The Blue Nile Cafe was a new experience for me! I definitely prefer Sobahn over this food, but I am so glad I got the opportunity to try it. The injera was our silverware & it took a little getting used to. I was expecting it to be a little warmer than it was & the taste was very sour but the food evened the taste out. I did not like the lamb, but the chicken and beef were pretty good. I liked all the vegetables & the appetizer. The appetizer was definitely my favorite part of the meal, it had the most flavor out of all the dishes. The mango juice looked really good. This definitely was a different experience, I have never tasted anything like this food before!!
I feel that trying Blue Nile’s food was a great learning experience for me. I personally found the food and the way in which Ethiopians eat to be interesting, although I am not a huge fan of the food itself. I liked the spices but I felt like all of the meats tasted pretty much the same due to their similar spices/seasonings. I was hoping for a bit more variety in tastes and textures. I also did not think the meal was very filling. I did love the mango juice and appetizer though! Overall, I definitely enjoyed the Korean food that we had over this Ethiopian food. I do, however, find it unique and interesting that the Ethiopians use injera instead of utensils. I thought it was a fun experience to try eating with the injera because I have never ate like that before. I also thought that eating communally was fascinating and fun. It made me realize that I do not mind eating communally, unlike many of my peers. I also learned that eating differently can be really fun and that I enjoy it and look forward to trying more culture’s foods to have similar experiences. I would recommend Blue Nile to friends because the experience of eating without utensils and communally is different and fun. -Gabrielle Appl
The dinning experience at Blue Nile yesterday was very delightful. I’ve never had Ethiopian food before, so I came to a restaurant with a fresh set of eyes (and hands, of course). The first thing I tried was the mango juice, which tasted good, but the texture was to chunky for me. However, the rest of the food was great. The appetizer was hot and crispy, and the sauce complemented it pretty well. While waiting for the main course, our table got to talk about their traveling experiences and the food that they’ve tried. It was very interesting learning about the cultures of the countries mentioned in our conversation. Then came the main dish, everyone was quite hesitant about trying for a couple of reasons. First, the food looked strange, and secondly, there was no utensils. However, as the hunger became more relevant, we started eating. The food was great, I really enjoyed the variety of vegetables and beans as they all tasted differently from each other. However, the chicken, pork and lamb were very similar in taste. I find the injera interesting, but it filled me up very fast. I’ve have finished half the plate myself if I could substitute the injera for a warm bowl of rice. Despite that, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Communal dining was no stranger to me, but the company and food was. I’m thinking about bringing my friends to the restaurant since the food and experience was definitely worth a second try. Jeremy Le
I have never tried Ethiopian food before this experience and found the food very interesting. I tried all of the different foods and liked the chicken and beef the best. I did not really like any of the foods that much and disliked the texture of the injera. I did enjoy the mango juice and found it similar to a smoothie. I did enjoy sharing food with the other people at my table and the sense of community. All of the foods tasted very similar and used most of the same spices. I enjoyed the Korean restaurant more than Blue Nile and would probably not try Ethiopian food again. I would recommend that other people try Ethiopian food at least once for the unique experience. -Shelby Corder
I was very excited to go to Blue Nile Café from the beginning of the semester as I have never tried Ethiopian cuisine and was very interested. I had no idea what to expect and was looking forward to the experience. I’m glad to report that I was not disappointed – I absolutely loved the food! My favorite was the appetizer and the sauce. I like baked savory dishes in general and this one was very tasty. I also really enjoyed the platter with all the different dishes, I liked all of them with my favorite being the mushrooms! The experience of picking up the food with the pieces of bread was a little controversial, however. Generally, I am not opposed to eating with my fingers, I even think that it makes food taste better, but in this case, I felt that I was getting full on the bread and not the main dishes. Also, I was not a fan of the bread, it tasted a little too sour to me. So, I think the next time I go there, I’ll be using a fork and eating more of the main dishes, yum! The interesting thing was that I thought the food resembled Indian…the combination of the meats and vegetables, the spices and the flavors they use are very similar although the presentation is different.
Last night was the first time I had ever tried Ethiopian food. After talking about it in class, I was honestly kind of scared to try it because of the way the bread was talked about and how people were saying that the food was spicy. I am a really big texture person, so I thought that I would freak about the bread, but surprisingly I didn’t. The bread did have a unique texture and taste, but it was very good. I don’t know if it was just the food we got, but I was surprised that it wasn’t as spicy as I was expecting it to be. My favorite food from the tray was probably the chicken and then the potatoes and green beans. I’m not sure if I liked the chicken and green beans more than the rest because I regularly eat kind of food. I liked how it is served communal style because we had the opportunity to talk to each other because I feel like most of the time when someone just has their own dish there isn’t much talking. Overall, I really enjoyed the food, but I don’t think Ethiopian food would ever be my first choice. I am excited to try what is going to be brought in next week. -Elizabeth Harris
Immediately walking into the Blue Nile, I really liked the atmosphere and the whole vibe of the restaurant. It felt relaxing and I felt like you could just sit back and forget about any troubles that you may have. I’ve never had Ethiopian food before so this was a new experience to me. I was real eager to try the appetizer because it looked really good. I took a bite and wasn’t as satisfied as I thought I would have been. I thought it would include a combination of meat and veggies but it did not. I liked the fried outer shell but that was it. I did enjoy the main dish though. I liked the meats the most. The chicken and pork tasted like regular meet but I really liked the lamb. I thought the lamb tasted just like the chicken one but wasn’t a big fan of the corn/veggie one. It had a yellow tint to it and it wasn’t as tasty as the others. I don’t know about the rest of the class but I have had many collard greens before. It was good but just a little bit different from what I’m used to. The greens weren’t as seasoned as I like them and I also like diced ham in my collard greens. The spongy texture of the injera was different. I tried it by itself and it was sour and had a bitter lemony taste to me. Overall if I had to choose between Korean food or Ethiopian food, I would choose Korean food. Korean food is just more filling to me to but the Ethiopian food was a great experience to try. Justin Starks
This was my first time eating Ethiopian food and it was very interesting. Honestly I was nervous about whether or not I would like it, but I'm pretty adventurous when it comes to food and I'll always try something at least once. I really liked the appetizer that was like a fried lentil and vegetable empanada. I love wine and was very interested in their wine selection because I have never had wines from South Africa. I am a bit upset with myself for not trying the traditional Ethiopian honey wine. I think that would have been a good experience to give it a taste, but it just sounded like it was going to be sweet and I don't enjoy sweet wines. I did get a red Rhone blend from South Africa and I thought it was very good. Once the main dish came out I was very surprised at how it was presented. I knew we were going to be eating with the injera and with our hands, but having 11 different things to choose from all right next to each other was very interesting. I really enjoyed sharing everything and eating with out hands and the injera, I think it made the eating experience a little more intimate. I enjoyed all the different options, especially the meat with the mushrooms, and except for the lamb that was in the middle, and the collard greens. The collard green I could eat, they just weren't my favorite. The lamb however, I took one bite and that was it for me. I'm not sure if it was the texture or the flavor, because I have had lamb meat before and I don't remember not liking it. So safe to say i would not order that again. The injera was really good too, it reminded me of a very thin sourdough bread. Both of the restaurants we visited during this class were first time experiences for me, however I think I was more fond of the Korean food. The flavors there excited me more than the Ethiopian food.
