Messob – Ethiopian Food

Little Ethiopia

One of the perks of living in the Los Angeles area is the food you get to try.  Only in the largest cities in the world will you get to sample from the cuisine of so many countries.  And because LA is the melting pot that it is, I was able to sample and enjoy Ethiopian cuisine for the first time ever!

I have driven thru “Little Ethiopia” many times, but have never actually stopped to eat there.  And it IS a very “Little Ethiopia”, taking up only a couple of blocks filled with restaurants and small shops.  This is where I met a couple of friends to have dinner and try it out.

Trying something new

We ate at a little restaurant called Messob.  The décor, atmosphere, and people seemed authentic (I wouldn’t know for sure, since I have never been to Ethiopia).  I got to sample a few dishes since the food is served family style.  And it is actually Ethiopian tradition to eat with your hands and feed each other.  We didn’t feed each other, but from this experience, it seems like meals in Ethiopia are pretty intimate and relaxed.

The food was served atop the Ethiopian bread called Injera.  Injera is a traditional Ethiopian bread made from teff flour, but can also be made from other wheat products.  It is spongy and soft and unlike anything I have ever eaten before.  The injera is also served on the side.  To eat your food, you tear off a piece of injera and use it as your utensil.

We got to try a chicken, lamb, ground beef, and lentil dish.  Each had its own unique flavor and spice.  The sauce on the chicken dish reminded me of Mexican mole sauce.  Very tasty.  Some of the Ethiopian food dishes definitely had a spicy kick to them.  I also got to try some honey wine.  And like it sounds, it is a sweet-light wine.  Easy to dink, but I think I would get a bad hangover from it if I drank too much.  Anyways, everything was delicious!  And I’m sad that I had been scared to try it out before.  I will have to eat it again some time.  If you ever get the opportunity to try it out, do it.  It is definitely an experience that you don’t get to have very often!