I would like to return.
This was my my first experience with Ethiopian cuisine, and I was not at all disappointed. The service was exceptional and they provide a comfortable, relaxed atmosphere.
The vibe in the restaurant is mellow, and the food was spicy and tasty. We ordered way more than we could actually eat, and took the rest home for leftovers. Be careful if you're sensitive to spicy food, this place was not "American-spicy", they don't hold back at all if you tell them to bring it on.
Street parking in front, I couldn't find any spots so I parked across the street at a fast food place, no problem.
good mix of meat and veggie dishes - plus
Spicey, flavorful, zesty great food - plus
friendly staff - plus
My 7 year old gets to eat with his fingers without getting yelled at - big plus
great cup of coffee to help with the massive food coma - pu-lu-suess
hell... my 7 year old said the food was almost as good as the sprite I let him have... he doesn't get a lot of sprite, so that a big compliment. All 3 of my kids loved it, I will be back again.
So, through paroozing the options on http://restaurants.com, my girlfriend and I decided to check this place out. I am neither well-versed in Ethiopian food, nor in how it should or should not taste. As a result, my review of the food will be limited to my personal subjective taste, and other objective qualifiers (presentation, the food matching the description, etc.). Service, booze, and over-all atmosphere will also be assessed. ENJOY:
The Place:
Definitely not glamorous (g, to the l, to... never mind), but if you're strictly looking for food for food's sake it will work. I would not suggest this place for your stereotypical candle-lit, ambience-induced fancy date. I will say, however, it was clean, comfortable, and not too loud.
The Service:
A lot of the 4 stars goes to the service. Our server was kind, patient (my dumb ass couldn't figure out addition so we had to send her back like SEVEN times, but she came back w/o an attitude), and even though our coupon did not match the required 50 dollars to get 25 dollars off, she charged us as if it did, saving us about 22 dollars. She could, and the management could have as well, simply said, "Sorry, you only got to 47 bucks- either buy something else, or pay 47 bucks." They did not, and that adds up to integrity in my book.
The food:
Like I said above, I'm not in-the-know when it comes to Ethiopian food. With that, I will remark that it was tasty, appropriately spicy, and very, VERY filling. A couple of dishes provided me with leftovers for a while, and it was still very good.
The booze:
Ethiopian beer- tasty Tried the stout, and it was very satisfying. Almost reminiscent of Smith's Oatmeal Stout.
Honey Wine- I have seen a lot of praise. Perhaps both me and my girlfriend were not in the right mindset, but with all due respect, this was terrible. Cheap, yes, but terrible. Probably laden with higher alcohol content, sure, but terrible. And trust me, I am a human waste basket of all drinks unwanted.
Avoiding the "leaving-on-the-sour-note-for-a-good-review" move, I will say that with the service and quality of the food I would definitely suggest this restaurant to those looking for good Ethiopian in San Jose!
i liked it a lot. I was a huge fan of Shebele in downtown Campbell before they closed and this place is fast becoming my new place for Ethiopian food.
Very much like Mexican food, Ethiopian is very much a comfort food. Awesome during cold nights.
Seeing that this is my first Ethiopian dining experience, I'm almost hesitant to give 5 stars. But, I thoroughly enjoyed myself and so why not?
Ambiance: Really chill, no one cares or stares at you guys for being the only Asian people there.
Decor: Hole-in-the-wall. Love it!
Food:
Kitfo - ground beef in spiced butter, hot pepper, cardamom, with cottage cheese.
Tibs Special - spicy beef stew with okra
Injera - nice sourdough taste
Service: Can be somewhat slow, but there was only one waitress.
Price: For the two dishes $21! And with so much leftovers!
We told them that we like spicy, but I still think they were conservative. Injera is used as utensils and dishes are served family style with the stews shared on one plate. I'm so hooked and ready to go back and try more!
By far the best Ethiopian spot in this town. Me and my husband have been going to Mudai since it opened. He have always had the best food, great service, and all for a reasonable cost.
I love every dish on the menu. The Ethiopian Beer is yummy and the honey wine, Tej, is great.
I like this place. Tasty foule, tasty vegetarian combo, and nice variations on tea (ginger with lemon? Don't mind if I do!).