When I heard we were going to an Ethiopian restaurant, I had NO idea what to expect. I have never eaten Ethiopian food or have even seen what it looks like. When we started discussing what we were going to be eating in class, I was pretty sure I wasn't going to like the food. To be honest the food looked like mush. It looked like baby food. And the bread thing freaked me out too. After eating at the Korean restaurant and loving everything, I was very excited for the Ethiopian restaurant. Had we gone to the Ethiopian restaurant first, I am not sure I would have had such an open mind for the food. The restaurant itself was small and cozy. It felt like a family owned restaurant where they take pride in the authentic food they cook. I also loved that they had wines from Africa! The food itself was FANTASTIC. I was pleasantly surprised by each dish. My table liked ours so much, we asked to finish off the rest of another groups tray. The food is definitely not something I am used to, but it was full of flavor and absolutely scrumptious. I am so grateful for this experience because I often time judge food on the way it looks instead of just trying it. I don't think I would have ever eaten Ethiopian food in my life if it weren't for this experience. It now may be a place I go to regularly!
After visiting the Blue Nile Café, I realized that I probably have never actually tried Ethiopian food before. I was very surprised by how much I enjoyed the food. I really liked how there was a good amount of difference between each little food dish. I found a few dishes that I liked better than others but I could not figure out exactly what was in all of them. I forgot that we would be using the injera to actually pick up the food. For me, I enjoy using utensils because I really dislike getting my fingers or hands messy. Using the injera was actually pretty fun and a new experience for me. I would not say it was difficult for me to do this, but it was just not something I am used to at all. I really enjoyed the simplicity of the dish we ate. I enjoyed the flavors and liked how the different sides were distinct in their coloring. I did not think the flavors were all that spicy or out of my norm. I would have thought that the flavors would have been different for some reason or maybe they would have been stronger in some way. Overall, the food was tasty and I may have to go back so I can try a few more dishes and drinks. Laura Kitchie
When we were told in class that we were going to eat at an Ethiopian restaurant, I was very skeptical. I am more of a traditional type of food eater, and not every often do I try new things. After visiting Blue Nile Café, I learned about my self that Ethiopian food is not my style of food. I was very different, even though we were told what the food was like, in more ways than one. The biggest thing that I did not connect with was the sponge that we used to grab the food. It reminded me so much of osteoporosis of a bone due to the texture of the inside of the sponge. I tried everything on the platter and the only thing that I necessary liked was the chicken. Everything else that was served on the platter did not fit well with my taste buds, especially the part that looked like corn but was not corn, and the lamb. I loved the experience, because like I said, I usually do not try things that I have never eaten before. Finally, I think out of the two places that we have experienced in this class, the Korean Restaurant was my favorite of the two. Mary Morgan Nanney
This was my first experience trying Ethiopian food, and it was definitely a good experience! At first i was very unsure about eating every bite with injera but after tasting multiple things with it i started to really enjoy it. I would say my favorite sections were the mushroom and onion, the chicken, and the chick pea with peas. I learned about myself that i am more of a texture eater than i thought, the texture of the injera did not bother me, it was the texture of the lamb dish that i did not enjoy. I also tried the mango drink and really enjoyed that! What stood out to me is that everything was shared from one plate. I have never experienced that before, at first i thought it would be odd eating with our hands essentially out of one plate but as we started to eat i had no problems with it. This is probably the most 'adventurous' food I've ever eaten, and i can proudly say i tried everything! Overall the evening was great fun and i enjoyed trying all the new foods, i learned new things about myself, and i pushed my comfort boundaries. Between this restaurant and the Korean restaurant, I preferred the Korean food. The spicing and seasoning did not sit well with me sadly. These new foods have motivated me to do research and find more restaurants in the city that serve foods from counties that I've never visited. I'm excited to expand my food horizons! Michelle Reznikova
Okay, firstly I'm really glad I didn't get lost trying to find the restaurant because Rivermarket is as north as I have driven by myself so yay to that. I really liked the atmosphere of the restaurant it had a relaxing vibe to it. The appetizers came out after awhile they were very good, they came with a sauce, that looked like chili, and to me it kinda tasted like chili too. Then after awhile the platter of food came out! I was sooo hungry, I realized while waiting that I hadn't eaten anything due to the crazyness that was Wednesday. I really loved the chicken and potato parts of the dish, I liked almost everything on the platter, except for the yellow split peas, I made the mistake of thinking it was corn and got a big injera scoop full only to regret it. I did like the injera, I still have no idea what I was expecting for it to taste like, but either way it was good and paired well with the food. I did start to eat some of the injera-plate where the potatos and chicken were and that was my favorite because it did soak up the flavors! I don't think I have had Ethiopian food before, but I really enjoyed it. Unlike some of my classmates, I do really enjoy trying new foods and I defintely loved Blue Nile Cafe too, which is good because I have a reason to drag my friends there now!
The Blue Nile restaurant was delicious. I have been lucky enough to enjoy Ethiopian food in the past, however it has been as very long time since I ate Ethiopian food. The restaurant smelled great and I liked the atmosphere. I really enjoyed the experience of using the Injera to pick up the different courses as oppose to using a fork and knife. I also liked the idea of having a large plate in the middle of the table and sharing the food with friends. Although I enjoyed almost everything on the large plate, I especially enjoyed the appetizer. I liked the texture of the pastry as well as the lentils inside. It was a great combination of a savory crunchy snack before the meal.
My favorite dishes were the beef with mushrooms, the dish made with green beans, the spinach dish, the one with chicken, and the dish that contained sautéed carrots and unions. The only one I didn’t enjoy was the lamb. The flavor was good, but I didn’t enjoy the texture. I was warned by a friend from Ethiopia that the spice in the food is pretty toned down, so much so that she prefers not to go to Bile Nile. This made me nervous that I wasn’t going to like the food as I do enjoy food with a variety of spices. I’m so glad I went, and went with an open mind. I had a feeling I would like the food despite her warnings, but didn’t know for sure. Glad I had the opportunity to go! - Lisa Bartlett
In my opinion the Ethiopian experience was not as good as the Korean although there are things that in common with my country (which is Saudi Arabia) like eating from one big tray and eating by hand but it is a lot different. For example, yes we eat from one big tray but, we eat one type of food such as Kabsa(rice and meat). In the Ethiopian restaurant there was more than eight different types of food in one tray which I think makes it hard to taste every single type because after the first bite every type begins to be mixed together. I am also familiar with the Enjera(bread) I have tasted it before in my country and it was better, that doesn’t mean the one I tasted in the Ethiopian restaurant was bad it was good, too. Also, I have tried the mango juice and it was not as expected, I think it is been mixed with something else maybe guava. Finally, I think the best thing that I tried it in the Ethiopian restaurant was the veggie Sambusa (the appetizer). It tastes really good and I think it will be the only reason to visit the restaurant again. In conclusion, it was good opportunity to explore and eat Ethiopian food and learn more about their culture.
