I had not tried Ethiopian food prior to last night. I was worried because I didn't really know what to expect. 6 of us shared a plate and engaged in debating the pros and cons of each different dish. The food was very similar to Indian food. The bread (Teff) was the total opposite of what I expected and the biggest difference. Instead of chewy, warm bread, it was cool and spongy. The variety of foods also was a little surprising as I thought African countries in general had limited food choices. It was a pleasant surprise.
The great part is that our group was able to compare the experience with other foods and cultures. For example, the cabbage and carrot dish was not my favorite, reminding of growing up with similar dish my Polish grandmother made. I found out Professor Hamilton has a Croatian heritage and had a similar dish in her culture. A couple of the other people in our group also shared similar experiences. The whole meal was learning about the foods, sharing our cultures and I was glad that there wasn't 'dead air' during the meal.
The coffee ceremony was fabulous. I felt privileged and special in being able to participate in it. From the way our server brought the green coffee beans around for everyone to smell, then the same process when the beans were roasted; to the addition of the incense while coffee was served, made the group part of the process instead of just being served something. The smells, preparation, serving and ultimately trying the coffee was a perfect ending to this fun evening.
P.S. I also have a few pictures if you would like them as well!
In my experience, Ethiopian people are generally very warm and inviting. I think this is reflected in their foodways. Serving warm and colorful foods that are presented beautifully and enjoyed family style reflects the Ethiopian culture. Sharing the meal with class got us all talking to each other and learning about each other personally, and I think this was really inspired by the family style of sharing a platter as well as experiencing new foods together.
One thing I learned about myself from eating at Blue Nile with our class is that my connection with Ethiopian culture and food (through the adoption of my Ethiopian daughters) gives me a sense of pride and makes me hope that others who have not tried Ethiopian food will enjoy it. I know several people did not enjoy the food, but many were pleasantly surprised that they did. Either way, it was great to share the experience with classmates who were open to tasting the food and sharing a table together.
I got to try two dishes that I had not tried before: fasolia (beans and carrots) and a lamb dish. Both were great, but I really like more spice in my food, and these two dishes were pretty mild. My favorites are Doro Wat (chicken stew) and Gomen (greens).
The coffee ceremony was a very special treat. It’s rare to have fresh, fragrant coffee made from just-roasted beans. It was delicious!
I love Ethiopian culture and food, and eating at Blue Nile with our class was great fun!
I have never had Ethiopian food before. It was defiantly a different experience. The Injera had a spongy texture that I wasn’t expecting. The flavor of the bread reminded me of sourdough bread. I thought it was going to be warm and more of a tortilla texture. I am open to trying new foods therefore I did try all the dishes. My favorite was the lamb dish. I was expecting more spicy flavors than the dishes had and was pleasantly surprised how much of the ginger I tasted in most of the dishes. The restaurant was smaller than I expected, but I believe that it has a great ambiance and vibe showing the Ethiopian culture. The coffee ceremony was an awesome experience as well. I left the restaurant very satisfied and full. I am very grateful to get to have this experience with this class.
Eager to try something new, but not quite sure what to expect even after the Professor’s overview- the name itself, “Blue Nile Café” was catchy. I was looking forward to challenging my palate since I have never eaten Ethiopian cuisines. Upon arrival, I was hesitant and because there weren’t many people outside of our classmates dining in; however, I overcame that reservation fairly quick. The café, tucked away in a small strip, had a very welcoming and informal vibe and the staff was friendly and inviting. Looking around, the décor provided a sense of authenticity to their culture.
We were served their sampler platter and I tried each dish. I enjoyed the traditional flatbread, injera. Although I was expecting it to be tasteless, the sourness was a little overwhelming, in which I thought took away from the sauces and spices of the dishes it was served with. Although I respect the culture and customs, I did find challenging for me to eat these particular dishes with my hands. One of my biggest pet peeves actually is for saucy dishes like this to be eaten without a utensil. I felt messy and that the process was unclean-especially when sharing with several others. I think I would have savored the flavors better with a utensil and eating the injera separately. I also enjoyed the lamb and chicken, but I felt the lamb was the most flavorful. My favorite sides/veggies were the Fosolia and Atikeltt (green beans and cabbage); I think they were prepared well with a good mix of spices- I’d definitely go back for more of that. The Gomen/collards had a unique taste and were also flavorful, but since I am accustomed to them being prepared differently, I think I prefer the flavor I am familiar with. I least enjoyed the yekik watt, which were the yellow split peas. It did not have a flavor and the texture was a bit too mushy for me.
After the meal, I was excited to have experienced the coffee ceremony. The aroma of the roasted coffee beans was delectable! Normally, I am a “creamer with a dab of coffee” type of person, but the aroma of the roasted coffee was so enticing so I drank it without additives- and I am glad I did! The natural flavors were amazing and I could see myself going back for more.
Overall, I appreciated the opportunity to venture out of my comfort foods. If I were to be served or offered the food in a normal circumstance, I would have likely declined just but the looks of the servings. The experience itself was memorable and I look forward to learning and tasting new cuisines!
Although I'd eaten Ethiopian food several times, I'd never been to Blue Nile Café. I like Ethiopian food a lot as long as I can order it to be mild because I can't eat spicy food. My favorite dish out of everything was the lamb. It was tender and very flavorful.
After being married to an Egyptian American for the last 10 years I have a very diverse spice cabinet. Learning how to cook traditional Egyptian and Middle Eastern dishes requires me to use spices such as cardamom, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, clove, and curry which are common spices found in Ethiopian dishes. There are a lot of dishes with lamb, chick peas and carrots. Though the flavors and ingredients are quite similar, the textures, style, and presentation are very different.
