I hate going hungry to any kind of museums, zoos or theme parks because I just cant stand the standard pizza, hot dog, chicken nuggets fare that is served up, all across America.
So imagine my surprise when I walked into this:
I hate going hungry to any kind of museums, zoos or theme parks because I just cant stand the standard pizza, hot dog, chicken nuggets fare that is served up, all across America.
So imagine my surprise when I walked into this:
Asmara, (named after the capital of Eritrea) has been serving up Eritrean/ Ethiopian delights in North Oakland since 1985.
What begins with a rather mediocre facade opens into a roomy, inviting space with cute touches of ethnic décor.
The food is pretty good overall though in certain dishes I felt like there was something missing – perhaps something in the spices they use. Their injeras were very good and we were given plenty of them.
The service is a little slow but overwhelmingly warm and friendly.
All in all – Asmara is a really good bet!
Here is some of what we ate:
POTATOES & CARROTS AND SALAD
The potato and carrots combo and salad are usually served on the shared plate with an injera at the bottom. I thought the potato dish was very bland and devoid of spice and flavor. The salad was nice and crunchy and went very well with the rest of the meal.
TEMTMO/ YEMISSIR
This red lentil stew marinated in berbere sauce was very good. It really had great depth of spices and flavor.
DORO AND GOMEN
This boneless chicken cooked with mustard greens was outstanding. The chicken was cooked down to a perfect tenderness, which melded really well with the cooked greens.
SHIRO
This roasted grounds peas cooked in berbere sauce is one of my favorite Ethiopian dishes. I found Asmara’s shiro very lacking. It was disappointing.
TEBSY
This dish had pan-roasted strips of beef, simmered with onion, butter, and mild spices.
MY RATINGS FOR THIS MEAL
Food: ☆☆☆
Service: ☆☆☆
Ambiance: ☆☆
Cost: $$
I recommend: Temtmo/ Yemissir, Doro and Gomen
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Yes, that really is the Taj Mahal!
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The experience is indescribable…….. Continue reading
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There were Asian food vendors galore, dishing out yummy samples of their tasty treats to foodies who flooded the event. A lot of the samplings were of street foods that are available at the popular night markets in Asia.
I really enjoyed this event. It was well organized and intimate. Continue reading
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Bittersweet – The Chocolate Café, on Fillmore street in San Francisco, is an ideal place that really hits a chocoholic and bond-aholics spot! This is the kind of place that every street corner in the world should have. A delightful little café that serves up perfectly sized choco-filled desserts to go with all kinds of yummy drinks hot or cold. Bittersweet is a definite must do if you are in and around the Fillmore area in SFO. Grab your best buddy and be prepared to spend a day of true decadence that will be so worth your while. Continue reading