I first fell in love with Ethiopian cuisine when some friends and I wandered into Bete Africa Ethiopian Restaurant and Bar almost 10 years ago. Since then, I’ve been gleefully sampling injera (a kind of flatbread), sambusas and tibs (a savory stew) every chance I get. It’s not Folk Fest for me without a stop — or two — at the Langano Skies booth. So I was excited to finally check out Lalibela on Whyte Avenue in the old Langano Skies building.
The smell of incense is what struck me when I first walked into Lalibela, followed quickly by the warm, old-school vibe of the restaurant.
They were out of my go-to favourite appetizer, sambusas, so I tried anebabero — a salty, savoury appetizer of layered injera, spiced with berbere and clarified butter. The injera soaks up the butter.
For a main dish, I went for the misir wot, a piping hot red lentil stew served with injera. The stew is balanced and spicy, perfect for scooping up with strips of injera. The heat hits just right, but my server checks that it isn’t too spicy for me.
My only regret is that I didn’t bring a friend or two to split my misir wot with — the portions were generous and I was stuffed after eating half of it.
Edmonton is lucky to have a growing number of excellent African restaurants, and Lalibela is an excellent addition to the Ethiopian cuisine options in our city.
Lalibela African Restaurant
Strathcona | 9920 82 Ave, Edmonton | lalibelaafricanrestaurant.com