The coffee ceremony was pretty cool. I'd never experienced it before and think it's very nice that they have this as a part of their tradition. Roasting coffee beans on site is awesome! I love coffee and did find this to be a bit strong. However, I imagine that's the point and the reason it is served in such a small cup.
Overall, it was a nice experience. I really enjoyed spending time with my peers and getting to know them better while sharing in a unique experience together! Although some people didn't like some of the food it was really refreshing to see that everyone was receptive to trying it, kept an open mind and was very respectful of the culture.
I enjoys foods, however I mostly enjoy Americanized traditional foods. I stepped out of my own cultural comforts and gave a try in eating at an authentic Ethiopian restaurant. The first thing I noticed was the café setting on the outside. I walked into the door, gaining a surreal visual of cultural attributes along the walls of decorated Ethiopian masks, pictures and news clippings in pictured frames, circled flats resembling a flattened Mexican sombrero, and many other symbolic items depicting the Ethiopian culture. I walked through the doorway and my whole class was already seated, finalizing drink orders. I sat down and had a glass of thick, slightly above room temperature, however smooth and actually quite refreshing mango. The texture and taste was both pleasing. I sat and conversed with several in the class about many things including the Ethiopian culture. I think we all had a great time learning about the culture and the surroundings leading up to the serving of the foods. When the food was brought out, it visually was similar to setting down four large pizzas with organized raised slices of different food delicacies except for in the middle was an equal sized circled portion of another type Ethiopian cuisine all placed on top of flat injera. There was also several rolled slices of injera bread on plates and on the metal large plate housing our, (using my word) “pizza” dish of Ethiopian foods. We had earlier last week watched a video in how this bread was prepared however to see it in person, the little tiny holes were visible through out, and the bread was had a very soft sponge like feel to it. We were to use the bread as the utensil for eating. This is quite unique and a new experience for me in using bread to eat foods. I didn’t know if it was going to go over well however my mind immediately shifted as I tasted the foods. Each was a combination of a collard type green, lintels, potato n curry, ground up beef, cabbage and carrots, split chickpea, chicken and another type mush brown bean, mushrooms and lintels maybe, and the center was lamb and what I called green stuff. I tasted it all and ate a lot. The food was pleasing to my taste. I realized that I eat mostly with my hands anyways and besides who needs forks when the tastes of each food with injera bread was welcoming to my belly. The greens were my favorite. Each cuisine was flavored with several spices and seasonings. The beef was a bit spicy but flavorful, however it all was great. My group ate 97% of the foods leaving just pieces of soggy injera. The food was filling and the experience was great, tasty, and I was full. Towards the end we celebrated with a coffee ceremony. They brought out a green colored type bean slightly roasted and allowed for each of us to smell. That was new to me. I am used to people just bringing out coffee. I immersed myself into the moment. A burning ceramic dish with a fired coal on top burned an incense. The smell of the incense was calming. The coffee was poured into several small porcelain type cups that had a decorative flower or a symbol of Ethiopia’s flag emblazoned on the side. As the coffee sat in the distance for cooling, we each talked about our experience of the foods that we either ate or attempted to eat. It was great and the atmosphere and service provided was very welcoming. We were offered the small cups of coffee and it was not bad. I don’t drink coffee however I drank the whole cup of the black coffee, which for me was not bad. Soon after, many departed and several stay behind to further discuss and be a part of the experience. I enjoyed myself and learned that when people get together, share foods, in the manner of sharing and eating with our hands, it didn’t matter where you come from, it made me feel that I was among friends, eating and talking as natural as being a human and accepted for the love of foods. I will be attending Blue Nile again and again.
This experience taught me a lot about the Ethiopian culture. I learned about how their bread is made from a grain I’ve never heard of, their communal meals, their most common spices, and the overall feeling of everyone being a part of the dining experience. Since I've always been a relatively picky eater, I wondered how it was going to be for me to try so many new foods at once. I had never had anything that we tried at the restaurant and wasn’t actually sure what anything was that I was eating other than the bread. I did get a chance to ask at one point in the meal and was told what the different things were. The things I liked best were the lamb, corn dish, and carrots and green beans. The chicken was pretty good too, just a bit spicy. I didn’t try the mushroom dish as mushrooms are a big no for me in any meal. I tried a few bites of all of the other dishes just for the experience. The best part was the group dining experience. It’s easy as Americans with our own plates to just sit and eat our meals without much interaction if we really wanted to. The big plate in the middle, along with the fact that not many of us had had this experience before, made it great for conversation and getting to know the people I didn’t know much about before the meal. The coffee ceremony was interesting to be a part of as well. Even though I can’t drink coffee, I love the smell of it and the tradition is special so it was very nice of them to do that for us. I was surprised at the change in color of the coffee beans as I have apparently never seen them before they’ve been roasted. Overall, it was a great experience even though I wasn’t a huge fan of the meal itself. Being able to try new things with new people made it a good time.
