Enjoying the food at the Blue Nile restaurant - for most of the class, it meant trying something new. We had the sampler platter, which has beef, chicken, lamb, and many veggie and legume dishes, such as, cabbage, greens, green beans and carrots, mushrooms, miser watt (lentils), split peas - all served on top of the traditional Ethiopian bread, injera.
One of the platters before we dug in - our group takes up most of the restaurant. We've been coming here for years with our students and always find a warm welcome and a very friendly, efficient staff to guide us. |
| Mango Lover |
To begin with I've never been to or eaten Ethiopian food before. So going to Blue Nile was quite an experience. First off the size of the restaurant I thought added a great ambience to dinning. It allowed for a a very intimate environment that added to the experience. Another thing that did that was the tribal mask on the wall. They were very traditional and creative. Secondly, the food was like something I've never had before. I am a very texture based person and I confirmed that with trying the food tonight. I made an effort to try at least a little bit of all the food on the platter. The bread with food tasted really good but by itself I didn't like the flavor to much. I really liked the chicken,beef, collards, green beans and cabbage they were very flavorful and were something my pallet could relate to. The lamb was not good to me, it was really soft and just not up my alley, neither was the lintels and other things on the platter. Over all dinning down town was really cool and a great experience. I would have to say that the best thing about dinning at the Blue Nile was the MANGO JUICE.
ReplyDeleteJazmine Kenney
When I first heard we were going to an Ethiopian restaurant, I knew it was going to be a unique and different experience. I have never had Ethiopian food before, until yesterday when we attended The Blue Nile Café. To start when I first walked in the restaurant it felt very different. It was a lot smaller and more intimate than the usual restaurants I usually attend. To start off the night I ordered the Mango juice which was highly recommended by everyone, and it didn’t disappoint. It tasted just like a fresh cut mango right out of a Florida Tree. The food was very different and nothing like I have ever had before. Usually I have a texture problem and cannot eat certain food because of that simple reason, but surprisingly I had no problem here at the restaurant. Instead of using utensils we used this particular bread to grab the different kinds of foods on the platter. The bread was good with the food and in my opinion pretty plain by itself. I really like the chicken, beef, greens, corn, and surprisingly the lamb was also very tasteful. My favorite thing was the mango juice! Overall my dining experience at The Blue Nile Café was very good, I left the restaurant very satisfied and full and open to try more of a variety of foods.
ReplyDeleteTerrell Abernathy
The blue nile restaurant was definitely something that I was not used to. It was a great experience to try new things. Unfortunately, it was not my favorite as far as taste goes but I loved the atmosphere of the restaurant. One of the things that I found interesting was how we weren’t allowed to eat with a fork or spoon. We were required to use our hands and the bread that was provided to us. The bread felt amazing. It was all warm and squishy! The one thing that I loved the taste of was the mango juice. I was very yummy! It tasted like a really sweet yummy smoothie. I drank that the whole meal and ended up being full from that. I liked the taste of the chicken that was on the platter but it was just a little too spicy for me. The vegetables were probably my favorite part as far as the food goes. I loved the green beans and the carrots that were on the plate. I would say that after this experience I probably will not be returning just because I didn’t really enjoy the food taste. Other than that I loved the trip and getting to see new things.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteWhen I realized that we were going to be eating Ethiopian food, it never crossed my mind that a food culture could be so unique and flavorful. I found that it was quite challenging at times to eat such a flavorful masterpiece without a fork utensil positioned in my hands. What I really enjoyed most was the scrumptious bread; and how I basically used as my eating utensil for the evening. The bread had a sponge-like feeling to it was really soft, as well. Though it was quite challenging at times to scoop up the meat or produce of some sort; however, it went extremely well with the chicken and beef. Though most of the food was extremely well, I was not a fan of the corn and carrots that were served. The flavor was something I have never tasted before. What I really enjoyed about the overall trip to the restaurant, was to experience something different. Being able to taste a different culture food, it was an overall eye-opener. Eating utensil-free along with adapting to spice-filled flavors meats and veggies were pretty good. Also, I really enjoyed drinking the mango juice, the juice was so good and really sweet. Overall, the Ethiopian restaurant experience was quite fascinating, and the food portions were really filling.
