Lalibela

137 Fortess Road

London

NW5 2HR

I love Ethiopian food - something about the slightly sour injera bread that you use with your fingers to pick up bits of the dishes makes the whole dinner experience really fun. We had dinner with old friends and new friends so it was a nice mix of catching up and learning about people over an absolute feast. For six people, we ordered two mains (kitfo, a ground beef dish that can be served rare although we asked for it well done, and chicken and spinach wat, which was tender and delicious) and two combination platters. The two combination platters resulted in mild lamb wat, spicy lamb wat, spicy ground beef, fried potatoes, white cabbage, greens, mild lentils, spicy lentils, lentils with raw tomatoes and peppers and an okra dish. Everything tasted fresh and like it was cooked with care - I couldn't stop eating, even when the only thing left was the injera that was soaked through by the sauces from the dishes.

Afterwards we had Ethiopian coffee which they present with a little ceremony - first they wave the roasted beans in front of you so you get a good whiff of the scent, and then it comes in a pot with tiny little cups about the size of espresso shots. Definitely better with sugar, I think - it tasted like there were some spices mixed in, maybe cinnamon and cardamom? I don't usually have coffee but this stuff was so good I couldn't help myself. Mmm. Highly recommended.