I arrived early to my class meeting at the Blue Nile Café, an Ethiopian restaurant at the River Market. As I waited for my classmates to arrive, I could smell the food cooking in the kitchen. The smell of the spices reminded me of Indian cuisine, a warm, sweet, and spicy scent. By the time my class arrived, I was ready to eat. In groups of 4-5, we shared a sampler platter with an assortment of vegetarian and meat dishes ranging from mild to hot in spice. The sampler platter was a great introduction to Ethiopian food because it showcased the variety of dishes available. The food was arranged on top of a spongy textured bread called injera. We were also served plates with pieces of injera which we were to use as our eating utensils. This added to the sensory experience of the meal. My table either had the strongest appetite or discovered a new favorite food. We devoured the food on the platter including the injera the food was served on. The meal was a great experience to share with a group because of the unique way in which the meal was served. We finished the meal with a coffee ceremony. This was another interactive opportunity. The beans in their raw, pre-roasted form, where passed around the table. Once roasted, we were able to smell the beans again before they were ground and served as coffee. Incense was placed on the table as part of the ceremony (this might have been the least favorite part of the experience.) I suggest that anyone who has not tried Ethiopian food and is looking for a new food experience, try it. Bring friends and add in the coffee ceremony. I will definitely with my family.
I am a person who eats the same things and hardly ever tries anything new. I've always considered myself to be somewhat backwards when it comes to my palate. The "weirdest" food that I eat is General Tso's Chicken - does that tell you what my food experience is?
I was a little apprehensive about eating at The Blue Nile. I'm not comfortable trying new foods or new restaurants. I was surprised at how small it was. It felt cozy in a way. I loved the decorations and the news clippings. I also liked the big windows that I could look out and watch the people go by. Yes, I'm a people watcher.
The food - I think that I would have enjoyed the food more if I had had a utensil. I did not like the taste or the consistency of the injera bread. I made a point of tasting everything on the tray and I truly liked most of it, but the injera bread gave it a flavor that I just didn't like. I didn't think my "tray mates" would like me using my fingers to taste everything so I didn't, but I would have enjoyed the food more if I had.
The coffee ceremony was a surprise. I was just sure that the coffee was going to come out and be bitter so I was shocked when I tasted the just roasted coffee. It wasn't bitter at all, it was smooth and it tasted good. The most unpleasant thing about the coffee ceremony was the incense. Wow - where did they get that??
The best part about the whole outing was getting to know some of my classmates better. I truly had a good time just talking to the people around me. We have good people in our class.
Will I go back - probably not. But I truly enjoyed my experience!
This was my first experience with this type of food. I liked it! The experience was so amazing. I loved how the food and conversation flowed, the communal eating style was really fun. I will probably go back, with friend or two.
I enjoyed the fact that there was potatoes in a lot of the dishes, that gave me something familiar in texture with the new flavors to try. I discovered that having "safe" texture made it easier for me to try new flavors. Which was not something I knew about me.
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. This was one of my major observations in my entire experience. It seemed that the owner and his staff took a lot of pride in preparing the food 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. I went in expecting to try everything. I 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. Brandon Wisdom
This was my second time eating at Blue Nile Restaurant and I really enjoyed the experience. Too often in our busy lives we grab familiar food because it quick and easy. We don’t really sit down, enjoy a meal, a savor different flavors. That is exactly what we got to do at Blue Nile. Trying different food was fun and I personally enjoyed not knowing exactly what everything was. That way I could taste something, thing about the flavors, and then discover something new. The coffee was also a delicious experience. Most of the time we grab a quick Keurig or pay for an overpriced Starbucks drink. At Blue Nile we were able to see the entire process which led to a delicious cup of coffee. I learned that you can tell a lot about another culture from their food. As you walk into the restaurant you see traditional African decorations adorning the walls. The environment sets the stage for you to be brought into a different culture. In regards to myself, I learned that it is important to try new things. When we step out of our comfort zone we get the opportunity to have a brand new experience.
I have eaten Ethiopian food on several separate occasions, but I had never eaten at the Blue Nile Café. My first impression of the place was that it was a very cultural place, the décor and aroma made me feel more like I was in Ethiopia than America. I enjoyed the food, but it was nothing that I have never had. The thing I found most interesting about the entire time there was the coffee ceremony. It was the only thing that I had never seen done before and honestly, I was thinking about paying for it before I learned that it was free. I found it very interesting that the beans were white to start and after roasting they had turned brown. The aroma was fantastic, and the coffee was some of the best that I have had. It was like the ultimate French roast. Of all the food my favorite thing was either the chicken or the lamb. I really liked how the lamb was accompanied by mashed peas. I felt that the two flavors blended well together. Overall, I felt that I had a good experience at the Blue Nile and I learned something new about coffee and that I really like Ethiopian Coffee.
I’m also one of those who had never tried Ethiopian food before. Before I even arrived at the restaurant- I found myself excited to be able to experience it!
The food was surprising good! A few of the dishes like the collards and cabbage are things that I’m used to even in my own home, but they tasted completely different which was interesting. Between those and the lamb, which I had never had before- were a favorite with me.
Even though the teff was described to us in class, I guess I wasn’t fully prepared for how spongy a ‘bread’ could be. I enjoyed that part of their foodways the most because it seemed more personal sharing our food among friends without the use of silverware. Also, I feel like it’s a skill to be able to pick up copious amounts of food with just using bread- similar to when people eat small grains of rice with just chopsticks.
The coffee was delicious and I appreciate our host taking the time to break down the process from start to finish. It just goes to show they take pride in what they’re making and the process is just as important as the final result! Not to mention- it smelled amazing! If I could bottle that aroma up and take it with me, I definitely would!
Now, if I had to choose a favorite part of this whole experience- it would definitely be the atmosphere! Despite us taking up majority of the dining area, it was interesting to see all the different guests that arrived at the Blue Nile. It’s almost as if I was being let in on a secret that everyone else already knew about. There were people from all different cultures, race, and age that visited Tuesday! I was pleasantly surprised. Now I can see I’m apart of this society of people who have had the pleasure of dining there as well!
