By KRISTIN DIZON
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Until I stepped into Habesha Ethiopian Restaurant, there was a concept in Seattle dining I hadn’t come across before: an all-you-can-eat Ethiopian buffet. Brilliant! I can only hope the idea will be replicated by others.
Owner Abiy Assefa comes from the same family that runs Queen Sheba, a Capitol Hill institution. He managed that restaurant for five years.
The six-dish lunch buffet is an excellent, filling deal at $7.95. It’s served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday in a lovely space, with brick walls, glowing paper lanterns, and a chic back-lit bar in warm orange tones and dark tables. The offerings change daily, but the restaurant, situated on the eastern edge of downtown Seattle, always serves three meat dishes and three vegetarian options.
On my visit, the doro wot was pungent in its red peppery berbere spices — a high-protein dish with chicken thighs and drumsticks surrounded by whole hard-boiled eggs.
The beef tibs wasn’t as tender as some, but the sauce of tomatoes, onions and spices hit a good note. For a milder alternative, there was lamb alicha in an herby, buttery sauce.
On the vegetarian side, there was a lentil dish, a scrumptious split pea entree and a mixed-veggie medley of cabbage, potatoes, carrots and onions.
A round tray of injera had been sitting out for a while, so the spongy bread was dry and chalky. Luckily, a heaping new tray of the house-made roll-ups appeared, and the bread was again fresh, warm and wonderful.
If you haven’t eaten Ethiopian before, injera is a platform for loading the saucy, stewlike main dishes. Traditionally, you eat with your hands, and they’ll show newbies the ropes. But they also give utensils upon request.
So far, the lunch crowd is pretty thin, making it the perfect time to support the awesome concept of an Ethiopian buffet.
Dinner prices are steeper, with entrees ranging from $8 to $14, but still quite reasonable. (For dinner, they validate parking at the adjacent Diamond lot.) There’s also a weekday happy hour from 4 to 7 p.m., with half-price appetizers and $1 off draught or bottled beer and well drinks.
Post-Intelligencer food critics arrive unannounced and pay for all meals and services.
HABESHA ETHIOPIAN RESTAURANT
PHONE: 206-624-0801
ADDRESS: 1809 Minor Ave.
HOURS: 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Monday-Friday; noon-midnight Saturday-Sunday
WEB SITE: habeshaseattle.com
FORUM
