Addis Red Sea

One of the biggest advantages of moving to Boston is the opportunity to discover the exotic cuisines that simply where not available in rural Mexico where I grew up. Sure, my hometown is an amazing place to eat and has uniquely succulent takes on everything from Sushi to hot dogs but honestly when was I going to get the chance to experience the wonders of Ethiopian cuisine? Sure, I could call an injera a tortilla, a sambusa an empanada and Lega-Tibs a bistek ranchero but honestly eating Ethiopian is a hard experience to substitute.

And there is no substitute for Addis Red Sea on Tremont Street. As soon as you enter you are surrounded by friendly wait staff and eye catching African art. Whether you are seated upstairs or in the basement you can count on the traditional woven tables and attentive service. For appetizers it is easy to recommend the savory beef or lentil filled sambusas, since everybody loves a spicy warm pastry. The only problem is that at $6.95 the price seems a little steep. Actually you might want to split a plate of Ayib Begomen instead. This dish consists of creamy cottage cheese mixed with collard greens and chili powder. It is simultaneously spicy and cooling and a better value than the Sambusas.  

And speaking of value I highly recommend the Addis Red Sea special combo if you are on a date with another person. The combination comes with Doro Wot, Doro Alcha, Lega Tibs, Zenge, House Salad, Gomen Wot and more injera than you can possibly ingest. The Doro Wot (chicken) is tart and savory, combining lemon, butter and nutmeg with onion, garlic and ginger. The Doro Alcha is chicken in butter, onions and garlic. It its one of the few dishes that will allow you to take a break from the spice that dominates everything else but at the same time it seems comparatively plain. The Lega Tibs stew is excellent, not too gamey and full of a rich dry spice that is earthy and soothing. Zenge appears nowhere else on the menu and this is a real shame, as it tastes like a perfect pulled beef in red chili sauce. It is fiery with a slow buildup and is of course packed with the same savory spices that round out most of the entrees. The house salad is just a fresh mixture of chopped raw tomatoes, onions and spicy peppers. Honestly I use it as a condiment when I’m eating, kind of like a pico de gallo. Lastly you’ve got the Gomen Wot, one of my favorite dishes on the platter. This dish consists in a hearty scoop of pureed collard greens that are rich and dense with savory spices and chili. Here more than anywhere else can you taste the delicate properties of cardamom and the wonderful edge that ginger gives to things. On another visit I substituted this dish for the Atakilt or mixed vegetables but honestly that medley of green beans, potatoes, carrots and onions doesn’t stand up to the outstanding collards.

Your drink options are plentiful including one of my favorite South African varietals Goats do Roam. Still if you are going to order wine you should really try a traditional Ethiopian honey wine such as elsa addis tej mild. This wine pours pale yellow and smells of honey, spices and grassy hops. On the tongue it is not cloyingly sweet, the flavors of cinnamon and lemongrass make it much more than just a honey flavored beverage. If you are in the mood for beer instead I can recommend the Harar lager but even more so the Hakim Stout, which lends itself wonderfully to the type of food.  Desserts are available but honestly I’ve never had enough room in the end to order one.

Whether you are entertaining friends from out of town or if you want a nice romantic spot for a date I cannot recommend Addis Red Sea enough. It’s both friendly and foreign, both familiar and exotic. And most of the waitresses are really cute, but make sure you don’t mention that on your date.