I liked the dinner that we had at the Blue Nile Café. Before then I have never been to an Ethiopian restaurant, and I was really excited to try the Ethiopian food for the first time. The first thing that I really liked was the mango juice. I personally love mango, so when I tried it, I thought it was very good. I was surprised that they had it because not a lot of restaurants that I have been to offer juices with exotic fruits. The aspect that I really enjoyed about the dinner was the fact that the whole meal was shared. There were so many options that all four people that were sharing the meal were able to try everything. The fact that there was not only meat, but also a lot of vegetables gave the possibility to individuals who do not like meat or are vegetarian to enjoy it too; that was an aspect that I really liked because all of us have different food preferences. As I believe happened at the Korean restaurant too, the fact that we had to share a meal gave us the opportunity to get to know each other more and also to ask questions about the Ethiopian culture, which is so different and particular from ours. Not knowing a lot about Ethiopian culture made us start a conversation about the peculiarities and the unique experiences that each of us lived in other countries; that was really interesting and fascinating because we were learning from one another. What I noticed when I started eating was that it was kind of difficult for me to use the bread to pick up the food, and at the beginning, I was using too much bread to pick the food up, so I was tasting more bread than the actual food. Overall, I really liked that experience. It was something different from the usual, and it helped me discover a peculiarity of a country that I wasn’t aware of.
I loved the experience I had at Blue Nile. It was super fun! I have been to Blue Nile before, but I hadn't tried any of the dishes that were served to us. My favorite dish was the potatoes and green beans. Everything on the plate was very different and very good. It was pleasing to look at as well! It was an array of different colors and flavors that matched perfectly together. I enjoyed the communal eating set up as well. in my opinion, the communal eating set up worked better at Blue Nile than it did at Sobahn. I enjoyed both restaurants, but I think I enjoyed Blue Nile a little bit more. It was a nice environment in a beautiful part of town, and I'm very glad that I got to try new foods! I learned that my pallet for different foods and flavors is much wider than I thought it was. I never knew that I liked cabbage and collard greens until I tried the them here. Every dish was spectacular and different. Being to this restaurant before, I wasn't sure how much diversity I would find in the food we were going to be served rather than the food I had already eaten from there, but there was a difference in every dish I tried! It was a wonderful experience and I am very happy and very lucky to have been able to go for class!
I was excited to try the Ethiopian food at Blue Nile. Just like the Korean food experience, I had never tried this type of cuisine before. For starters we had the triangular shaped deep fried dish, the inside was stuffed with lentils, which I personally am not a fan of. The crust and the sauce that came with the dish were very good though, I poured out the filling after trying it, and just dipped the crust in the sauce. Our meal came as expected with so many different dishes on it. It was hard to distinguish the ingredients of each thing. We ate everything without utensils, which I've learned is traditional in Ethiopian culture. This proved to be a bit tough for me, I was only able to grab small portions using the dough, I struggled to grab bigger items. The dough itself was unique for me, it was kind of spongy, I'm still trying to decided whether or not I liked it. I really enjoyed the cabbage dish and the collard green dish. These flavors were somewhat familiar to me , as I have tried them before.I also really enjoyed the potato dish with the green beans in it. I tried everything we were served and I was surprised by how much of it I did not care for. I didn't like a lot of the textures of the meat dishes, mainly because everything seemed very mushy. My favorite new flavor of the night was definitely the mango juice, it tasted super fresh and gave the entire meal a boost. I did really like the communal aspect of the restaurant. The location was also really nice, this was my first experience at the Rivers Market. Overall, I probably wouldn't choose this specific cuisine again anytime soon. I am still looking forward to trying things that I have not had before. -MarShay Thomas
While I am no expert on Ethiopian food, I have eaten it twice while being in the military. I will tell you one of the things I have noticed is that Ethiopian food is some of the hottest I have ever tasted in my life. During this time, I could only eat the food in small amounts due to the spiciness of the food. I myself have eaten at the Blue Nile a few times in the past, one thing I can say for me is that you must be in the mood for it. First thing I had during this trip was the vegan sambuuss or lentil sambuuss. Truth by told I am not a fan of lentils at all. It was ok but I prefer the beef sambuuss, even though they are a big thing in Ethiopia. So just so you know you will see (Wat) used but this just refers to a type of curry or stew. Next after this is when the sampler platter was brought out. The eating with your hands is huge in Ethiopia so It did not come as a shock when they brought it out without utensil’s. So, we got to use Injera which is a soft bread like item, to me it tastes a little like sourdough as far as taste goes. I myself personal enjoy I could really eat this alone by itself. Then there were choices of Gomen, which is just greens which I enjoyed. Misir Wat which is a type of stew but like I stated earlier I am not a fan of lentil, flavor wise its ok but not my favorite. Atikeltt which is equivalent to cabbage and potatoes which I enjoy. Next Yekik Wat which is cooked split peas which I myself do tend to like. Then Fosolia where you have seasoned green beans and carrots, like the green bean part not the carrots. Inguday Wat mushrooms and onion’s no complaint here as its one of my favorites. Dinich Wat let me tell you I am in love with this, I enjoy the way the potatoes are done just right with the tomatoes and berbere sauce it is perfect. Shimbera Wat putting peas and chickpeas in gravy is probably the best combination in the world, personally love it. Doro Wat chicken need I say more I love how all the flavors come together in this dish. Minchet Abish love beef and this combination of spices make this a dish I would personally eat by itself which I have done before. Last but not lest Yebeg Wat Alicha made with lamb and all the yummy goodness you can handle, the difference here is when I did eat this in Ethiopia it was indeed spicier. Overall the meal itself was fine and doing this with classmates makes it indeed a unique experience. For myself I prefer more meat dishes to those without. For myself I do tend to come to the Blue Nile so I will continue to come here as I do enjoy the food a lot.
Tonight I learned Ethiopian food is not my favorite. Which is kind of ironic because I thought I would like The Blue Nile more than Sobahn but that was not the case. Once again I had great company, Marlon and Nicole have tried food from various cultures so they were able to guide us through our meal. Marshay and I have similar palates so we when it came to things we weren’t sure about, one of us would bite the bullet and try first and let the other know what to steer clear of. The bread was not what I was expecting. I thought it would be similar to pita bread but the texture was closer to that of a crepe with a sourdough flavor. Nicole taught me that the bread is called anjara. The samosas weren’t bad, but I prefer a samosa in the form of a Girl Scout cookie. I liked the bread and sauce from the somosa so I dumped out the veggie/lentil mix. I was fine eating the samosa with my hands but didn’t love eating the main course with my hands. It actually might have been more difficult- and messy than using chopsticks. I did like the greens and potatoes. I’m not a fan of lamb so I didn’t try that but the other meats were very mushy. I also don’t love lentils so I didn’t eat much of that. I tried the stuff in the middle and it was just okay. I liked the cabbage. And the yellow stuff is still a mystery to me! It looked like corn but did not taste like it. I would describe that meal as mushy and starchy and not for me. Overall though it was a good experience and I’m happy to try new things. It really surprised me that I didn’t like it though because I know several people who love Ethiopian food, especially at The Blue Nile. I wish we had gone during the daytime though because River Market has a Brazilian place that I love! I’m not sure how authentic it is but you should look into it for future trips!
