Ethiopia

My parents called me on Thursday and asked if I wanted to join them for dinner at an Ethiopian restaurant. I'm not going to lie. My first thought was, "What are we going to do? Just smell stuff?"

Honestly when you hear Ethiopian, is food the first thing you think of? If so you are definitely worldlier than I am. I don't know much about Ethiopia. However, the name calls to mind those sponsor a child commercials. More empty bellies and not a full one.

My dad was apparently the one that initiated the idea. Still unclear really how he came up with wanting to go, but that is where it stands. On my first week of challenging myself, my parents sort of challenged me. I don't know if they are reading this but it is sort of fitting. They were the ones that forced me to do Girl Scouts and that move, I can officially say after 20 years, was a good one.

The restaurant we went to is called Habesha on Crookshank. When we walked in the TV was blaring. I think we definitely caught them off guard, since no one else was in the restaurant.

The atmosphere was interesting. The seating was pretty standard. In the corner was a small stage with a stove burner and a tray of coffee mugs sitting close to the ground. The pictures on the wall seemed to be going for some sort of traditional look. The look and the feel of the restaurant really clashed though with the bar that was set up in the corner opposite to the stage. After a few moments of us sitting there the bartender turned on some lights behind the bar that kept changing colors, and music with a really prominent bass line. Think small village hut meets mid 2000s night club. You could tell that they were trying really hard. Still, they seemed to have missed their mark.

We ordered some very good coffee and then asked the waitress what she thought was best to eat. I sat with my parents and discussed day to day things, when a boy with a box caught my eye. He couldn't have been more than 6 and he was lugging a box his size behind him from the kitchen. "The only thing better than a toy is the box it came in," my dad said.

Truer words were never spoken. I have yet to meet a kid that doesn't love to climb into a box. To a kid, boxes have endless possibilities. They can be a car, a space ship, a boat, a house, or anything. I have a very vivid memory of hiding in a box my dollhouse came in while Mola Ram was ripping out hearts in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. The best Indiana Jones in my opinion, but that is neither here nor there.

The boy was shooed back into the kitchen as the waitress brought out our food. It reminded me of a painter's pallet. It was full of an assortment of different things to try. Half the names of which I am sure I would butcher if I tried to pronounce them. The bread that came with the dish reminded me of a sour dough crepe. Dad and I dug in using the bread as our utensil. Again this ironically calls to mind Temple of Doom and the scene of them eating in the village. The movie took place in India, I know. The thought just made me happy. There is something to be said about not using a fork.

While my father and I were well prepared to just dig in with our hands, my mother surprised me. Barbie, the woman who will push me to do things like climbing up the Statue of Liberty to the crown, refused to eat with her hands. She used a fork and her own separate plate. In traditional Schwendenmann fashion my father and I made fun of her for it. Even then she refused to bend.

The food was an amazing assortment of flavors and textures. The portion we got was a little much for three people. We ordered three entrees but could have easily gotten by with two. I still would have ordered all three of the ones we got if I had to do it over. It was nice being able to try so many different things.

Well after my belly was full I couldn't help but tell myself, "Oh, one more bite won't hurt." The whole dish is served on top of the same bread we were using to dip. The bread underneath soaked up all of the liquid from each of the courses. It was amazing.

In conclusion I would definitely go back there again. It isn't an everyday meal. I would only bring people there that I trust would not double dip. Even with the interesting atmosphere I had a good time.



Not the greatest picture of the outside. The camera on my phone kinda sucks.