I had never had Ethiopian food before, but I was excited to experience some new food. I’m a kind of person that I’ll try something once just to say that I have tried it and I consider myself an adventures eater for the most part. When I arrived at the restaurant, I was excited to try the food and to experience something different, something new. I was not disappointed! The experience started with the eating of the sample platters in groups of 4-5, which I really enjoyed. The food had a good flavor profile and had a variety of different textures and color and it was a different experience using the injera as a utensil to pick up and eat the food. My favorite dishes were the collard greens and the doro watt. That experience helped me understand that Ethiopian food is communal and it is a part of their overall culture. I also enjoyed talking with my fellow classmates about which dishes they liked and getting their feedback about the experience overall.
Once that potion of the meal was done, we did a coffee ceremony which I was really excited about. I am a huge coffee fanatic! The ceremony started with the waitress explain the ceremony process and then showing us the raw coffee beans that were to be roasted for the ceremony. About 10-15 minutes later, a wonderful coffee aroma from the kitchen made its way to the dining area where we were and the aroma was very strong. The coffee was served to us in small cups, as the brew is quite strong, and it has no sugar or cream-black. I normal don’t drink my coffee black, but I wanted to really experience Ethiopian coffee in its natural state. Let me tell you, when I say that cup of coffee was the best cup of coffee I had ever drank I mean it. Seriously, the best! The flavor profile was nutty, hickory/smoky yet smooth. I can see why people say that Ethiopian coffee is the best coffee in the world.
Overall, I had a great experience at the Blue Nile and I would go back on my own and eat there again.
The Blue Nile Café; an Ethiopian food experience. My experience at the Blue Nile Café was quite different from what I expected it to be. I absolutely love to try new foods, in fact, it’s one of my favorite things to do when I travel. I was excited to try the food and when the food arrived at the table, I was ready. However, something happened with the first bite, the injera with the food did not taste very well to me. I did try everything, and I will try it again because some of the flavors were very good to me, the injera just threw me completely off. Therefore, I will try it without it next time. I did enjoy the experience and doing something I have never done before. What I learned about myself is that I will truly try anything. I looked at the Ethiopian food and everything looked amazing except for the injera and what do you know, I didn’t enjoy it. I really loved the coffee ceremony. I remember learning about it in class and thinking we would not get to experience this, since they had not done with other classes that visited the restaurant. So that was a pleasant surprise and the coffee was not bad. I do like cream and sugar in my coffee, so I did not finish mine, but I did drink some! I look forward to returning to this restaurant and trying their food again with utensils. Overall awesome experience. Whitney Mozee.
The experience I had at The Blue Nile Restaurant eating Ethiopian food was a new experience for me personally and as a learning experience. I’m the type of person that would never try anything that don’t look good, sound good, or smell good. When I was told that we would be eating Ethiopian food my first reaction was “How am I going to pass this class, because I’m not doing it!” Well up until the day of meeting up and the restaurant I mentally prepared myself by coaching saying this is something I must do to accomplish my goal of graduating with my bachelors, so I made myself participate. When I walked into The Blue Nile Restaurant the look of the restaurant wasn’t anything that I pictured. In my mind I assumed we would be sitting on the floor on pillows in small circle groups, but there were regular tables set up. The walls were filled up with artwork and pictures of people I assume was from Ethiopia, which I thought was very nice. I took a couple pictures. Next a nice lady walked around asking us what we would like to drink while our food was being prepared, now one thing I just knew I wanted to try was the honey wine so that is what I asked for, but she had advised me that they were all out of the honey wine. So, I went with what she called the beverage as “Mango Juice”. When she brought me the juice I tasted it and it was more like a thick smoothie rather than juice. It was had this fresh bitter tangy taste to it, so I know it was fresh, but I didn’t like the thickness smoothie like texture of it, so I didn’t keep it. The waiter apologized and took the drink back. Then the food came out, which was not like I expected either. I assumed the meat would be noticeable as to what I am used to. I assumed the chicken would look like chicken and the lamb would look like a pork chop, but I was wrong. I viewed everything as 3rd step baby food. I tried all the foods and while everything wasn’t terribly bad, I didn’t like the food. I didn’t like the texture and how it seemed as if everything except for the vegetable was pretty much grinded up like baby food. If I had to choose my favorite dish was the lamb, at least I think it was lamb. Then we had a coffee celebration, the coffee was brewed homemade and it wasn’t bad at all once I added the sugar and cream. The overall experience was great! I did enjoy stepping out of my boundaries and forcing myself to at least try something different for the first time in a while. I enjoyed talking with the other classmates about what they thought about the meal as well. If I had to choose to eat Ethiopian food again, my answer would be no though. Thank you for the experience! I have a couple of pics that I thought I was going to be able to share but it won't allow me to post them.
Although I've had Ethiopian before from my friend in high school whose Ethiopian parents made it for us, I have never gone to an Ethiopian restaurant. I knew I wasn't going to be a huge fan of it from my high school experience, but I was surprised that some dishes were wonderful. My favorite was the mushrooms. A lot of the other dishes I thought tasted very similar to each other so I didn't favor them at all. I did like the flavor of the bread but had a hard time keeping the food from falling out before I could get it in my mouth. My favorite part of the evening was getting to visit with my "platter partners" as we had a good time discussing the flavors of each food and telling stories of other ethnic foods we had eaten. I wouldn't go back but I enjoyed the experience.
I had not tried Ethiopian food prior to last night. I was worried because I didn't really know what to expect. 6 of us shared a plate and engaged in debating the pros and cons of each different dish. The food was very similar to Indian food. The bread (Teff) was the total opposite of what I expected and the biggest difference. Instead of chewy, warm bread, it was cool and spongy. The variety of foods also was a little surprising as I thought African countries in general had limited food choices. It was a pleasant surprise.