I love-love-LOVED Blue Nile Café! This was my first time eating Ethiopian food and I can say for sure it won’t be my last time. The vegan lentil sambusas were AMAZING, I usually don’t care for lentils, but the spices in this made them to die for! I am a vegetarian, so I loved this restaurant and how many choices it had! My favorites of the vegetable entrees were the fosolia and gomen. The fosolia was especially my favorite, and the injera that was under it was full of delicious flavor. Speaking of injera, I absolutely LOVE injera. The taste is reminiscent of sourdough bread which is one of my favorite kinds of bread. I went up and asked for more injera at one point and then took home my tables’ leftover injera rolls and ate them for breakfast the next day. I wish I had gotten to try the more traditional gluten-free injera but sadly they were out of it when we visited. I actually really liked that we didn’t have traditional western utensils and had to eat with the injera. I used to eat with my hands constantly as a child and would get reprimanded by my mom for it constantly. I had no issues whatsoever with grabbing the entrees with the injera and getting my hands all over the food. The Moscato I ordered with my meal was seriously some of the best Moscato I have ever had, I had them show me the bottle so I can try to find it and buy some for my house. All in all, I enjoyed this experience and food more than Sobahn, and am planning my next trip soon to eat there again.
I enjoyed Ethiopian food. I have an Ethiopian friend so it wasn't my first time tasting Ethiopian food. The experience was still fun and interesting. The restaurant was small but the staff was really nice. I enjoyed the appetizer, Samosas and the sauce. It was my favorite of the night. I enjoyed the cabbage and greens a lot. It was difficult eating with my hands. It got messy. When I ate it before with my friend she used a spoon and put the food on the injera and fold it. when I first tried it I ate it how we ate it at the restaurant and she said that was the wrong way lol. I ordered the mango drink. it taste like a smoothie wish it was colder though. It taste like it was made of fresh mango's. The Injera was good. it definitely had a different texture but it works really well when you put the different meats and sauce on it.The flavor were a little spicy and I taste a lot of chili flavor. the Inguday Watt was my also a good one. I liked the sauce and mushrooms. Over all I enjoyed myself and had a great time with my classmates and really enjoyed the food.
I enjoyed Ethiopian food. I have an Ethiopian friend so it wasn't my first time tasting Ethiopian food. The experience was still fun and interesting. The restaurant was small but the staff was really nice. I enjoyed the appetizer, Samosas and the sauce. It was my favorite of the night. I enjoyed the cabbage and greens a lot. It was difficult eating with my hands. It got messy. When I ate it before with my friend she used a spoon and put the food on the injera and fold it. when I first tried it I ate it how we ate it at the restaurant and she said that was the wrong way lol. I ordered the mango drink. it taste like a smoothie wish it was colder though. It taste like it was made of fresh mango's. The Injera was good. it definitely had a different texture but it works really well when you put the different meats and sauce on it.The flavor were a little spicy and I taste a lot of chili flavor. the Inguday Watt was my also a good one. I liked the sauce and mushrooms. Over all I enjoyed myself and had a great time with my classmates and really enjoyed the food.
My experience at the Blue Nile Restaurant was something new, to begin with having to eat without any utensils was unfamiliar at a dinner but definitely an experience to remember and also sharing one big plate with different food with the people at my table it was an unique food way. Most of the food was new to me and also good at the beginning we were given what I would call an “appetizer” which is in my culture look similar like an empanada but this one had vegetable inside instead of meat and it was actually pretty good with the sauce given. The two different types of meats were delicious really liked their flavor, and also as said before I’m not really a fan of vegetables but this was another exception most of the dishes with vegetables taste pretty good. In my opinion having to eat with what look like a tortilla was really fun I tried the mass without any dish on it and it tasted weird by itself but with everything else it definitely gave it a richer flavor. Overall the Blue Nile Restaurant gave me a new great cultural experience and one I would remember for long specially cause I don’t usually eat dinner without any utensils. -Ricardo Gonzalez
When I heard we were going Blue Nile for class I was so excited, while this was not my first time at Blue Nile this was my first time trying many new foods there. I have gone previously numerous times with my friends but always found myself ordering the same foods (mainly a lot of sambusas) almost religiously. I am so glad I was able to try many new food preparations this time. I never would have ordered the collards for myself,f but I ended up actually really enjoying them, and I plan to order them again next time. I also never really knew how to I was supposed to eat the injera, but culturally it makes a lot of sense to use them in place of utensils. While it was initially hard to consume, I appreciate the push from the class to eat the same way it would be done in Ethiopia. It was hard to pick a favorite from the new dishes I tried but if I had to pick one, it would be the lamb. With everything I've learned and all the new foods, I've tried I fully plan to drag my friends back there and make them try something they normally wouldn't get.
This was the first experience trying ethiopian food, but I will not never eat ethiopian food again. The appetizer is not bad. I don’t like when They mixed everything in one plate, because the looks is not good. I care about the food looks.
Honestly there is no much to say about my experience in blue nile restaurant, I almost tried the food taste and not all of it. It’s my first time eating ethiopian foods. I don’t like the taste of neither the serving and look of the food. The ingredients are very strong and there is something common between all types of food we had.
This is my third time trying to post on this, and if this one doesn't go through, I might just drop out of school for failing an IS course. First of all, finding the restaurant was kind of hard, but when I walked in the door, I immediately felt like I was in an Ethiopian home or something. the entire visit had an attitude of togetherness, or community. I think I was getting this feeling from a couple of things. first off the proximity of the tables were kind of close. I couldn't tell if this was done on purpose to promote the togetherness aspect, or if it was just a small building. Also the idea of sharing a dish with your table is very community oriented and I've never eaten like that before. The feelings of togetherness and community made me think that Ethiopians take great pride in helping each other out to strengthen the community. While my mind was focused on the community, my taste buds where focused on the little bread roll. I had never ate a meal in which a piece of bread was your main utensil, but I'm glad the blue nile was my first experience. I even enjoyed the bread by itself without any food on it. It had a hint of lemon to me and I like tart foods. While I usually like a little more protein on my plate, the various dishes were all delicious. I think the stuff in the middle was probably my favorite, it reminded me of refried beans. while none of us ate the little bread that all the food was on top of, I imagine it would be loaded with flavor. Overall, my first dive into Ethiopian cuisine was a great one and I'd definitely recommend the Blue Nile to friends interested in trying new foods.
So, going into hearing about the Blue Nile from friends who had previously enjoyed the experience , I was definitely excited for what was to come. Walking through the doors of this beautiful restaurant, the instant smells that hit my face instantly excited me. I had never had Ethiopian food so I didn't have much to compare it too but nether than less, I love food lol. Seeing the food bought out in a community ese serving was very familiar to me with friends of mines who are Saudi Arabian have something similar with chicken is this AMAZING! So, as soon as I saw this, I instantly got excited. It sucks but I was definitely disappointed. I am not a big fan of food with an extreme texture that lingers so I was actually not a fan of much. I did not enjoy the mango drink that I could not get enough of . The bread roll had a weird after taste that definitely tasted better when partner with a meat but having it by itself was not enjoyable. I feel as if I should give them another try but for a first time, I'm not a big fan.
The Blue Nile Cafe was a new experience for me! I definitely prefer Sobahn over this food, but I am so glad I got the opportunity to try it. The injera was our silverware & it took a little getting used to. I was expecting it to be a little warmer than it was & the taste was very sour but the food evened the taste out. I did not like the lamb, but the chicken and beef were pretty good. I liked all the vegetables & the appetizer. The appetizer was definitely my favorite part of the meal, it had the most flavor out of all the dishes. The mango juice looked really good. This definitely was a different experience, I have never tasted anything like this food before!!
