Friday, January 27, 2012

Addis Abeba

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With the exception of the fabulous, boundary-bending African Taste, the Ethiopian restaurants of Footscray tend to toe the line of their traditional cuisine.  The differences and variations are still there, but rather than the brash contrast of primary colours, the differences you note are subtle, like the gradations of red in the sky of a shepherd's-delight summer night.

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I like many for different reasons but a firm favourite is Addis Abeba.  It's owned and run by Bitsat and Tesfaye, an Ethiopian celebrity couple of sorts - she's a famous traditional singer and he is an actor, writer and director.  The interior of the restaurant is homely and warm, the dusky scent of frankincense hanging thick in the air.

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Vegetarian combination, $12

I can never go past the veg combo.  This is served the traditional way, heaped directly onto the injera on a colourful platter.  From 12 o'clock, soft yellow lentils; meltingly soft cabbage; Bitsat's own creation, potato with berbere; rich red lentils with berbere spice (my favourite); potato and carrot, yellow with turmeric; and nutty, toothsome brown lentils.  If you have room, spring for the salad which is really delicious with a lemony dressing.

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Special tibs, $12

Special tibs are so good - tiny pieces of very tender lamb, cooked with onion in butter and scattered with green chillis for crunch and punch.  The doro wat is amazing too.  This celebration dish of chicken and eggs cooked in deep red berbere spice is only available here on weekends and Addis Abeba's is my favourite version anywhere in Footscray.  Bitsat explains the onions must be stirred continously for hours or they catch and create a burnt flavour.  This is the only version I've tried that doesn't have just a hint of slightly bitter charred onion.

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Plenty of injera for pinching up each greedy mouthful.  I also love the injera on the bottom of the platter which has soaked up all the juices.

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Addis Abeba very kindly hosted us for the photo shoot for this article.  Bitsat is gorgeous - the journalist told me he didn't like African food but with cheeky persistence she wouldn't let him leave until he ate at least one bite, explaining that in Ethiopian culture if you don't eat someone's food, it's a grave insult.  Trust me - you can't stop at one bite, and the only insult will be the way you bump both sides of the doorway as you stagger out, newly rotund but oh so delightfully stuffed.

Check Addis Abeba out in Epicure.  Thanks for the lovely company, Lauren of Corridor Kitchen!

Addis Abeba on Urbanspoon

Addis Abeba
220 Nicholson Street, Footscray (n.b. not Addis Cafe which somewhat confusingly is next door)
Phone:  9687 4363
Hours:  Lunch and dinner daily


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15 comments:

  1. Wow, your descriptions are so eloquant and knowledgable that I don't know what I'm going to write about!

    I thought the food was delicious, I'm still dreaming of injera back here in Sydney. I took my bro there the next day, he insisted on Ethiopian. Loved it.

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    1. ...and I got so excited by your post that I misspelled eloquent.

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    2. So glad you liked it, Lauren, and don't worry, food makes me excited too! Hope Shanghai Street Dumplings worked out well too.

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  2. Great find. Ethiopian food is something I don't have much experience of so it is time to get involved I guess. PS good use of the new Blogger reply function above!

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    1. Yes, I am LOVING the Blogger reply function. Footscray is packed with Ethiopian restaurants - I think there are about seven or eight! We are so lucky.

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  3. Lovely! I want to try that veggie plate!

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    1. Hi Anh!! If you come to Footscray in the near future, let me know and we can go.

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  4. Mexican, Lebanese, & African food is completely unfamiliar territory to me. Interesting and I remember loving the injeras, we should do an African meal again soon!

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    1. And I forgot to add: congrats on your photoshoot spread. You're a celebrity blogger now, yaaay!!

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    2. Haha don't know how 'celebrity' the local rag is but it was still fun. I would love to do an African meal! We need to get Lebanese pizzas one day too.

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  5. I'm definitely keen to try Addis...much closer to me than travelling to Flemington for African. Also want to check out African Taste, which I've seen you've given quite a wrap up!

    On a tangential matter...any chance you've heard anything about what's opening up at 48 Essex St West Footscray? I went past there this morning and had a sticky beak in the window...looks like the beginnings of a cafe...all recycled wood and metal stools, rather hip...could it be true??

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    1. I am praying, praying that it is a cafe!!! It looks sooo promising, although I wouldn't put it past Footscray for it to be a bloody hairdresser who just happens to want retro scales and a toaster oven. Yes do try Addis Abeba but be careful, the next door shop is called Addis Cafe so it can get confusing. African Taste rocks, they are such divine people and the berbere gnocchi is one of my top five dishes of all time. When I had a dental procedure recently, it was one of the first things I ate - so comforting.

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    2. Fingers crossed for the cafe! I don't need another hairdresser...just a place to get a coffee before 9am :) I'll definitely make sure we go to the right Addis.

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  6. I love Addis Abeba - it's just a little bit more more-ish than other Ethiopian around town. The kitfo (sp?) I shared last time with my sister and my cousin was gorgeous. If only I could convince someone to share the raw kitfo with me!

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    1. Big props nerms - it wouldn't be me sharing the raw kitfo! We did ask about one dish, gored gored I think, which was either raw or very rare. The owner said she only had it two days per week that were the "good" days for meat at Footscray Market. I can't remember what days they were though! It did make me think that they are sticklers for quality.

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