ReplyDeleteThe great part is that our group was able to compare the experience with other foods and cultures. For example, the cabbage and carrot dish was not my favorite, reminding of growing up with similar dish my Polish grandmother made. I found out Professor Hamilton has a Croatian heritage and had a similar dish in her culture. A couple of the other people in our group also shared similar experiences. The whole meal was learning about the foods, sharing our cultures and I was glad that there wasn't 'dead air' during the meal.
The coffee ceremony was fabulous. I felt privileged and special in being able to participate in it. From the way our server brought the green coffee beans around for everyone to smell, then the same process when the beans were roasted; to the addition of the incense while coffee was served, made the group part of the process instead of just being served something. The smells, preparation, serving and ultimately trying the coffee was a perfect ending to this fun evening.
P.S. I also have a few pictures if you would like them as well!
In my experience, Ethiopian people are generally very warm and inviting. I think this is reflected in their foodways. Serving warm and colorful foods that are presented beautifully and enjoyed family style reflects the Ethiopian culture. Sharing the meal with class got us all talking to each other and learning about each other personally, and I think this was really inspired by the family style of sharing a platter as well as experiencing new foods together.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I learned about myself from eating at Blue Nile with our class is that my connection with Ethiopian culture and food (through the adoption of my Ethiopian daughters) gives me a sense of pride and makes me hope that others who have not tried Ethiopian food will enjoy it. I know several people did not enjoy the food, but many were pleasantly surprised that they did. Either way, it was great to share the experience with classmates who were open to tasting the food and sharing a table together.
I got to try two dishes that I had not tried before: fasolia (beans and carrots) and a lamb dish. Both were great, but I really like more spice in my food, and these two dishes were pretty mild. My favorites are Doro Wat (chicken stew) and Gomen (greens).
The coffee ceremony was a very special treat. It’s rare to have fresh, fragrant coffee made from just-roasted beans. It was delicious!
I love Ethiopian culture and food, and eating at Blue Nile with our class was great fun!
Rebecca Smith
I have never had Ethiopian food before. It was defiantly a different experience. The Injera had a spongy texture that I wasn’t expecting. The flavor of the bread reminded me of sourdough bread. I thought it was going to be warm and more of a tortilla texture. I am open to trying new foods therefore I did try all the dishes. My favorite was the lamb dish. I was expecting more spicy flavors than the dishes had and was pleasantly surprised how much of the ginger I tasted in most of the dishes.
ReplyDeleteThe restaurant was smaller than I expected, but I believe that it has a great ambiance and vibe showing the Ethiopian culture. The coffee ceremony was an awesome experience as well. I left the restaurant very satisfied and full. I am very grateful to get to have this experience with this class.
Eager to try something new, but not quite sure what to expect even after the Professor’s overview- the name itself, “Blue Nile Café” was catchy. I was looking forward to challenging my palate since I have never eaten Ethiopian cuisines. Upon arrival, I was hesitant and because there weren’t many people outside of our classmates dining in; however, I overcame that reservation fairly quick. The café, tucked away in a small strip, had a very welcoming and informal vibe and the staff was friendly and inviting. Looking around, the décor provided a sense of authenticity to their culture.
ReplyDeleteWe were served their sampler platter and I tried each dish. I enjoyed the traditional flatbread, injera. Although I was expecting it to be tasteless, the sourness was a little overwhelming, in which I thought took away from the sauces and spices of the dishes it was served with. Although I respect the culture and customs, I did find challenging for me to eat these particular dishes with my hands. One of my biggest pet peeves actually is for saucy dishes like this to be eaten without a utensil. I felt messy and that the process was unclean-especially when sharing with several others. I think I would have savored the flavors better with a utensil and eating the injera separately. I also enjoyed the lamb and chicken, but I felt the lamb was the most flavorful. My favorite sides/veggies were the Fosolia and Atikeltt (green beans and cabbage); I think they were prepared well with a good mix of spices- I’d definitely go back for more of that. The Gomen/collards had a unique taste and were also flavorful, but since I am accustomed to them being prepared differently, I think I prefer the flavor I am familiar with. I least enjoyed the yekik watt, which were the yellow split peas. It did not have a flavor and the texture was a bit too mushy for me.
After the meal, I was excited to have experienced the coffee ceremony. The aroma of the roasted coffee beans was delectable! Normally, I am a “creamer with a dab of coffee” type of person, but the aroma of the roasted coffee was so enticing so I drank it without additives- and I am glad I did! The natural flavors were amazing and I could see myself going back for more.
Overall, I appreciated the opportunity to venture out of my comfort foods. If I were to be served or offered the food in a normal circumstance, I would have likely declined just but the looks of the servings. The experience itself was memorable and I look forward to learning and tasting new cuisines!
-Chasity Anderson
Although I'd eaten Ethiopian food several times, I'd never been to Blue Nile Café. I like Ethiopian food a lot as long as I can order it to be mild because I can't eat spicy food. My favorite dish out of everything was the lamb. It was tender and very flavorful.
ReplyDeleteAfter being married to an Egyptian American for the last 10 years I have a very diverse spice cabinet. Learning how to cook traditional Egyptian and Middle Eastern dishes requires me to use spices such as cardamom, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, clove, and curry which are common spices found in Ethiopian dishes. There are a lot of dishes with lamb, chick peas and carrots.
Though the flavors and ingredients are quite similar, the textures, style, and presentation are very different.