ReplyDeleteI feel that trying Blue Nile’s food was a great learning experience for me. I personally found the food and the way in which Ethiopians eat to be interesting, although I am not a huge fan of the food itself. I liked the spices but I felt like all of the meats tasted pretty much the same due to their similar spices/seasonings. I was hoping for a bit more variety in tastes and textures. I also did not think the meal was very filling. I did love the mango juice and appetizer though! Overall, I definitely enjoyed the Korean food that we had over this Ethiopian food. I do, however, find it unique and interesting that the Ethiopians use injera instead of utensils. I thought it was a fun experience to try eating with the injera because I have never ate like that before. I also thought that eating communally was fascinating and fun. It made me realize that I do not mind eating communally, unlike many of my peers. I also learned that eating differently can be really fun and that I enjoy it and look forward to trying more culture’s foods to have similar experiences. I would recommend Blue Nile to friends because the experience of eating without utensils and communally is different and fun.
ReplyDelete-Gabrielle Appl
The dinning experience at Blue Nile yesterday was very delightful. I’ve never had Ethiopian food before, so I came to a restaurant with a fresh set of eyes (and hands, of course). The first thing I tried was the mango juice, which tasted good, but the texture was to chunky for me. However, the rest of the food was great. The appetizer was hot and crispy, and the sauce complemented it pretty well. While waiting for the main course, our table got to talk about their traveling experiences and the food that they’ve tried. It was very interesting learning about the cultures of the countries mentioned in our conversation. Then came the main dish, everyone was quite hesitant about trying for a couple of reasons. First, the food looked strange, and secondly, there was no utensils. However, as the hunger became more relevant, we started eating. The food was great, I really enjoyed the variety of vegetables and beans as they all tasted differently from each other. However, the chicken, pork and lamb were very similar in taste. I find the injera interesting, but it filled me up very fast. I’ve have finished half the plate myself if I could substitute the injera for a warm bowl of rice. Despite that, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Communal dining was no stranger to me, but the company and food was. I’m thinking about bringing my friends to the restaurant since the food and experience was definitely worth a second try.
ReplyDeleteJeremy Le
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ReplyDeleteI have never tried Ethiopian food before this experience and found the food very interesting. I tried all of the different foods and liked the chicken and beef the best. I did not really like any of the foods that much and disliked the texture of the injera. I did enjoy the mango juice and found it similar to a smoothie. I did enjoy sharing food with the other people at my table and the sense of community. All of the foods tasted very similar and used most of the same spices. I enjoyed the Korean restaurant more than Blue Nile and would probably not try Ethiopian food again. I would recommend that other people try Ethiopian food at least once for the unique experience.
ReplyDelete-Shelby Corder
I was very excited to go to Blue Nile Café from the beginning of the semester as I have never tried Ethiopian cuisine and was very interested. I had no idea what to expect and was looking forward to the experience. I’m glad to report that I was not disappointed – I absolutely loved the food! My favorite was the appetizer and the sauce. I like baked savory dishes in general and this one was very tasty. I also really enjoyed the platter with all the different dishes, I liked all of them with my favorite being the mushrooms! The experience of picking up the food with the pieces of bread was a little controversial, however. Generally, I am not opposed to eating with my fingers, I even think that it makes food taste better, but in this case, I felt that I was getting full on the bread and not the main dishes. Also, I was not a fan of the bread, it tasted a little too sour to me. So, I think the next time I go there, I’ll be using a fork and eating more of the main dishes, yum! The interesting thing was that I thought the food resembled Indian…the combination of the meats and vegetables, the spices and the flavors they use are very similar although the presentation is different.
ReplyDeleteEkaterina Posidelova
Last night was the first time I had ever tried Ethiopian food. After talking about it in class, I was honestly kind of scared to try it because of the way the bread was talked about and how people were saying that the food was spicy. I am a really big texture person, so I thought that I would freak about the bread, but surprisingly I didn’t. The bread did have a unique texture and taste, but it was very good. I don’t know if it was just the food we got, but I was surprised that it wasn’t as spicy as I was expecting it to be. My favorite food from the tray was probably the chicken and then the potatoes and green beans. I’m not sure if I liked the chicken and green beans more than the rest because I regularly eat kind of food. I liked how it is served communal style because we had the opportunity to talk to each other because I feel like most of the time when someone just has their own dish there isn’t much talking. Overall, I really enjoyed the food, but I don’t think Ethiopian food would ever be my first choice. I am excited to try what is going to be brought in next week.
ReplyDelete-Elizabeth Harris
Immediately walking into the Blue Nile, I really liked the atmosphere and the whole vibe of the restaurant. It felt relaxing and I felt like you could just sit back and forget about any troubles that you may have. I’ve never had Ethiopian food before so this was a new experience to me. I was real eager to try the appetizer because it looked really good. I took a bite and wasn’t as satisfied as I thought I would have been. I thought it would include a combination of meat and veggies but it did not. I liked the fried outer shell but that was it. I did enjoy the main dish though. I liked the meats the most. The chicken and pork tasted like regular meet but I really liked the lamb. I thought the lamb tasted just like the chicken one but wasn’t a big fan of the corn/veggie one. It had a yellow tint to it and it wasn’t as tasty as the others. I don’t know about the rest of the class but I have had many collard greens before. It was good but just a little bit different from what I’m used to. The greens weren’t as seasoned as I like them and I also like diced ham in my collard greens. The spongy texture of the injera was different. I tried it by itself and it was sour and had a bitter lemony taste to me. Overall if I had to choose between Korean food or Ethiopian food, I would choose Korean food. Korean food is just more filling to me to but the Ethiopian food was a great experience to try.
ReplyDeleteJustin Starks
This was my first time eating Ethiopian food and it was very interesting. Honestly I was nervous about whether or not I would like it, but I'm pretty adventurous when it comes to food and I'll always try something at least once. I really liked the appetizer that was like a fried lentil and vegetable empanada. I love wine and was very interested in their wine selection because I have never had wines from South Africa. I am a bit upset with myself for not trying the traditional Ethiopian honey wine. I think that would have been a good experience to give it a taste, but it just sounded like it was going to be sweet and I don't enjoy sweet wines. I did get a red Rhone blend from South Africa and I thought it was very good. Once the main dish came out I was very surprised at how it was presented. I knew we were going to be eating with the injera and with our hands, but having 11 different things to choose from all right next to each other was very interesting. I really enjoyed sharing everything and eating with out hands and the injera, I think it made the eating experience a little more intimate. I enjoyed all the different options, especially the meat with the mushrooms, and except for the lamb that was in the middle, and the collard greens. The collard green I could eat, they just weren't my favorite. The lamb however, I took one bite and that was it for me. I'm not sure if it was the texture or the flavor, because I have had lamb meat before and I don't remember not liking it. So safe to say i would not order that again. The injera was really good too, it reminded me of a very thin sourdough bread. Both of the restaurants we visited during this class were first time experiences for me, however I think I was more fond of the Korean food. The flavors there excited me more than the Ethiopian food.
