This is going to be a review in progress as I inevitably dine again and again at Abyssinia.
The interior is plain, filled with hanging pictures depicting religious scenes in the Tewahedo and Coptic traditions. There aren't many seats and the lighting is not going to impress anyone, but that isn't necessarily the point of Ethiopian food.
This is where you go either to try something new or pig out with people close to you (it will probably get messy!)
Everything you order is served on injera, a sourdough flatbread made from teff flour. Weirdly enough, if you've been to franco manca, you may notice some similarities in terms of dough.
Like franco manca, you can also eat preposterous amounts of food with injera before keeling over, particularly compared to doughs that prove for ages.
The traditional dishes of this cuisine are spicy, and abyssinia doesn't pull any punches. This is up there with the best ethiopian I had growing up in the D.C. area.
You have a mix of stew dishes (wot), lean meat, and delicious vegetables.
The vegetarian selection is 13.00 quid and is a big portion. The main reason not to miss out is the pairing. The spice of kitfo can get overwhelming, but with recourse to sweet lentils and tender carrots, your sweaty struggle will lead you to transcendence.
The biggest limiting factor here is how many people you bring! To try a sizeable portion of the menu (you must get one variety of tibs, alicha wot, and a kitfo!) you really need 3 people. 2 can probably work if you are ravenous.
Over three visits, not a single dish has failed to impress. Freshly ground spices and really powerful flavours. For three people, you can pig out for about 11 pounds a head.
Plus it's BYOB. So go! read more