First impressions aren’t everything. When I walked up to the host stand at Habesha, a new Ethiopian restaurant at 46 Whitney Avenue, the staff seemed lost. They waited for me to request a seating, then waited for me to request a place setting (even after the appetizer had come), then remembered to offer me water only after delivering the entree.
It was awkward, which is not how you’re paying to feel when dining out. The feeling was improved by watching a few people at the bar receive the “Ethiopian Coffee with Ceremony” (starting at $12.99), a reportedly authentic house-roasted coffee service poured and sipped from eye-catching ceramics. An aromatic smoke writhed upward from the tray and danced over to my table, smelling like a mild incense.
I was too hot from a 75-degree November walk to order the coffee, so, expecting a water soon, I ordered the Sambusa ($10.99), a trio of fried dough pockets filled in my case with a seasoned lentil mash. They were fatty from the fry, sweetly nutty from the filling and spicy to taste using a sriracha-like dipping sauce—a strong combination. Sadly they were also cold and chewy in a way that indicated they’d been fried up long before I ordered them.
My entree, the Beyeynetu ($22.50)—a sampler of five vegetarian options served on spongy injera—also struggled with temperature, with some of the items lukewarm and a little too solidified for me to imagine they’d been freshly drawn from bubbling pots. But the flavors were outstanding. The Misir Wot, a dish of red split lentils stewed with onion, garlic and a berbere blend, was savory with a beautiful spice that fell slowly like a leaf. The Alcha Keke Wot, starring yellow split peas and turmeric, was nutty, salty and smoky and served perfectly al dente. The Dinich Wot was a darkly rich stew with a spicy heat of its own and perfectly cooked potatoes to make it hearty and comforting. The Defen Misir Wot, starring whole brown lentils, was earthy and a little herbaceous—a different but equally delicious kind of zip compared to its cousin, the Misir Wot. Finally, the Key Sir—a stand-in for the menu’s designated Shiro Wot, a thick chickpea puree; owner Solomon Fiseha explained that Habesha’s chef, Tigist Desalegn, who is also his wife, often likes to slot in something different—was a simple preparation of finely diced beets, a pleasantly cool and sweet counterpoint on a platter that was otherwise stewed and savory.
On basic aspects of the service and execution, Habesha, which only opened in mid-October, felt like a work in progress. But it also felt like a place of promise, whose key ingredient—great flavor—was already in place.
Habesha Ethiopian Restaurant & Bar
46 Whitney Ave, New Haven (map)
Mon-Fri 11:30am-3pm & 5-10pm, Sat 11:30am-11pm, Sun 3:30-11pm
(203) 535-0910
www.habeshaethiopian-ct.com
Written and photographed by Dan Mims.