ReplyDelete-Karsyn Montes
When I heard we were going to an Ethiopian restaurant, I had NO idea what to expect. I have never eaten Ethiopian food or have even seen what it looks like. When we started discussing what we were going to be eating in class, I was pretty sure I wasn't going to like the food. To be honest the food looked like mush. It looked like baby food. And the bread thing freaked me out too. After eating at the Korean restaurant and loving everything, I was very excited for the Ethiopian restaurant. Had we gone to the Ethiopian restaurant first, I am not sure I would have had such an open mind for the food. The restaurant itself was small and cozy. It felt like a family owned restaurant where they take pride in the authentic food they cook. I also loved that they had wines from Africa! The food itself was FANTASTIC. I was pleasantly surprised by each dish. My table liked ours so much, we asked to finish off the rest of another groups tray. The food is definitely not something I am used to, but it was full of flavor and absolutely scrumptious. I am so grateful for this experience because I often time judge food on the way it looks instead of just trying it. I don't think I would have ever eaten Ethiopian food in my life if it weren't for this experience. It now may be a place I go to regularly!
ReplyDeleteHannah Miller
After visiting the Blue Nile Café, I realized that I probably have never actually tried Ethiopian food before. I was very surprised by how much I enjoyed the food. I really liked how there was a good amount of difference between each little food dish. I found a few dishes that I liked better than others but I could not figure out exactly what was in all of them. I forgot that we would be using the injera to actually pick up the food. For me, I enjoy using utensils because I really dislike getting my fingers or hands messy. Using the injera was actually pretty fun and a new experience for me. I would not say it was difficult for me to do this, but it was just not something I am used to at all. I really enjoyed the simplicity of the dish we ate. I enjoyed the flavors and liked how the different sides were distinct in their coloring. I did not think the flavors were all that spicy or out of my norm. I would have thought that the flavors would have been different for some reason or maybe they would have been stronger in some way. Overall, the food was tasty and I may have to go back so I can try a few more dishes and drinks.
ReplyDeleteLaura Kitchie
When we were told in class that we were going to eat at an Ethiopian restaurant, I was very skeptical. I am more of a traditional type of food eater, and not every often do I try new things. After visiting Blue Nile Café, I learned about my self that Ethiopian food is not my style of food. I was very different, even though we were told what the food was like, in more ways than one. The biggest thing that I did not connect with was the sponge that we used to grab the food. It reminded me so much of osteoporosis of a bone due to the texture of the inside of the sponge. I tried everything on the platter and the only thing that I necessary liked was the chicken. Everything else that was served on the platter did not fit well with my taste buds, especially the part that looked like corn but was not corn, and the lamb. I loved the experience, because like I said, I usually do not try things that I have never eaten before. Finally, I think out of the two places that we have experienced in this class, the Korean Restaurant was my favorite of the two.
ReplyDeleteMary Morgan Nanney
This was my first experience trying Ethiopian food, and it was definitely a good experience! At first i was very unsure about eating every bite with injera but after tasting multiple things with it i started to really enjoy it. I would say my favorite sections were the mushroom and onion, the chicken, and the chick pea with peas. I learned about myself that i am more of a texture eater than i thought, the texture of the injera did not bother me, it was the texture of the lamb dish that i did not enjoy. I also tried the mango drink and really enjoyed that! What stood out to me is that everything was shared from one plate. I have never experienced that before, at first i thought it would be odd eating with our hands essentially out of one plate but as we started to eat i had no problems with it. This is probably the most 'adventurous' food I've ever eaten, and i can proudly say i tried everything! Overall the evening was great fun and i enjoyed trying all the new foods, i learned new things about myself, and i pushed my comfort boundaries. Between this restaurant and the Korean restaurant, I preferred the Korean food. The spicing and seasoning did not sit well with me sadly. These new foods have motivated me to do research and find more restaurants in the city that serve foods from counties that I've never visited. I'm excited to expand my food horizons!
ReplyDeleteMichelle Reznikova
Okay, firstly I'm really glad I didn't get lost trying to find the restaurant because Rivermarket is as north as I have driven by myself so yay to that. I really liked the atmosphere of the restaurant it had a relaxing vibe to it. The appetizers came out after awhile they were very good, they came with a sauce, that looked like chili, and to me it kinda tasted like chili too. Then after awhile the platter of food came out! I was sooo hungry, I realized while waiting that I hadn't eaten anything due to the crazyness that was Wednesday. I really loved the chicken and potato parts of the dish, I liked almost everything on the platter, except for the yellow split peas, I made the mistake of thinking it was corn and got a big injera scoop full only to regret it. I did like the injera, I still have no idea what I was expecting for it to taste like, but either way it was good and paired well with the food. I did start to eat some of the injera-plate where the potatos and chicken were and that was my favorite because it did soak up the flavors! I don't think I have had Ethiopian food before, but I really enjoyed it. Unlike some of my classmates, I do really enjoy trying new foods and I defintely loved Blue Nile Cafe too, which is good because I have a reason to drag my friends there now!
ReplyDelete-Abigail Jakobe
DeleteThe Blue Nile restaurant was delicious. I have been lucky enough to enjoy Ethiopian food in the past, however it has been as very long time since I ate Ethiopian food. The restaurant smelled great and I liked the atmosphere. I really enjoyed the experience of using the Injera to pick up the different courses as oppose to using a fork and knife. I also liked the idea of having a large plate in the middle of the table and sharing the food with friends. Although I enjoyed almost everything on the large plate, I especially enjoyed the appetizer. I liked the texture of the pastry as well as the lentils inside. It was a great combination of a savory crunchy snack before the meal.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite dishes were the beef with mushrooms, the dish made with green beans, the spinach dish, the one with chicken, and the dish that contained sautéed carrots and unions. The only one I didn’t enjoy was the lamb. The flavor was good, but I didn’t enjoy the texture. I was warned by a friend from Ethiopia that the spice in the food is pretty toned down, so much so that she prefers not to go to Bile Nile. This made me nervous that I wasn’t going to like the food as I do enjoy food with a variety of spices. I’m so glad I went, and went with an open mind. I had a feeling I would like the food despite her warnings, but didn’t know for sure. Glad I had the opportunity to go!
- Lisa Bartlett
In my opinion the Ethiopian experience was not as good as the Korean although there are things that in common with my country (which is Saudi Arabia) like eating from one big tray and eating by hand but it is a lot different. For example, yes we eat from one big tray but, we eat one type of food such as Kabsa(rice and meat). In the Ethiopian restaurant there was more than eight different types of food in one tray which I think makes it hard to taste every single type because after the first bite every type begins to be mixed together. I am also familiar with the Enjera(bread) I have tasted it before in my country and it was better, that doesn’t mean the one I tasted in the Ethiopian restaurant was bad it was good, too. Also, I have tried the mango juice and it was not as expected, I think it is been mixed with something else maybe guava. Finally, I think the best thing that I tried it in the Ethiopian restaurant was the veggie Sambusa (the appetizer). It tastes really good and I think it will be the only reason to visit the restaurant again. In conclusion, it was good opportunity to explore and eat Ethiopian food and learn more about their culture.
ReplyDeleteI liked the dinner that we had at the Blue Nile Café. Before then I have never been to an Ethiopian restaurant, and I was really excited to try the Ethiopian food for the first time.
ReplyDeleteThe first thing that I really liked was the mango juice. I personally love mango, so when I tried it, I thought it was very good. I was surprised that they had it because not a lot of restaurants that I have been to offer juices with exotic fruits.
