I’m assuming that the majority of girls envisage Valentine’s Day to include the clichéd Italian candlelit dinner accompanied by giant flowers and a bottle of moderately expensive champagne.
As a result, you can imagine my cynicism when my boyfriend announced that his plan was to ‘break the sickly couples’ trend’ by instead choosing to dine at an Ethiopian restaurant situated above a kebab shop situated in the heart of Manchester’s Gay Village.
Well, why not?
Habesha Restaurant & Bar, found on Sackville Street, pleasantly surprised me.
Admittedly, the entrance is slightly less than romantic, having to walk through a greasy fast food place to ascend the stairs.
But the restaurant above (while quite simple) is cosy and welcoming with atmospheric lighting, friendly staff, and interesting African décor.
AFRICA, AFRICA: Authentic decor makes for a welcoming atmosphere
We decided to start with some Ethiopian beer (when in Rome… or Africa in this case), which was tangy and delicious. The menu itself was quite sparse, limited to around nine meat dishes and one vegetarian dish.
Despite this, it’s proved difficult to choose favourites, from Beef Kitfo (Lean minced beef prepared with special Ethiopian butter and chili powder, at £6.50) to Yebeg Alicha Fitfit (Mild spicy lamb stew mixed with piece of injera, at £5.50). We decided on two dishes known as Doro Firfir and Yebeg Wot.
When the meal arrived, it consisted of two meat dishes followed by a large Ethiopian flat bread, which can only be described as a thick, savoury crepe.
A basket of rolled-up flat bread are your cutlery.
The idea is to dish out spoonfuls of the curried meats onto the giant ‘crepe’, (almost like a plate), and use the rolled-up bread to scoop up the meats (like a spoon). What the meal may have lacked in presentation it certainly made up for in originality.
CUTLERY CHALLENGE: Rolled flatbreads are to be used as spoons
The meats and dough were a heavenly combination. The Doro Firfir (Chicken cooked with hot pepper and spices mixed with injera, at £6.00) came on the bone in a dark curried concoction. It was so tender that it soaked into the flat bread, allowing the sharp curried flavours to melt into the mild sourness of the dough. The contrast in flavours was delicious – and most certainly moreish.
The Yebeg Wot (cubes of lamb meat cooked with hot pepper and spices, at £5.90) presented an entirely different range of flavours. It was curried in a much lighter, sweeter sauce, which allowed for a tangier taste.
Both meats were fairly spicy. If you sweat at the sight of a korma, you’re best avoiding the restaurant altogether!
Highlight of the meal was the sauce-soaked flat bread left for devouring at the end when all the meat had finally disappeared. Its sponge-like texture meant that every bite filled your mouth with residing flavours.
One negative would have to be that many of the dishes boast similar flavours. Rest assured, if you didn’t like your first you’re in for a miserable night. The flip side is, of course, if your first bite brought a smile to your face then get ready to loosen your belt.
And if you can’t appreciate the cuisine, you can at least appreciate the unique dining experience and enjoy a brief insight into the Ethiopian culture.
This is one we’ll be noting for a return visit.
Main image courtesy of Habesha, with thanks.