The coffee ceremony was pretty cool. I'd never experienced it before and think it's very nice that they have this as a part of their tradition. Roasting coffee beans on site is awesome! I love coffee and did find this to be a bit strong. However, I imagine that's the point and the reason it is served in such a small cup.
Overall, it was a nice experience. I really enjoyed spending time with my peers and getting to know them better while sharing in a unique experience together! Although some people didn't like some of the food it was really refreshing to see that everyone was receptive to trying it, kept an open mind and was very respectful of the culture.
Keia Johnson
I enjoys foods, however I mostly enjoy Americanized traditional foods. I stepped out of my own cultural comforts and gave a try in eating at an authentic Ethiopian restaurant.
ReplyDeleteThe first thing I noticed was the café setting on the outside. I walked into the door, gaining a surreal visual of cultural attributes along the walls of decorated Ethiopian masks, pictures and news clippings in pictured frames, circled flats resembling a flattened Mexican sombrero, and many other symbolic items depicting the Ethiopian culture. I walked through the doorway and my whole class was already seated, finalizing drink orders.
I sat down and had a glass of thick, slightly above room temperature, however smooth and actually quite refreshing mango. The texture and taste was both pleasing. I sat and conversed with several in the class about many things including the Ethiopian culture. I think we all had a great time learning about the culture and the surroundings leading up to the serving of the foods.
When the food was brought out, it visually was similar to setting down four large pizzas with organized raised slices of different food delicacies except for in the middle was an equal sized circled portion of another type Ethiopian cuisine all placed on top of flat injera. There was also several rolled slices of injera bread on plates and on the metal large plate housing our, (using my word) “pizza” dish of Ethiopian foods. We had earlier last week watched a video in how this bread was prepared however to see it in person, the little tiny holes were visible through out, and the bread was had a very soft sponge like feel to it.
We were to use the bread as the utensil for eating. This is quite unique and a new experience for me in using bread to eat foods. I didn’t know if it was going to go over well however my mind immediately shifted as I tasted the foods. Each was a combination of a collard type green, lintels, potato n curry, ground up beef, cabbage and carrots, split chickpea, chicken and another type mush brown bean, mushrooms and lintels maybe, and the center was lamb and what I called green stuff. I tasted it all and ate a lot.
The food was pleasing to my taste. I realized that I eat mostly with my hands anyways and besides who needs forks when the tastes of each food with injera bread was welcoming to my belly. The greens were my favorite. Each cuisine was flavored with several spices and seasonings. The beef was a bit spicy but flavorful, however it all was great. My group ate 97% of the foods leaving just pieces of soggy injera.
The food was filling and the experience was great, tasty, and I was full. Towards the end we celebrated with a coffee ceremony. They brought out a green colored type bean slightly roasted and allowed for each of us to smell. That was new to me. I am used to people just bringing out coffee. I immersed myself into the moment. A burning ceramic dish with a fired coal on top burned an incense. The smell of the incense was calming. The coffee was poured into several small porcelain type cups that had a decorative flower or a symbol of Ethiopia’s flag emblazoned on the side. As the coffee sat in the distance for cooling, we each talked about our experience of the foods that we either ate or attempted to eat. It was great and the atmosphere and service provided was very welcoming. We were offered the small cups of coffee and it was not bad. I don’t drink coffee however I drank the whole cup of the black coffee, which for me was not bad. Soon after, many departed and several stay behind to further discuss and be a part of the experience.
I enjoyed myself and learned that when people get together, share foods, in the manner of sharing and eating with our hands, it didn’t matter where you come from, it made me feel that I was among friends, eating and talking as natural as being a human and accepted for the love of foods. I will be attending Blue Nile again and again.
-Marquis Roby
This experience taught me a lot about the Ethiopian culture. I learned about how their bread is made from a grain I’ve never heard of, their communal meals, their most common spices, and the overall feeling of everyone being a part of the dining experience.
ReplyDeleteSince I've always been a relatively picky eater, I wondered how it was going to be for me to try so many new foods at once. I had never had anything that we tried at the restaurant and wasn’t actually sure what anything was that I was eating other than the bread. I did get a chance to ask at one point in the meal and was told what the different things were.
The things I liked best were the lamb, corn dish, and carrots and green beans. The chicken was pretty good too, just a bit spicy. I didn’t try the mushroom dish as mushrooms are a big no for me in any meal. I tried a few bites of all of the other dishes just for the experience. The best part was the group dining experience. It’s easy as Americans with our own plates to just sit and eat our meals without much interaction if we really wanted to. The big plate in the middle, along with the fact that not many of us had had this experience before, made it great for conversation and getting to know the people I didn’t know much about before the meal.
The coffee ceremony was interesting to be a part of as well. Even though I can’t drink coffee, I love the smell of it and the tradition is special so it was very nice of them to do that for us. I was surprised at the change in color of the coffee beans as I have apparently never seen them before they’ve been roasted. Overall, it was a great experience even though I wasn’t a huge fan of the meal itself. Being able to try new things with new people made it a good time.
-Dani Haines
I arrived early to my class meeting at the Blue Nile Café, an Ethiopian restaurant at the River Market. As I waited for my classmates to arrive, I could smell the food cooking in the kitchen. The smell of the spices reminded me of Indian cuisine, a warm, sweet, and spicy scent. By the time my class arrived, I was ready to eat. In groups of 4-5, we shared a sampler platter with an assortment of vegetarian and meat dishes ranging from mild to hot in spice. The sampler platter was a great introduction to Ethiopian food because it showcased the variety of dishes available. The food was arranged on top of a spongy textured bread called injera. We were also served plates with pieces of injera which we were to use as our eating utensils. This added to the sensory experience of the meal.