The aspect that I really enjoyed about the dinner was the fact that the whole meal was shared. There were so many options that all four people that were sharing the meal were able to try everything. The fact that there was not only meat, but also a lot of vegetables gave the possibility to individuals who do not like meat or are vegetarian to enjoy it too; that was an aspect that I really liked because all of us have different food preferences.
As I believe happened at the Korean restaurant too, the fact that we had to share a meal gave us the opportunity to get to know each other more and also to ask questions about the Ethiopian culture, which is so different and particular from ours. Not knowing a lot about Ethiopian culture made us start a conversation about the peculiarities and the unique experiences that each of us lived in other countries; that was really interesting and fascinating because we were learning from one another.
What I noticed when I started eating was that it was kind of difficult for me to use the bread to pick up the food, and at the beginning, I was using too much bread to pick the food up, so I was tasting more bread than the actual food.
Overall, I really liked that experience. It was something different from the usual, and it helped me discover a peculiarity of a country that I wasn’t aware of.
- Erika Vallone
I loved the experience I had at Blue Nile. It was super fun! I have been to Blue Nile before, but I hadn't tried any of the dishes that were served to us. My favorite dish was the potatoes and green beans. Everything on the plate was very different and very good. It was pleasing to look at as well! It was an array of different colors and flavors that matched perfectly together. I enjoyed the communal eating set up as well. in my opinion, the communal eating set up worked better at Blue Nile than it did at Sobahn. I enjoyed both restaurants, but I think I enjoyed Blue Nile a little bit more. It was a nice environment in a beautiful part of town, and I'm very glad that I got to try new foods! I learned that my pallet for different foods and flavors is much wider than I thought it was. I never knew that I liked cabbage and collard greens until I tried the them here. Every dish was spectacular and different. Being to this restaurant before, I wasn't sure how much diversity I would find in the food we were going to be served rather than the food I had already eaten from there, but there was a difference in every dish I tried! It was a wonderful experience and I am very happy and very lucky to have been able to go for class!
ReplyDeleteEmma Davis
I was excited to try the Ethiopian food at Blue Nile. Just like the Korean food experience, I had never tried this type of cuisine before. For starters we had the triangular shaped deep fried dish, the inside was stuffed with lentils, which I personally am not a fan of. The crust and the sauce that came with the dish were very good though, I poured out the filling after trying it, and just dipped the crust in the sauce. Our meal came as expected with so many different dishes on it. It was hard to distinguish the ingredients of each thing. We ate everything without utensils, which I've learned is traditional in Ethiopian culture. This proved to be a bit tough for me, I was only able to grab small portions using the dough, I struggled to grab bigger items. The dough itself was unique for me, it was kind of spongy, I'm still trying to decided whether or not I liked it. I really enjoyed the cabbage dish and the collard green dish. These flavors were somewhat familiar to me , as I have tried them before.I also really enjoyed the potato dish with the green beans in it. I tried everything we were served and I was surprised by how much of it I did not care for. I didn't like a lot of the textures of the meat dishes, mainly because everything seemed very mushy. My favorite new flavor of the night was definitely the mango juice, it tasted super fresh and gave the entire meal a boost. I did really like the communal aspect of the restaurant. The location was also really nice, this was my first experience at the Rivers Market. Overall, I probably wouldn't choose this specific cuisine again anytime soon. I am still looking forward to trying things that I have not had before.
ReplyDelete-MarShay Thomas
While I am no expert on Ethiopian food, I have eaten it twice while being in the military. I will tell you one of the things I have noticed is that Ethiopian food is some of the hottest I have ever tasted in my life. During this time, I could only eat the food in small amounts due to the spiciness of the food. I myself have eaten at the Blue Nile a few times in the past, one thing I can say for me is that you must be in the mood for it. First thing I had during this trip was the vegan sambuuss or lentil sambuuss. Truth by told I am not a fan of lentils at all. It was ok but I prefer the beef sambuuss, even though they are a big thing in Ethiopia. So just so you know you will see (Wat) used but this just refers to a type of curry or stew. Next after this is when the sampler platter was brought out. The eating with your hands is huge in Ethiopia so It did not come as a shock when they brought it out without utensil’s. So, we got to use Injera which is a soft bread like item, to me it tastes a little like sourdough as far as taste goes. I myself personal enjoy I could really eat this alone by itself. Then there were choices of Gomen, which is just greens which I enjoyed. Misir Wat which is a type of stew but like I stated earlier I am not a fan of lentil, flavor wise its ok but not my favorite. Atikeltt which is equivalent to cabbage and potatoes which I enjoy. Next Yekik Wat which is cooked split peas which I myself do tend to like. Then Fosolia where you have seasoned green beans and carrots, like the green bean part not the carrots. Inguday Wat mushrooms and onion’s no complaint here as its one of my favorites. Dinich Wat let me tell you I am in love with this, I enjoy the way the potatoes are done just right with the tomatoes and berbere sauce it is perfect. Shimbera Wat putting peas and chickpeas in gravy is probably the best combination in the world, personally love it. Doro Wat chicken need I say more I love how all the flavors come together in this dish. Minchet Abish love beef and this combination of spices make this a dish I would personally eat by itself which I have done before. Last but not lest Yebeg Wat Alicha made with lamb and all the yummy goodness you can handle, the difference here is when I did eat this in Ethiopia it was indeed spicier. Overall the meal itself was fine and doing this with classmates makes it indeed a unique experience. For myself I prefer more meat dishes to those without. For myself I do tend to come to the Blue Nile so I will continue to come here as I do enjoy the food a lot.
ReplyDeleteMarlon Turner
Tonight I learned Ethiopian food is not my favorite. Which is kind of ironic because I thought I would like The Blue Nile more than Sobahn but that was not the case. Once again I had great company, Marlon and Nicole have tried food from various cultures so they were able to guide us through our meal. Marshay and I have similar palates so we when it came to things we weren’t sure about, one of us would bite the bullet and try first and let the other know what to steer clear of.
ReplyDeleteThe bread was not what I was expecting. I thought it would be similar to pita bread but the texture was closer to that of a crepe with a sourdough flavor. Nicole taught me that the bread is called anjara. The samosas weren’t bad, but I prefer a samosa in the form of a Girl Scout cookie. I liked the bread and sauce from the somosa so I dumped out the veggie/lentil mix. I was fine eating the samosa with my hands but didn’t love eating the main course with my hands. It actually might have been more difficult- and messy than using chopsticks. I did like the greens and potatoes. I’m not a fan of lamb so I didn’t try that but the other meats were very mushy. I also don’t love lentils so I didn’t eat much of that. I tried the stuff in the middle and it was just okay. I liked the cabbage. And the yellow stuff is still a mystery to me! It looked like corn but did not taste like it. I would describe that meal as mushy and starchy and not for me. Overall though it was a good experience and I’m happy to try new things. It really surprised me that I didn’t like it though because I know several people who love Ethiopian food, especially at The Blue Nile. I wish we had gone during the daytime though because River Market has a Brazilian place that I love! I’m not sure how authentic it is but you should look into it for future trips!
