First time we tried Ethiopian cuisine. In one word, what a wonderful and delicious experience.
An amazing cultural experience!
I attended on a Sunday evening where they had a party downstairs with people wearing traditional dresses, a great never before seen insight into a unique culture.
The music (from speakers) spoke in a foreign language and so did the people in the restaurant, the art on the walls were distinct, the table mats had character and I dare even the air felt different! A truly transporting experience, couldn't guess I was in Hammersmith from sitting in Elim!
The food was incredibly unique. I had the Lamb Z'gni which was very filling. The dish is served on a silver platter (literally) and I got the chance to traditionally eat with my hands which was a pleasant new way to consume food, I noticed I would take time to sense the texture more and by the end of the meal I got pretty good with my hands! The lamb itself was immaculate, soft and melted clean off the bone, I got to suck out the bone marrow which was surprisingly different and went very well with the stewed chilli paste. The taste of the lamb Z'gni had a beautiful complexion of tangy lemony spice that caught me by surprise, the intense taste was extremely pleasurable and combined with the Enjera ( a foamy thin pancake-ish flour) created a well harmonised balance. They provided a complimentary welcome of vegetables which I really appreciated, the dark greens had a distinct sweetness I particularly enjoyed.
Being a budgeted student myself, I'd say this £12 experience was absolutely worth it. If you're looking for a delicious unique experience, Elim is a great choice.
I had never had Eritrean/Ethiopian food before and was in a mood for trying something new. Me and my friend did have to wait a while for our food but it didn't disappoint, for a very reasonable price we tried the traditional platter for two and were blown away by the quality of the dishes served, rarely in London have I ever had this much quality food served for this low a price. Strong recommend.
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