Restaurant: Messob
Location: 1041 S Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90019. (323) 938-8827
Date: April 4, 2016
Cuisine: Ethiopian
Rating: Globby goodness
Los Angeles has a good sized Little Ethiopia over on Fairfax and a variety of food to choose from.
I recently tried out Messob, which is one of the top rated places in the heart of the district.
Messob has an attractive decor with neat wooden furniture and those woven two person tables.
Honey wine. We ordered a bottle of this Ethiopian beverage which I assume is made like mead traditionally from fermented honey. It was very pleasant, with a tasty apricot-like flavor.
Then we ordered the Super Messob Exclusive. This dish is served communally and eaten in without silverware but with that soft spongey thin Ethiopian bread (injera). This type of eating is apparently called Gursha. On this giant plater are:
Doro Wot. Chicken stewed in pepper sauce with an assortment of spices. This is the reddish drumstick in the foreground. Super tasty.
Siga Wot. Strips of beef, braised in red pepper sauce with assorted spices. The leftmost of the deep red dishes. My favorite!
Yebeg Siga Alitcha. Mild lamb stew, delicately spiced w/garlic, ginger and assorted spices. The greenish dish to the left of the vegetables in the front.
Yater Alitcha. Steamed peas with onions, seasoned with garlic and ginger. The yellow stuff.
Kitffo. Finely chopped lean beef w/spiced butter and mitmita (hot spiced chilies).
Tibs. Sautéed strips of Beef w/onions and green chilies. The beef on the right.
Yatakilt Alitcha. Steamed Vegetables with onions, seasoned with garlic and ginger. The foreground veggies.
Tomato Fit-Fit. Tomato tossed with injera. The pink/orange dish to the far left.
Yemisir Wot. Split Lentil in red pepper sauce, seasoned with assorted spices. The middle one of the deep red dishes. My favorite of the vegetables.
Collard Greens. Steamed and delicately seasoned with garlic and green chilies. The green stuff on the right.
Since Ethiopia is known for its coffee we figured we’d get some, although the place ended up like a small boutique Starbucks.
Iced caramel latte.
And a coffee.
All in all, a fun afternoon.