ETA: This has become my favorite Ethiopian place in the area. Try ordering the timatim fitfit hot. It's different, interesting, a ton of food, and above all, delicious! If you order things spicy, they will make (at least some things) a really nice spice level (red lentils and hot timatim fitfit especially).
Just a note to be proactive in dining here: seat yourself and ask for the check when you need it; they won't necessarily just bring it to you.
Edit 5/14/07: One, I am in love with their coffee. no milk. Two, they are closed on Tuesdays as of this week. Three, we have added the ater kik (spicy) to our regular repetoire of things to order and stuff ourselves silly with. It is not the same as the red lentil dish that usually comes with the veggie combo. It is delicious!
Edit 10/24/07: Still love this place to pieces, I just wanted to come back and say that I feel like they've really upped the ante since we started coming here and the service is excellent, especially considering it's usually just one (very nice) lady dealing with what seems like more and more people. Besides that, we come here enough that she pretty much knows when to bring us a to-go box and the check.
This is seriously one of the best places to eat in San Jose. I've been here a few times, but it's never enough. I just read over their menu again so I can salivate while I wait for my lunch hour to come.
The vegetarian plate is top notch, especially with a few friends to share. If I'm solo, I usually get the Foul, which is just otherworldly. Never have garbanzo beans been so delectable as they bounce across my palate!
I've yet to try the beer, but the Tej I've had once was surprisingly light and tasty!
Also, they're open some oddball hours, which is worthy of another star alone. I can't wait to round up some friends and head back!
There is no shortage of Ethiopian restaurants in the area (funny how there aren't any Eritrean ones). They are all undercapitalized and I'm sure some of them are going to disappear, but for now enjoy the plentiful choices we have!
Mudai enjoys the 2 recent reviews in the SJ Mercury News. The owner grabbed the latest one from me that I used to find the place.
The outside is kind of scary and the insides feel like a former run down Mexican Taqueria, but the good smell coming from the place is definitely Ethiopian. Hopefully as they become more successful they can do a restaurant upgrade (maybe apply to the Restaurant Makeover show on cable).
The Tea here is unique in that the add honey & ginger to the cardamin. Went with the lamb tibs and the veg combo platter.
The food is nice and SPICEY! Almost too much for me, but my lunch partner loved it!
Thanks to everybody on Yelp, my first foray into Ethiopian food was fantastic! Mudai is a delightful little restaurant with none of the assumptions you'd get at a lot of other eateries around San Jose.
The interior is simple and clean. The Ethiopian music videos in the background are mesmerizing. And the clientele is friendly and diverse--Ethiopian women and their children enjoying dinner, a table full of Latino men enjoying coffee and tea, and folks of all sorts of backgrounds huddled over a scrumptious plate of food.
My wife and I had the vegetarian combo and the Tibs. It was so much food, we couldn't even finish it. The chickpeas were flavorful, and the lentils cooked just right. The meat had enough spicy kick for both of our palates, but not so much that I started sweating! The injera was moist with a little tang.
The owner came to talk with us as well, which was really nice. I'm sure he appreciates all the business he's getting from Yelp! The whole experience was awesome. We'll definitely be back.
The only drawback was the Ethiopian Red Wine we ordered. It obviously hadn't just been opened, and had already soured. At first, we thought maybe that was just the way Ethiopian wine tasted, but eventually we decided it was just old. That and the fact that I haven't eaten at any other Ethiopian restaurants gives Mudai four stars (though I reserve the right to give the fifth if the other places don't match up!)
I came here after reading about it in the SJ Mercury's top 10 restaurant list.
I stepped into the restaurant and felt like I was straight up in Ethiopia. The clientale, the decor, the service, even the beer...seemed imported.
It was intimidating but wonderful. And the four of us proceeded to dig in to the huge spongy wrap that served as the edible platter for all our dishes.
I don't give 5 stars lightly. This means that they did everything right and nothing wrong. They were clean, friendly and had great food.
I went here because of yelp and the great reviews didn't disappoint. We walked in about 15min before closing and was expecting to be turned away. I really wouldn't have blamed them to much had they done it.
The hole-in-the-wall, couldn't-really-find-it-unless-you-knew-where-it-w as, simple set up only added to the atmosphere. It's small, comfortable, homey and had great food.
