Last night I took my Adventures in Eating small group to an Ethiopian restaurant in St. Paul called Faskia. We had a great time, as we always do, and the food was excellent! Now understand that you'll generally hear me say that about the places I take this group. That's because I do my best make sure that's the case first, and that's why I take the group there! Basically, I eat there first. This I call research!!!
Ethiopian food, though exotic, is rather uncomplicated. There is very little fat involved in cooking, meats are thoroughly trimmed and cleaned, and the ingredients are all fresh and natural, making Ethiopian food some of the most healthful in the world. Dried spice combinations unique to Ethiopian cooking lend a rich, piquant taste to many dishes.
Most dishes begin with a bread, but not in loaf form. It's a light, slightly spongy, pancake-like bread called injera. Injera is the staple of the Ethiopian diet and is placed first on the plate to hold whatever comes after. The dish may be chicken or lamb or beef or lentils, split peas, or other vegetables, simmered into a savory stew served over fresh injera. More fresh injera is customarily served on the side. The injera is torn off in small pieces and used to grab bite sized portions of the food, no utensils needed.
In the reminder email I sent out to my group, I gave them the clue that there would be no silverware. One couple in the group replied, "Yeah! Down with the silverware!"
I love it.
Fasika comes highly recommended and well reviewed for its authentic Ethiopian cuisine. It was a hit with my group for a good reason...it was really good! If you want to try it, I'd suggest going with a couple friends and sharing their ultimate combination platter. There also make a really good cappuccino!
RECOMMENDED!
Fasika
510 Snelling Avenue North, Saint Paul, MN 55104
651-646-4747
It was definitely really good...
Posted by: Leo | Tuesday, January 30, 2007 at 07:26 AM
Thanks for the recommendation. I have driven by that restaurant many times and wondered what it was like, but just never tried it. I guess I will have to make a point of doing so now.
Posted by: Danette | Friday, February 02, 2007 at 05:41 PM
Hey I went to Pizza Luce because I had to write a review and for some reason I thought of you. You can read the review in our blog.
http://leoandcarolyn.blogspot.com
Posted by: Leo | Thursday, April 05, 2007 at 12:03 PM