Zembaba Restaurant: 838 Bloor Street West, Toronto

Zembaba Restaurant: 838 Bloor Street West, Toronto

Anyone who dines at an Ethiopian Restaurant will likely see an item of the menu- Cha Cha Tibbs, a sizzling lamb dish marinated with onions and peppers. At Zembaba Restaurant, we met Roman, the creator of this dish, which has gained popularity, appearing in Ethiopian eateries worldwide. Roman’s Grandparents personally cooked for the King of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie, so she comes by her talents in the kitchen honestly. My friend and I shared the tasty signature dish, surrounded by a flavorful array of vegetarian sides and dips. The meal was served in Naan, a moist, crepe-like Ethiopian bread, used to grab the food with ones hands. We washed it down with one of the four available Ethiopian beers, which was light, crisp and less than four bucks. Zembaba also offers “Traditional Ethiopian Coffee Service”, a ritual using a specially designed urn and pasteries on the side for sharing. Tasteful and traditional artwork adroned the walls and the spicy aroma added to the warm feeling of the small room. The service was excellent. We were taken care of by Roman herself, who was helpful, informative, friendly and very welcoming. The twenty dollars worth of tasty food, every bite a new experience, was more than enough for two people. 12pm-2am’

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Review by Melissa Peters


Queen of Sheba Traditional Ethiopian Cuisine: 1051 Bloor St W Toronto

We hope you will find this truly different and exciting dinning experience, breaking the same bread and eating from the same plate has social significance in the Ethiopian culture as they say it strengthens the bonds of friendship and personal loyalty. It is said that people who eat from the same plate will never betray one another. The cuisine of Ethiopia is based on an exotic blend of spices both robust and subtle. To help you make a choice, we offer these descriptions.

A part of every entree is the traditional bread of Ethiopia, injera, this large, flat slightly tangy pancake is both the serving plater and your utensil when eating Ethiopian style. Break a small piece and place it on the stew of your choice while simultaneously pinching with your fingers to pick up the amount you desire. The bread can also be used to soak up the savory sauce that is essential to every dish. What literally means stew. These hearty dishes are distinctive for their use of berbere, a favorite Ethiopia seasoning based on red peppers. Berbere is combined with niter Kibbeh (spiced up butter the Ethiopian way), and onions and numerous other spices to give the dishes an unforgettable flavor.

Alecha is the more delicately seasoned dish. alt does not contain berbere but is flavored mainly with niter Kibbeh and other more sutel spices.

Some entrees may be ordered fitfit-style which means that the the lnjera is delicately pre mixed in the stew served with additional lnjera for handling.

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