Service was immediate, even though the restaurant was about half full. Mains were anywhere from $6 - $10. Beer was $2.50. We ordered the Foul, which is a bean and vegetable paste with chili powder and sour cream. You eat it with baguette-type bread. It's fantastic. It has a bit of a kick but not so much that it's going to burn your mouth off. If you like spicy food, it's only medium hot. But the Foul, which, I'm sure, is the most standard, everyday food in Ethiopia, is fantastic. We also ordered the Key Tibs, which is beef marinated and cooked in all sorts of spices. It's served with Injera - that foamy pancake/bread thing. The meat is great and the spices make it even better. I loved both dishes and was soooooo stuffed afterwards.
The best surprise was the beer. The Ethiopian beer was smooth and almost sweet. It took the kick right off of the spiciness lingering on your tongue. I really suggest it.
Because we were the last to leave, the owner of the place came out with a beer and just sat by us and chatted. He wanted to know where we were from, how we had heard about the place and we actually talked about yelp for a while. He talked about his time in Ethiopia and Sudan and was generally a nice and friendly guy. It made the restaurant even better. One thing that he said stuck with me, which was that people don't even want to try Ethiopian food because it's so different from other things. It's messy, mushed up and smells different. It's loaded with spices and is just generally different. It's sad that there are people out there who aren't going to try something new just because it's new and different. Now I say, to anyone who wouldn't try this because of the way it looks or any other reason, just go and try it. Wimps.
This place is a great find. Just try it and you will love it.
OK, this was the second night of Ethiopian food, and the result tonight was wonderful. If I thought Queen of Sheba was good, this place was excellent.
My friend A. wanted Ethiopian again tonight, but we decided to see what else was out there, and according to other reviews on Yelp, this was the place to go. The interior is a bit bare, but still much nicer than Queen of Sheba, but the food and service is what makes it so wonderful. Service is very quick and friendly.
I had the beef Tibs, spicy beef stew chop of tender beef simmered in hot red pepper sauce and seasoned butter, with exotic spiced added, and a side of the Alicha Atkilt, a combination of cabbage, carrot, potatoes & onions; simmered in oil or butter (admittedly, I liked this dish better at Queen of Sheba). This was served with injera, a sour flat bread, and I liked that this was more sour than what I'd had the night before.
A. order a special, a combination of Kitfo, ethiopian steak tartar from selected lean inside ground beef, seasoned with spiced butter, cardamom & powdered hot pepper, served raw or leb-leb [rare] or tibs [well done] served with homemade cottage cheese that was mixed with collard greens. He definitely seemed to enjoy both of our dishes.
My only disappoint with the menu was that there was no combination that lets you try a little of everything. I will definitely be going here again, and next time I'm going to get the lamb Tibs, which is even better, according to our waitress.
I've never had Ethiopian food before, but this was such a great first experience.
You get SO much food...there was 5 of us and our bill was just over $30, and we were FULL...we probably ate more than we actually should have.
They have a lot of vegetarian fare, and the bread is in abundance. The spiciness level was perfect.
I can't wait to go back here.
"Kitfo, raw. Yes, my respectable white honky friends know what they're getting into."
And now, a poem describing the dining experience.
Injera, mm! how pleasantly sour.
Gomen increases my killing power.
Kitfo could not be any softer,
Warm and rich with yummy butter.
Spices lovely, not overwhelming.
Unasked-for salad, palate-cleansing.
Honky friends get full too fast;
Too much bread in their repast.
But it's not over, I declare,
until the plate is no longer there!
Service present, unobtrusive.
$36 for 3 diners, all-inclusive!
I have had cozier Ethiopian dining experiences, so if they upgraded their Coze Factor a bit, they'd be an easy five stars.
Kitfo rating: 4.5/5
Injera: medium color, medium sourness
You can smell the mouthwatering aroma from across the street!
Anyway, I normally hate eating with my hands, and the lamb dish we got was slightly gamey for me, but I still love this place for the beef and veggie dishes! They have Ethiopian wine too.
It's so much fun sharing a giant dish full of seasoned meats and veggies with your friends! And everything tastes good on that sponge bread. The portions are large and very inexpensive. The service is very friendly as well =)
San Jose, CA
Category: Ethiopian
San Jose, CA
Category: Ethiopian
San Jose, CA
Category: Ethiopian
San Jose, CA
Category: Ethiopian
San Jose, CA
Category: Ethiopian
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