-Darryl Terrell
The trip to the quaint little Blue Nile cafe in river market area was an inviting endeavor. The wall decor accentuated the informal and friendly atmosphere. The communal style meal being served with out any kind of eating utensils was an awkward and unique experience. I've never tried to eat meat and vegetables free of some type of gadget.The teff flour only injera had better flavor to me than the mixed one but both possessed a sough-dough/fermented flavor and resilient texture. Ethiopian food is much spicier than was previously known to me. Although quite spicy, the food didn't really seem too hot. I did not sprinkle the pepper mosaic, likely to accommodate a diversified range of fiery enthusiast, on any of the given food choices as surprise heat intensity is not one my favorite surprises. I have previously lacked exposure to foods flavored in such a frenzied way. I am really looking forward to future encounters that will enable one of a kind participation that also facilitated an improved fundamental understanding of the exceptional conglomeration of food and culture in the world.
ReplyDeleteGoing to an Ethiopian restaurant, and seeing what we were going to be eating wasn't a surprise to me. It actually felt like my childhood days growing up with my mom and dad who are Jamaican, and Belizean. So I grew up around those types of meals, eating goat, pig feet, oxtails, pig tails, and plenty more. Even though it was different, I found out that I'm open to try new things, so when I seen what we were going to be eating, It wasn’t that hard for me to try. I learned that whatever it is you're trying for the first time, you may not like , but it takes quite of few times in order for you to get used to something you've never had. Like the lamb, that was my first time trying that, crazy part about that was I didn’t even know what it was until after I ate it. To be honest I found out that had an effect on me of knowing what I'm eating vs not knowing. When I found out what it was, I tried it again, but didn't really like it, I guess because I found out what it was.
ReplyDelete-Devon Young
On June 6, 2017 our food and culture class took a trip to visit the Blue Nile Restaurant. This was my first experience at an Ethiopian restaurant, and my first time even seeing an Ethiopian cuisine. I was not even sure what Ethiopian style food was. I had no idea what to expect before arriving there, but I would say that Blue Nile and its staff gave us a warm welcome. The decorations in the restaurant gave a feeling of what the Ethiopian culture may be like. When we received our food it came on a platter with a variety of meat, vegetables and some other sides, and we shared this dish with three other classmates. I had to get use to the idea of not being able to use silverware, and instead use the bread to pick up my food. At first picking up certain foods with my hands seemed odd to me, but I adjusted to their norm. The bread was a different texture than what I am use to as well. It seemed to be a little spongier than what I usually eat. The main food dishes I tried were the bread, chicken, and cabbage. The bread with chicken was actually better than what I was expecting, and I did really enjoy the mango juice they served as well. I was not adventurous enough to try the lamb although I heard that it was quite good. Typically I am a very picky eater and do not like to venture out and try new things, but I am glad that I had the experience of going here and broadening my horizons on food. I think it is good every now and again to try things from a different culture because it shows you a piece of what else is out there. Overall my first experience at the Blue Nile Restaurant was very good. I would recommend one to give Ethiopian food a shot.
ReplyDelete-McKenna Mendenhall
I enjoy experiencing new restaurants and new foods so I definitely loved going to the Blue Nile Café. This seems like a restaurant that my family would love going to with me because it's different than what we are used to. Although the restaurant was small, the inside made such a statement with it's decorations and the flavor of it's food. I loved that we got the whole restaurant to ourselves. Eating with my hands was funny and interesting but, if you think about it, we eat a lot of different food with our hands including wings (my favorite). I knew I would like the lamb because my family has lamb chops every Fourth of July. The chicken and beef had more of a Mexican spice to it. It's so cool how everything on the platter had a completely different taste. The bread was VERY interesting and if you ask me, kind of sour-like. It tasted fine with the food but I could not eat it alone. The bread without wheat in it was so strong, it kind of tasted metal-like. The best thing about the restaurant was the mango juice! I will definitely come back here with my family so that we can experience Ethiopian food together!
ReplyDeleteBefore this trip to the Blue Nile Restaurant, I had no prior experiences with Ethiopian food or culture and I really did not know what to expect. I did not love the food but, I am grateful for the experience. I noticed that the beef and chicken dishes were spicy and the bread was sour. When those two flavors were combined it became bitter and sour. I was shocked to learn that in this culture eating utensils are not used and I was a little uncomfortable using my fingers to eat. Looking back on my experience at the Blue Nile Restaurant I realize that bread is very important to this culture. The meal was served on bread, eaten with bread and bread was the closest thing to a utensil during this meal. I appreciate how the restaurant was set up, there was artwork in the Blue Nile that made me feel like I was getting an authentic experience of Ethiopian culture. The staff was friendly and very helpful, they made an effort to make me feel welcomed. I really enjoyed the communal styling of eating it reminds me of how my family sits down to enjoy meals together. The trip to the Blue Nile was a positive experience and I am glad I had the chance to see a different culture.