Kaitlyn Wilson
I love-love-LOVED Blue Nile Café! This was my first time eating Ethiopian food and I can say for sure it won’t be my last time. The vegan lentil sambusas were AMAZING, I usually don’t care for lentils, but the spices in this made them to die for! I am a vegetarian, so I loved this restaurant and how many choices it had! My favorites of the vegetable entrees were the fosolia and gomen. The fosolia was especially my favorite, and the injera that was under it was full of delicious flavor. Speaking of injera, I absolutely LOVE injera. The taste is reminiscent of sourdough bread which is one of my favorite kinds of bread. I went up and asked for more injera at one point and then took home my tables’ leftover injera rolls and ate them for breakfast the next day. I wish I had gotten to try the more traditional gluten-free injera but sadly they were out of it when we visited. I actually really liked that we didn’t have traditional western utensils and had to eat with the injera. I used to eat with my hands constantly as a child and would get reprimanded by my mom for it constantly. I had no issues whatsoever with grabbing the entrees with the injera and getting my hands all over the food. The Moscato I ordered with my meal was seriously some of the best Moscato I have ever had, I had them show me the bottle so I can try to find it and buy some for my house. All in all, I enjoyed this experience and food more than Sobahn, and am planning my next trip soon to eat there again.
ReplyDeleteNicole Blunk
I enjoyed Ethiopian food. I have an Ethiopian friend so it wasn't my first time tasting Ethiopian food. The experience was still fun and interesting. The restaurant was small but the staff was really nice. I enjoyed the appetizer, Samosas and the sauce. It was my favorite of the night. I enjoyed the cabbage and greens a lot. It was difficult eating with my hands. It got messy. When I ate it before with my friend she used a spoon and put the food on the injera and fold it. when I first tried it I ate it how we ate it at the restaurant and she said that was the wrong way lol. I ordered the mango drink. it taste like a smoothie wish it was colder though. It taste like it was made of fresh mango's. The Injera was good. it definitely had a different texture but it works really well when you put the different meats and sauce on it.The flavor were a little spicy and I taste a lot of chili flavor. the Inguday Watt was my also a good one. I liked the sauce and mushrooms. Over all I enjoyed myself and had a great time with my classmates and really enjoyed the food.
ReplyDeleteShonda Soto I forgot to put my name
DeleteI enjoyed Ethiopian food. I have an Ethiopian friend so it wasn't my first time tasting Ethiopian food. The experience was still fun and interesting. The restaurant was small but the staff was really nice. I enjoyed the appetizer, Samosas and the sauce. It was my favorite of the night. I enjoyed the cabbage and greens a lot. It was difficult eating with my hands. It got messy. When I ate it before with my friend she used a spoon and put the food on the injera and fold it. when I first tried it I ate it how we ate it at the restaurant and she said that was the wrong way lol. I ordered the mango drink. it taste like a smoothie wish it was colder though. It taste like it was made of fresh mango's. The Injera was good. it definitely had a different texture but it works really well when you put the different meats and sauce on it.The flavor were a little spicy and I taste a lot of chili flavor. the Inguday Watt was my also a good one. I liked the sauce and mushrooms. Over all I enjoyed myself and had a great time with my classmates and really enjoyed the food.
ReplyDeleteShonda Soto
My experience at the Blue Nile Restaurant was something new, to begin with having to eat without any utensils was unfamiliar at a dinner but definitely an experience to remember and also sharing one big plate with different food with the people at my table it was an unique food way. Most of the food was new to me and also good at the beginning we were given what I would call an “appetizer” which is in my culture look similar like an empanada but this one had vegetable inside instead of meat and it was actually pretty good with the sauce given. The two different types of meats were delicious really liked their flavor, and also as said before I’m not really a fan of vegetables but this was another exception most of the dishes with vegetables taste pretty good. In my opinion having to eat with what look like a tortilla was really fun I tried the mass without any dish on it and it tasted weird by itself but with everything else it definitely gave it a richer flavor. Overall the Blue Nile Restaurant gave me a new great cultural experience and one I would remember for long specially cause I don’t usually eat dinner without any utensils.
ReplyDelete-Ricardo Gonzalez
When I heard we were going Blue Nile for class I was so excited, while this was not my first time at Blue Nile this was my first time trying many new foods there. I have gone previously numerous times with my friends but always found myself ordering the same foods (mainly a lot of sambusas) almost religiously. I am so glad I was able to try many new food preparations this time. I never would have ordered the collards for myself,f but I ended up actually really enjoying them, and I plan to order them again next time. I also never really knew how to I was supposed to eat the injera, but culturally it makes a lot of sense to use them in place of utensils. While it was initially hard to consume, I appreciate the push from the class to eat the same way it would be done in Ethiopia. It was hard to pick a favorite from the new dishes I tried but if I had to pick one, it would be the lamb. With everything I've learned and all the new foods, I've tried I fully plan to drag my friends back there and make them try something they normally wouldn't get.
ReplyDelete-Shannon Henshaw
This was the first experience trying ethiopian food, but I will not never eat ethiopian food again. The appetizer is not bad. I don’t like when They mixed everything in one plate, because the looks is not good. I care about the food looks.
ReplyDeleteFahad alqahtani
Honestly there is no much to say about my experience in blue nile restaurant, I almost tried the food taste and not all of it. It’s my first time eating ethiopian foods. I don’t like the taste of neither the serving and look of the food. The ingredients are very strong and there is something common between all types of food we had.
ReplyDeleteFaisal Alhaqbani
This is my third time trying to post on this, and if this one doesn't go through, I might just drop out of school for failing an IS course. First of all, finding the restaurant was kind of hard, but when I walked in the door, I immediately felt like I was in an Ethiopian home or something. the entire visit had an attitude of togetherness, or community. I think I was getting this feeling from a couple of things. first off the proximity of the tables were kind of close. I couldn't tell if this was done on purpose to promote the togetherness aspect, or if it was just a small building. Also the idea of sharing a dish with your table is very community oriented and I've never eaten like that before. The feelings of togetherness and community made me think that Ethiopians take great pride in helping each other out to strengthen the community. While my mind was focused on the community, my taste buds where focused on the little bread roll. I had never ate a meal in which a piece of bread was your main utensil, but I'm glad the blue nile was my first experience. I even enjoyed the bread by itself without any food on it. It had a hint of lemon to me and I like tart foods. While I usually like a little more protein on my plate, the various dishes were all delicious. I think the stuff in the middle was probably my favorite, it reminded me of refried beans. while none of us ate the little bread that all the food was on top of, I imagine it would be loaded with flavor. Overall, my first dive into Ethiopian cuisine was a great one and I'd definitely recommend the Blue Nile to friends interested in trying new foods.
ReplyDelete-Jacob Gamboa
DeleteSo, going into hearing about the Blue Nile from friends who had previously enjoyed the experience , I was definitely excited for what was to come. Walking through the doors of this beautiful restaurant, the instant smells that hit my face instantly excited me. I had never had Ethiopian food so I didn't have much to compare it too but nether than less, I love food lol. Seeing the food bought out in a community ese serving was very familiar to me with friends of mines who are Saudi Arabian have something similar with chicken is this AMAZING! So, as soon as I saw this, I instantly got excited. It sucks but I was definitely disappointed. I am not a big fan of food with an extreme texture that lingers so I was actually not a fan of much. I did not enjoy the mango drink that I could not get enough of . The bread roll had a weird after taste that definitely tasted better when partner with a meat but having it by itself was not enjoyable. I feel as if I should give them another try but for a first time, I'm not a big fan.
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