Ethiopian | Veggin' Out And About

Ethiopic In Washington D.C. – Ethiopian Food Doesn’t Get Better Than This!

Posted by Danielle Bussone on Dec 28, 2014 in DC, Ethiopian, Washington | 2 comments

Our second stop in our celebratory trip New York City, Veggin’ Out and About! visited Ethiopic in downtown D.C. By now you should be aware that we at VOAA have noses for Ethiopian cuisine and like hungry blood-hounds we single-mindedly pursue the scent to unearth some of the healthiest, most delicious food on the planet.

Ethiopic – Located Near Union Station in Washington, DC

As vegans we’ve learned that Ethiopian cuisine is always a safe bet. When visiting an Ethiopian restaurant it is never necessary to ask whether the vegetable dishes contain animal products; they won’t. Ethiopia has a long history of plant-based dining in their culture. Because of the numerous fasting days dictated by their church, in which no animal products are allowed to be consumed, animal-free dishes are a natural part of Ethiopian cuisine.

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Redi-et Ethiopian Cuisine: Serving Healthy and Authentic Ethiopian Food in Myrtle Beach, SC

Posted by Danielle Bussone on Mar 30, 2014 in Ethiopian, Myrtle Beach, Vegetarian/Vegan Friendly | Comments Off on Redi-et Ethiopian Cuisine: Serving Healthy and Authentic Ethiopian Food in Myrtle Beach, SC

by Joanne Beccarelli

Traveling away from home can be daunting for a plant-based eater. Therefore, the excitement I felt when I discovered the first Ethiopian restaurant in South Carolina was urgent enough for me to declare to my children that our first dinner out would be to Redi-et Ethiopian Cuisine in Myrtle Beach. My sales pitch to them was that we would have fun eating our meal without utensils, utilizing the traditional Ethiopian bread, Injera, instead, and everyone from the family vegans to my omnivore son would be able to dine deliciously.

Redi-et Interior

Located on the south side of downtown Myrtle Beach just where Route 501 meets Route 17, Redi-et Ethiopian Cuisine may catch your eye with colorful curtains displaying the red, green and yellow stripes of the Ethiopian flag. Inside was a somewhat simple but quaint atmosphere, empty except for one other table of diners. This had us a little leery at first but being a Tuesday night in mid-March, we were confident it would work out. We soon found that this is a gem amongst the plethora of mostly large chain and tourist styled restaurants in Myrtle Beach. Our assessment was confirmed after learning that the other diners were very happy regulars.

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Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony

Posted by Danielle Bussone on Mar 21, 2014 in Charleston, Ethiopian, I-26 | 0 comments

Nitsuh Woldemariam from Ethiopian Taste Food & Coffee in North Charleston, SC teaches us how to make traditional Ethiopian Coffee. Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee and is an integral part of Ethiopian culture. It has evolved into a ceremony of roasting beans on a fire, with incense burning in the background. The smell of incense alerts visitors that coffee is being prepared. Once the beans are roasted, the hostess takes the pot of beans around and each visitor inhales of the savory bean aroma before the coffee is made and the rich, sweet beverage is served. (I’m sad to report that this lovely restaurant is not longer in business.)

We are grieved to report that Ethiopian Taste Food and Coffee is no long in business. Ethiopian Taste Food & Coffee Brings Big Flavors To Charleston!

Posted by Danielle Bussone on Feb 18, 2014 in Charleston, Ethiopian, I-26, I-526, Vegetarian/Vegan Friendly | 2 comments

By Danielle Bussone

Ethiopian is one of my very favorite cuisines so you can imagine how excited I was to learn of a new restaurant opening in Charleston, SC, only two miles from where Rich and I stay when we visit the area. Ethiopian Taste Food & Coffee is located on Dorchester Road in a little strip mall just off exit 16A on I-526. Alas, our first visit occurred before the Ethiopian Taste Food & Coffee had actually opened their doors for business. Our next visit fell on a Monday when the restaurant is normally closed. Drat!

Ethiopian Taste Food & Coffee Exterior

The third time was the charm! We were welcomed by owner, Nitsuh Woldemariam, and her husband, Arega Kebede, who works as an engineer by day and restaurant host by night. Arega is excited about Nitsuh’s new venture and works along side his wife to help her to succeed. Ethiopian Taste Food & Coffee is not a fancy establishment. It is a cheerful, welcoming place where a family can spread out and get comfortable. The floors are painted concrete and Ethiopian pictures and artifacts adorn the walls. The food is prepared by Nitsuh’s mother and is comprised of longstanding family recipes.

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Roti Video from Taste of India, Charleston

Posted by Danielle Bussone on Jan 6, 2014 in Charleston, Ethiopian, I-26, I-526, Indian, Vegan | 0 comments

by Danielle Bussone

In this video Taste of India Restaurant in Charleston, SC demonstrates how to make Roti in a Tandoori style oven.

Dukem Ethiopian Restaurant, Washington, DC

Posted by Danielle Bussone on Jun 10, 2013 in Ethiopian | 2 comments

by Danielle Bussone

Dukem Ethiopian Restaurant is the oldest Ethiopian Restaurant in Washington, D.C and has been voted the best Ethiopian Restaurant in area newspaper polls for the past four years running. Dukem’s is located in the heart of D.C. and was the most expensive of the Ethiopian restaurants we visited. I suspect this has something to do with the high price of the real estate in this area of the city. The atmosphere is casual, there is a full bar and entertainment which is very loud. Once diners began to fill the restaurant, we could hardly hear each other over the din of customers and music. The entertainment consists of Ethiopian musicians and singers and runs from 11pm-3 am Fridays and Saturdays and until 2 am on Sundays. We arrived just as the Wednesday cultural show began from 7 pm-10 pm which includes Ethiopian drums, music and costumed dancers.

The prices ranged in combination platters from 4 vegetarian items for $12.00 to 7 items for $16.45. The choice of any single vegetarian plate was $13.25. The combinations contain selections of the usual Ethiopian fare, spicy split lentils, yellow peas, greens, cabbage, shiro, salad, chickpeas in a spicy sauce and/or potatoes in a spicy sauce. (more…)