ReplyDeleteJaylan Waxter
The Ethiopian food was very different for me. The texture of the bread was very new for me. I never knew bread could coeme in a form like that. The taste of the bread was not my favorite. The first thing I tried was the bread by itself and I wish i had never did that. I was actually scared to try any of the foods because, I wasn't familiar with the looks. So I didn't know what i was getting myself into. But for some odd reason I tried everything on the platter. Which takes me by surprised because I rarely try new food. I would sit and there and starve before, I try something new. So I'm really proud of myself for being brave and taking that risk. Even though some of those risk lead to some spicy endings. I don't eat vegetables and I tried cabbage but I knew what it was and still gave it a go. The only thing on the plate that had my taste bud jumping was the lamb. The lamb was delicious and I think I ate most of it. That was actually my first time having lamb. So ethiopian food introduced me to a new type of meat. So I know what I'm telling my Dad to cook once I get back to Miami. Overall I think the real reason why I taste the food was because, i want to able to tell my family and friends back home. I tried food from a different country, which is always a cool thing to share.
ReplyDelete- Tenka Stringer
The blue Nike cafe took me back to a simpler time, a time eating in little shacks in JA. The fact that the restaurant shut down the entire indoor seating just for us made me feel extremely welcomed. As I walked around the restaurant a saw different things that caught my eye the framed teff leaf by the door opened my imagination to everything dotty described it to be in class. There was a wooden mask on the wall with dreads craved into it which intrigued me to perhaps even make an offer to buy it . As the class filled the room and the drink orders started they couldn't make the mango juice fast enough for us because everybody wanted to try a cup of it . In my personal opinion the juice tasted powdery and I grew up climbing trees and eating 25 mangos a day before I even climbed back down so when I say that this lil Jamaican boy was not to pleased with the texture of the "freshed squeezed" mango juice. As a lil boy my granny use to make mango juice and it came out smooth and silky, and blue Nile's was no where near that. From the moment in class dotty mentioned mango juice I got excited but I have to say that dotty let me down with that one. With that being said I'm still enthusiastic towards the class and eager to see what Korean night is going to be like.
ReplyDelete-STEWART
This past Tuesday we visited the Blue Nile Restaurant. I would say that I benefited from the visit because I had never eaten any Ethiopian food before. First, all three of the meats were seasoned well and tasted good, the texture was different for me but I still enjoyed that part of the meal. The vegetables also tasted great but a few of dishes had textures that I'm not accustomed to so they were a little offsetting. I thought it was really cool how the meal was served on top of the bread. The injera wasn't a huge hit for me though, as it was more of a sourdough and I'm not particularly found of sourdough breads. I really enjoyed the set up of the restaurant though, it had a very intimate and family like feel to it. It felt as though we were guests in their home and not just customers like it is at most American restaurants. The decor was also very interesting as everything was unique and added to the original design of the restaurant, which I really appreciated. As a whole I am glad that I was to experience something new and experience a part of the Ethiopian culture.
ReplyDelete-Hannah Masters
I have never eaten an Ethiopian restaurant before it was a benefiting experience for me. Being from the US you get American style food and you never really get to really try new cultures Foods because they're not as popular as places like you say McDonald's are Olive Garden. I'm not going to lie I ate food before I even came to the class. I'm down for trying new things, but I will always have my reservations. I'm a picky eater to begin with, so I already know that the Ethiopian food wasn't going to be my cup of tea, but I'm glad that I did try it because I found at least three of the things that I liked that was on the tray. I like that sense of community style eating because it does promote either family time or just bonding. The essence of the restaurant was homey, comfortable to me. I made my faces I said my slick comments but overall will I do it again? Yes I would. I'm happy that I'm coming out of my box, that's important when it comes to growth as a person. Experience is everything. Knowing something like food, or the way someone Cooks food, or how people eat food can unite and divide the countries of the world, makes me impressed and curious. I don't know if I'm willing to do this on a regular basis but every now and then is ok. Going to the Blue Nile Cafe reminded me of when I went on the Travel course to Cuba last semester and trying all of their Foods and the way they make it I was excited impressed and with some certain dishes disgusted LOL. But it's an experience I will never give back because it gave me a new perspective on different countries, different cultures.. the world period.
