Well our last dinner outing was definitely of the most entertaining ones yet! This latest diner was organized by Agustin my assistant at the new Magdala/Mekdala Ethiopian Restaurant.

I had wanted the group to go to an Ethiopian outing for a while but the best know places in town were not as cheap or excellent as I would have liked. I wanted at the time to go to the best one in town, Le Messob d’Or, which closed its doors before I had time to go there. This newly opened establishment on Bishop street was a blessing as the chef here was the chef at the Le Messob d’Or.

I do have to say the food was really good. Ethiopian cuisine consists of spicy vegetable and meat stews, served atop injera, a large sourdough flatbread, which is about 50 centimeters in diameter and made out of fermented teff flour. Ethiopians eat with their right hands, using pieces of injera to pick up bites of entrées and side dishes. No utensils are used….which is the fun part he he. So thumbs up for the food here.

Now for the entertainment part. Where shall I start? We were seated on the second floor in a really cool room set up with imported wood carved furniture. It was great for moving around and chatting with fellow dinners before the food arrived. Although not suffocating the room was hot during this first heat wave of the summer because SOMEONE STOLE THE AC during the previous night! Shame on you! Then one of those imported wood carved couches was broken as its supporting beam cracked. Yep…we broke our first piece of furniture! Later the waiter spilled, not once, oh no, but twice a few water glasses unto tables and members. Thank god it was hot and refreshments were welcomed lol. Finally this same waiter performed a few magic tricks for us, as well as some fork bending for a smaller audience at the cash register.

So if you want great food, a fun hand eating experience and possibly unexpected entertainment this is the place to go!

CheapEthnicEatz has covered this place on her reviews, but I’ll just add mine because this was my event ;)

The place has a large assortment of spicy vegetable and meat stews. There’s a page for chicken, a page for beef, a page for lamb and a page for vegetarian. Do not skip the vegetarian page or you will regret it. Ask your server, he will most probably advise a combo of at least two meats and one vegetarian dish. Do bring at least two or three friends along if you’re planning to sample the food here and please make sure they know you eat with your hands.

Everything you eat you grab with pieces of injera, a large sourdough flatbread made of fermented flour.

Not a place to be missed, definitely a repeat. I’ve gone there three times and always have had a great time :)