Taste of Ethiopia, Southfield

As guests sit down to eat at Taste of Ethiopia, the first thing placed on the table is a bowl of steamy washcloths. True to the traditional style of Ethiopian cuisine, dishes are served family-style and without silverware; instead, patrons eat with their hands, using gluten-free flatbread called injera.

Jane Slaughter of the Metro Times praised the flavors of the menu, crafted by Chef Meskerem Gebreyohannes, as “so deep and so true … you’ve never really experienced a lentil or a collard so intimately.” Doro we’t, a spicy, slow-cooked chicken stew, celebrates generous amounts of onion as well as the traditional hard-boiled eggs it’s served with. Berbere, a distinctive Ethiopian blend of 12 spices, perfumes dishes of split red lentils and marinated cubes of lamb with rue seed, basil, cardamom, and other aromas.

In her article, Slaughter also relished the restaurant’s distinctive and convivial experience. To encourage the family-style experience, patrons rest around a traditional wicker table with their muskets in plain view, and chef Gebreyohannes makes frequent appearances in the dining room to chat.