ReplyDelete-Amber Jones
On the 6th of June 2017 Avila's Food and Culture class took a trip to the Blue Nile Cafe right here in Kansas City. This looking at cultures through the foods that they eat is an entirely new experience for me. Blue Nile is a small Ethiopian restaurant that serves their food in the much the same way that it is served in much the same way that it is served in Ethiopia. As they brought out the meal I was surprised to find that the food was placed in small piles on a bread that is called teff. This teff however was not the same as it is in Ethiopia; this kind is a wheat teff mix to be a more familiar taste to our palettes. This also wasn't the only shock, the most supprising part was that there was no silverware to eat with, but instead we had to eat with the same bread that the food was served on. But as I scooped up that first bite I was greeted with a pleasant mix of meats and spices that seemed so familiar and alien at the same time. All of the different types of food on that platter of teff was just as good as that first bite. It didn't take long to fill me due to that the utensils were part of the meal as well. All cultures have their differences, and sometimes it seems that we can't find any common ground, but all of us share that love to eat a good meal. This showed me a breif glimpse into the culture of Ethiopia, and I was surprised to find that much of the flavor principal that is used in their food was such a familiar taste that it was a great experience to be part of. This makes me want to go back and have the full meal with the pure teff bread, and the coffee ceremony afterward to get a better glimpse at this new culture, and to see into the eyes of cultures as I try their food as well.
ReplyDeleteThe experience that I had at the Blue Nile restaurant was very different from what I thought it was going to be. Before we entered the restaurant I thought we were going to be eating full course meals. I was some what afraid of trying new food because it’s something that I don’t normally do. I might try a new burger or chicken restaurant, but a new culture of food was out of my comfort zone. Eating without a fork and sharing a plate with other people was very awkward to be at first. It seemed a bit unsanitary, but as the night went on a forced more on getting the cultural experience. I found some foods that I did enjoy and some that I did not like so much. The chicken and lamb were two of my favorites. On the other hand the potatoes and greens were not very pleasing to me. The taste of the food was very different. I’m used to eating some of the same foods everyday. I was not every open to the new experience but I am glad I opened up and tried the new foods. I don’t know if it’s something I will try again but I know I will be ready to experience the next restaurant we eat at.
ReplyDelete-Breonne Maltbia
Terrell McFadden
ReplyDeleteDuring the first day of class when we went to explore and experience eating Ethiopian food I learned that they don’t use utensils to eat their food. They use rolled up bread to scoop up and grab different food on the platter to eat. That something very new to me being as though Ive always used a fork or spoon growing up here in the United States. One thing Ive learned about myself is that even though Im a picky eater, at the same time im willing to try new foods at least one time.
The types of foods that we ate at the Ethiopian restaurant was pretty good but I didn’t try any of the spicey foods Im not into the tingling feeling on my taste buds. Overall the food was good and I am more interested in finding out more information about the Ethiopian culture. My background of food is more so seafood like crabs shrimp also soul food such as fried chicken collard greens potato salad thing in that nature.
I look forward to exploring other culture foods and style of living being as though I haven’t tried many other foods than what I grow up on.
I've never thought of myself as a picky eater, but Tuesday night I met my match. The food was good, but it was hard for me to really enjoy it; and I kept thinking about how strange it would be to come in from a long day of work and pull out the roll of bread and start eating off of the one plate! It just seemed like every day would be the same if all of your food with the bread. But then again, I guess it's all what you grow up around, but it still surprised me how foreign food and eating rituals could be! Overall, I really enjoyed the experience and liked going with others who had never tried Ethiopian, seeing everyone’s faces as they either enjoyed or struggled to enjoy these very different dishes was great. The dinner really drove home just how closely tethered we are to our own food cultures, even if we don’t consider ourselves picky. In general, I tend to stick with American and Italian and occasionally Mexican, so this experience really exemplified how little of a variety of food types I eat. I feel that it will help me be able to branch out even more in the future.
ReplyDeleteMcKenzie Harms
The first day of class was a great experience for me. I got to enjoy some good and nasty Ethiopian food. the meats were delicious but I do not like vegetables. my doctor says I am a healthy kid because I eat broccoli but unfortunately there was no broccoli for me to try. overall I really enjoyed the food and piece of culture I was introduced to. I look forward to learning more about Ethiopia and its food so that in the future I can take things a step further. I know that the foods here are altered to fit American customs and tastes to some level so I would like to travel to Ethiopia one day to actually taste there food. getting to see others reactions to the food was also entertaining and exciting. some people liked it more than others and sadly some people were not willing to try the food at all. food and culture are very important to everyone. I never really thought about it from an educational view but now I am eager to expand my knowledge.