ReplyDeleteMy table either had the strongest appetite or discovered a new favorite food. We devoured the food on the platter including the injera the food was served on. The meal was a great experience to share with a group because of the unique way in which the meal was served. We finished the meal with a coffee ceremony. This was another interactive opportunity. The beans in their raw, pre-roasted form, where passed around the table. Once roasted, we were able to smell the beans again before they were ground and served as coffee. Incense was placed on the table as part of the ceremony (this might have been the least favorite part of the experience.)
I suggest that anyone who has not tried Ethiopian food and is looking for a new food experience, try it. Bring friends and add in the coffee ceremony. I will definitely with my family.
Cindy Krowe
I am a person who eats the same things and hardly ever tries anything new. I've always considered myself to be somewhat backwards when it comes to my palate. The "weirdest" food that I eat is General Tso's Chicken - does that tell you what my food experience is?
ReplyDeleteI was a little apprehensive about eating at The Blue Nile. I'm not comfortable trying new foods or new restaurants. I was surprised at how small it was. It felt cozy in a way. I loved the decorations and the news clippings. I also liked the big windows that I could look out and watch the people go by. Yes, I'm a people watcher.
The food - I think that I would have enjoyed the food more if I had had a utensil. I did not like the taste or the consistency of the injera bread. I made a point of tasting everything on the tray and I truly liked most of it, but the injera bread gave it a flavor that I just didn't like. I didn't think my "tray mates" would like me using my fingers to taste everything so I didn't, but I would have enjoyed the food more if I had.
The coffee ceremony was a surprise. I was just sure that the coffee was going to come out and be bitter so I was shocked when I tasted the just roasted coffee. It wasn't bitter at all, it was smooth and it tasted good. The most unpleasant thing about the coffee ceremony was the incense. Wow - where did they get that??
The best part about the whole outing was getting to know some of my classmates better. I truly had a good time just talking to the people around me. We have good people in our class.
Will I go back - probably not. But I truly enjoyed my experience!
--Rhonda
This was my first experience with this type of food. I liked it! The experience was so amazing. I loved how the food and conversation flowed, the communal eating style was really fun. I will probably go back, with friend or two.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the fact that there was potatoes in a lot of the dishes, that gave me something familiar in texture with the new flavors to try. I discovered that having "safe" texture made it easier for me to try new flavors. Which was not something I knew about me.
--Charity A.
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. This was one of my major observations in my entire experience. It seemed that the owner and his staff took a lot of pride in preparing the food 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. I went in expecting to try everything.
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.
Brandon Wisdom
This was my second time eating at Blue Nile Restaurant and I really enjoyed the experience. Too often in our busy lives we grab familiar food because it quick and easy. We don’t really sit down, enjoy a meal, a savor different flavors. That is exactly what we got to do at Blue Nile. Trying different food was fun and I personally enjoyed not knowing exactly what everything was. That way I could taste something, thing about the flavors, and then discover something new.
ReplyDeleteThe coffee was also a delicious experience. Most of the time we grab a quick Keurig or pay for an overpriced Starbucks drink. At Blue Nile we were able to see the entire process which led to a delicious cup of coffee.
I learned that you can tell a lot about another culture from their food. As you walk into the restaurant you see traditional African decorations adorning the walls. The environment sets the stage for you to be brought into a different culture. In regards to myself, I learned that it is important to try new things. When we step out of our comfort zone we get the opportunity to have a brand new experience.
Michael Pennington
I have eaten Ethiopian food on several separate occasions, but I had never eaten at the Blue Nile Café. My first impression of the place was that it was a very cultural place, the décor and aroma made me feel more like I was in Ethiopia than America. I enjoyed the food, but it was nothing that I have never had. The thing I found most interesting about the entire time there was the coffee ceremony. It was the only thing that I had never seen done before and honestly, I was thinking about paying for it before I learned that it was free. I found it very interesting that the beans were white to start and after roasting they had turned brown. The aroma was fantastic, and the coffee was some of the best that I have had. It was like the ultimate French roast. Of all the food my favorite thing was either the chicken or the lamb. I really liked how the lamb was accompanied by mashed peas. I felt that the two flavors blended well together. Overall, I felt that I had a good experience at the Blue Nile and I learned something new about coffee and that I really like Ethiopian Coffee.
ReplyDeleteZach Hennig
I’m also one of those who had never tried Ethiopian food before. Before I even arrived at the restaurant- I found myself excited to be able to experience it!
ReplyDeleteThe food was surprising good! A few of the dishes like the collards and cabbage are things that I’m used to even in my own home, but they tasted completely different which was interesting. Between those and the lamb, which I had never had before- were a favorite with me.
Even though the teff was described to us in class, I guess I wasn’t fully prepared for how spongy a ‘bread’ could be. I enjoyed that part of their foodways the most because it seemed more personal sharing our food among friends without the use of silverware. Also, I feel like it’s a skill to be able to pick up copious amounts of food with just using bread- similar to when people eat small grains of rice with just chopsticks.
The coffee was delicious and I appreciate our host taking the time to break down the process from start to finish. It just goes to show they take pride in what they’re making and the process is just as important as the final result! Not to mention- it smelled amazing! If I could bottle that aroma up and take it with me, I definitely would!
Now, if I had to choose a favorite part of this whole experience- it would definitely be the atmosphere! Despite us taking up majority of the dining area, it was interesting to see all the different guests that arrived at the Blue Nile. It’s almost as if I was being let in on a secret that everyone else already knew about. There were people from all different cultures, race, and age that visited Tuesday! I was pleasantly surprised. Now I can see I’m apart of this society of people who have had the pleasure of dining there as well!