ReplyDeleteDavante Frazier
My experience at the Blue Nile restaurant was different and also fun. I hate trying new foods, anyone who knows me knows I get the same thing every time I go out to eat. Trying the Ethiopian food at the restaurant was weird and exciting. The food I did try turned out to taste better than what I thought, it actually wasn't that bad. It took me a while to finally dig in and try the food. Eventually seeing everyone try the food and have their own experience made me want my own. I know if it wasn't for this class I probably would have never tried this food or came to the Blue Nile Restaurant at all. Being able to come and experience taste from a different culture is great. Now I want to go to different places and try new foods that I haven't before from all cultures. This experience really opened me up to explore new things and to get out my comfort zone of the same thing or the normal. I know I wasn’t so sure about coming to the Blue Nile, but this experience has changed my mindset and now has me excited for our next trip.
ReplyDelete- Donte Tibbs
The Food and Culture Class is a great way to experience things that one would probably not do on their own. Day one was exciting for me because trying new food is not a strong trait of mine, I like to stick to what I know I like for sure. But before I go into more details about the food, my class is full and that excites me because I have not had the chance to have class with many of these students and I really like meeting new people. My hopes for this class is become more aware of the food from different cultures so that it helps me become more open minded about trying new foods.
ReplyDeleteBefore this class I had never heard about the Blue Nile Café but I thought the small café had a welcoming vibe and all the employees were very kind. Once I saw the platter in front of me I’ll admit that I was a little concerned, mainly because I am afraid of new but once I began to try different meats and sides I began to find flavors that I really did enjoy. My favorite food was the chicken, it had a little spice to it! But my favorite part overall was the mango juice, I am a huge fan of fruit beverages and smoothies! After this experience, I am eager to try Korean food.
It was a very neat and eye opening experience be able to try a new food from a different culture. I am used to the same everyday foods in my environment. Stepping outside of that barrier is a great way for me to expand my horizons and venture out into different worlds of food. I feel being apart of this class will allow me to interact with many new people, not only in the class, but at the restaurants we will visit and learn about. I hope that I will allow myself to adapt and try new spices and amazing flavors from the many different cultures the world has to offer.
ReplyDeleteI have visited the City market various times in the past but never did I venture into the Blue Nile Cafe. It is a hidden treasure in my own opinion as It was a bit difficult for me to locate. You walk into the building its located and realize it is hidden amongst other small restaurants. When the large platter arrived, it was very diverse with several different types of vegetables and meats from chicken to lentils and beef. One of my favorites from the variety of foods was the chicken. It had a very different taste yet familiar as it was somewhat similar to a food found in my Mexican culture. There were several foods very similar to my culture which made me very happy in the way that I felt I had a connection to some of these Ethiopian flavors. I will definitely like to return and show some of my friends about what Ethiopian food truly is.
-Juan DeHaro
I was quite eager to go to the Blue Nile Cafe as I had never tried Ethiopian Food and do like to try newer foods. I'm always a fan of smaller/personal style cafe's, so this was my first observation. I enjoy a great cafe in which the staff has the time to dedicate to the consumer and ensure their visit is great; it was especially nice to see that the owner was there and was involved in delivering the meals and the coffee ceremony. Overall, there were several elements of the platter that I enjoyed, some not so much and some I was concerned to try.
ReplyDeleteI think Dotty did a good job preparing us for the texture of the injera, because it was what I expected and it was quite good. I am a big protein eater so I really enjoyed the lamb, beef and chicken stew; Each of these items had a different flavor and the spice in one of them was excellent. As far as the vegetables go, I thought the green beans were really good and I expected to enjoy them. Both type of the lentils that we ate had an interesting flavor and weren't bad for my first experience. I expected to enjoy the corn, but it honestly tasted like it was out of the can and really didn't have much good flavor to me. I also expected to like the dish that appeared to have some type of sweet potato in it, because I love sweet potatoes, but I didn't really enjoy the after taste. I avoided the mushroom dish and the collard greens, as I'm not a huge fan of these with any type of meal. Finally, the coffee ceremony was excellent! I loved how they showed the raw coffee, showed it cooked and then served it; the coffee was really good and I had two glasses.
Overall, very cool to experience this culture of food for the first time and I definitely tried a few types of food that I would not normally choose if I had my own option. I'm glad we get to experience these restaurants in this class as it's great to try the foods we are learning about.