-Michisha
I had never had Ethiopian food before, but I was excited to experience some new food. I’m a kind of person that I’ll try something once just to say that I have tried it and I consider myself an adventures eater for the most part. When I arrived at the restaurant, I was excited to try the food and to experience something different, something new. I was not disappointed! The experience started with the eating of the sample platters in groups of 4-5, which I really enjoyed. The food had a good flavor profile and had a variety of different textures and color and it was a different experience using the injera as a utensil to pick up and eat the food. My favorite dishes were the collard greens and the doro watt. That experience helped me understand that Ethiopian food is communal and it is a part of their overall culture. I also enjoyed talking with my fellow classmates about which dishes they liked and getting their feedback about the experience overall.
ReplyDeleteOnce that potion of the meal was done, we did a coffee ceremony which I was really excited about. I am a huge coffee fanatic! The ceremony started with the waitress explain the ceremony process and then showing us the raw coffee beans that were to be roasted for the ceremony. About 10-15 minutes later, a wonderful coffee aroma from the kitchen made its way to the dining area where we were and the aroma was very strong. The coffee was served to us in small cups, as the brew is quite strong, and it has no sugar or cream-black. I normal don’t drink my coffee black, but I wanted to really experience Ethiopian coffee in its natural state. Let me tell you, when I say that cup of coffee was the best cup of coffee I had ever drank I mean it. Seriously, the best! The flavor profile was nutty, hickory/smoky yet smooth. I can see why people say that Ethiopian coffee is the best coffee in the world.
Overall, I had a great experience at the Blue Nile and I would go back on my own and eat there again.
Sam Bennett
The Blue Nile Café; an Ethiopian food experience. My experience at the Blue Nile Café was quite different from what I expected it to be. I absolutely love to try new foods, in fact, it’s one of my favorite things to do when I travel. I was excited to try the food and when the food arrived at the table, I was ready. However, something happened with the first bite, the injera with the food did not taste very well to me. I did try everything, and I will try it again because some of the flavors were very good to me, the injera just threw me completely off. Therefore, I will try it without it next time. I did enjoy the experience and doing something I have never done before. What I learned about myself is that I will truly try anything. I looked at the Ethiopian food and everything looked amazing except for the injera and what do you know, I didn’t enjoy it. I really loved the coffee ceremony. I remember learning about it in class and thinking we would not get to experience this, since they had not done with other classes that visited the restaurant. So that was a pleasant surprise and the coffee was not bad. I do like cream and sugar in my coffee, so I did not finish mine, but I did drink some! I look forward to returning to this restaurant and trying their food again with utensils. Overall awesome experience. Whitney Mozee.
ReplyDeleteThe experience I had at The Blue Nile Restaurant eating Ethiopian food was a new experience for me personally and as a learning experience. I’m the type of person that would never try anything that don’t look good, sound good, or smell good. When I was told that we would be eating Ethiopian food my first reaction was “How am I going to pass this class, because I’m not doing it!” Well up until the day of meeting up and the restaurant I mentally prepared myself by coaching saying this is something I must do to accomplish my goal of graduating with my bachelors, so I made myself participate.
ReplyDeleteWhen I walked into The Blue Nile Restaurant the look of the restaurant wasn’t anything that I pictured. In my mind I assumed we would be sitting on the floor on pillows in small circle groups, but there were regular tables set up. The walls were filled up with artwork and pictures of people I assume was from Ethiopia, which I thought was very nice. I took a couple pictures.
Next a nice lady walked around asking us what we would like to drink while our food was being prepared, now one thing I just knew I wanted to try was the honey wine so that is what I asked for, but she had advised me that they were all out of the honey wine. So, I went with what she called the beverage as “Mango Juice”. When she brought me the juice I tasted it and it was more like a thick smoothie rather than juice. It was had this fresh bitter tangy taste to it, so I know it was fresh, but I didn’t like the thickness smoothie like texture of it, so I didn’t keep it. The waiter apologized and took the drink back.
Then the food came out, which was not like I expected either. I assumed the meat would be noticeable as to what I am used to. I assumed the chicken would look like chicken and the lamb would look like a pork chop, but I was wrong. I viewed everything as 3rd step baby food. I tried all the foods and while everything wasn’t terribly bad, I didn’t like the food. I didn’t like the texture and how it seemed as if everything except for the vegetable was pretty much grinded up like baby food. If I had to choose my favorite dish was the lamb, at least I think it was lamb. Then we had a coffee celebration, the coffee was brewed homemade and it wasn’t bad at all once I added the sugar and cream.
The overall experience was great! I did enjoy stepping out of my boundaries and forcing myself to at least try something different for the first time in a while. I enjoyed talking with the other classmates about what they thought about the meal as well. If I had to choose to eat Ethiopian food again, my answer would be no though. Thank you for the experience! I have a couple of pics that I thought I was going to be able to share but it won't allow me to post them.
Tera January
Although I've had Ethiopian before from my friend in high school whose Ethiopian parents made it for us, I have never gone to an Ethiopian restaurant. I knew I wasn't going to be a huge fan of it from my high school experience, but I was surprised that some dishes were wonderful. My favorite was the mushrooms. A lot of the other dishes I thought tasted very similar to each other so I didn't favor them at all. I did like the flavor of the bread but had a hard time keeping the food from falling out before I could get it in my mouth. My favorite part of the evening was getting to visit with my "platter partners" as we had a good time discussing the flavors of each food and telling stories of other ethnic foods we had eaten. I wouldn't go back but I enjoyed the experience.
ReplyDeleteMindy Potter