Ethiopian Night

Ethtiopian food is very entertaining for a free-for-all family style meal. When good friends come together, and there are no utensils involved, mayhem will follow.


For those that don't know how ethiopian is tackled, its very simple. The cuisine of this small African nation is a series of meat or vegetable stews that are served on a giant crepe-like pancake, called injera. No utensils, as I said earlier. Just hands, spongy bread, and yummy goodness.

After an initial disappointing experience with Ethiopian food in DC, Becky decided to put aside her earlier stereotypes and give the cuisine a second try, because Chad and Michael had never had it before, and I think its one of the greatest things in the world.

Becky decided it wasn't nearly as horrible as she remembered, Michael ate everything in site, and Chad, always the naysayer, gave it a symbolic "eh", basically professing it to be good, but not worth repeating.

This evening we ate at 'The Ethiopian Restaurant' (no seriously, thats what its called) at 1582 York, between 83rd and 84th. I, being the only ethnoculturcist member with previous and positive experiences of ethiopian food will say that the Ethiopian Restaurant is by far not the best Ethiopian in the city. In my opinion, that honor is still held by Meskerem (the uptown location, at 468 47th, btwn 9th and 10th, not the downtown location on MacDougal). I did recently enjoy some ethiopian on the upper west side, Zoma, at 2084 Frederick Douglass and 113th. Good, but not as good, if I do recall correctly.

The Ethiopian Restaurant did however have something which I had not seen before, which was the Sambussa, an appetizer that has a lot in common with the Samosa, of Indian cuisine, and just as good. The Sambussa however, is filled with meat, which may give it a leg up. I mean really, who can't love a fried dumpling thing filled with meat?

As far as Ethnoculturcist and Ethiopian food goes though, this is where our newly vacated seat could come in handy, but still, is sadly vacant. Our dear (and also NY departed) friend Kyler, was supposed to be returning to NY so that an Ethiopian splinter group could be formed, in which our only purpose would be to enjoy Ethiopian food. (there was even talk of cooking for ourselves!) But alas, Kyler has failed us (and really just me cuz I'm the only one in love with Ethiopian food here, other than Kyler) and therefore Ethnoculturcist will probably never again go out for Ethiopian food. Unless I throw a tantrum. Which isn't entirely impossible.

Until then, Ethnoculturcist will survive on 3 members, and other foods.

Till next time, peace and good eating!

Our Humble beginnings

First Official meeting of the Ethnoculturcist Society, when it was still going by the name 'Ethnic Night'. Soon after it became the Ethnoculturcist Club, and as you all well know, I am not one to compliment Chad often (if ever) but it is only right to credit him with the name of our group. It was his illustrious brain (and the fact that he was unemployed at the time and had all day to think about it) that came up with the name. We all thank him for that. (but his still not the Grand Poobah C)

Location: Simla, 304 E 78th, between 1st and 2nd aves.

Indian food. Yummm. As official documenter of the event, I failed early on. Didn't remember to take pictures till all the food was gone. In my defense, the food was very good, and the four of us inhaled it all pretty quickly. It was like a frenzy, a force of nature. Very much like what i would assume a cannibalistic tornado would do. If tornadoes had intent, and a hunger for meat.






There it is, the tornado made flesh.........................


I cannot tell you the date we visited this wonderful establishment, it was some time ago. I am late in beginning this blog to detail out the locations hit by the food tornado. As such, I'm not sure that I can remember the dishes we ordered in detail. I will try to recall for you, so that if you were interested, you could attempt to simulate the wonderfulness. I doubt you could be successful.

We began with samosas, as we always do with Indian food. A good place to start, especially with that yummy green sauce, which is a beautiful color, and I still have no idea what its made of.

For the main meal, as always, the staple of Chicken Tikka Masala. Apparently a favorite among the group. (not my favorite, and in my opinion the dish with the weakest showing at Simla, but here I will meet argument from the other members of the group) We also had an amazing chickpea dish, which I believe was the Chana Saag, that though Chad scoffed at the idea of vegetables, it was met with resounding approval from the entire group. I don't think there is anything that Michael won't meet with resounding approval, so it may be a moot point to even add his culinary opinion.
The third dish was possibly the Chicken Kurma, or maybe the Lamb. I don't recall. The last was a beef, which was met with interesting theological debate. Is it proper to order beef at an Indian restaurant? How ethnically sensitive are we trying to be? Not at all in reality, seeing how the 'cist' at the end of Ethnoculturcist is borrowed from the word racist. So we aren't necessarily going out for food with the full attempt to be doing anything more than eating and having fun. But I still feel that Indian food with beef is just plain wrong. Funny flavors for starters, and just entirely un-sympathetic to the true nature of Indian food - they would never eat Beef Curry in India, they don't eat cow! (as lovely as cow is, they maybe should abandon old superstitions, and just eat the damn cow. yummm.) In the end we did order a beef dish, but it was a bit too spicy for Becky, who has a very weak spice pallate. (But we still love her despite her flaws.)




We followed dinner up with what is a very un-ethnic dessert. Cupcakes. At crumbs. These things are monstrous. Erin's belly (both the internal organ, and the external flubber) have decided that those cupcakes are far too large and happy only at the onset. The aftereffects are not always desirable. Though I think Michael is going to attempt to eat one in just one bite. Not as difficult as it may seem, he's eating one of the small cupcakes. The larger requires forks, or spoons, or maybe a good spork. Sometimes even a knife.

Starting us off

The Ethnoculturcist Society has gone through a number of names in the few months it has been in existence. It is today the Ethnoculturcist Society, possibly soon to be named the Ethnoculturcist Committee. We are having political debate as to the nature of this gathering of intellectual minds in search of good food. Because that is the whole purpose, the search of good food, and the ability to enjoy it in good company. I will from here forward be documenting our illustrious travels through the hallways of New York City, and posting for your enjoyment the truth of each and every location we visit.

I have some sad news to report, as our founding members have already splintered. The original group consisted of Chad (who is not the Grand Poobah C), Becky (who putteth the smack down on unauthorized pooh bah uses but is otherwise congenial and for the betterment of the peoples who like tasty food and good company) though this is not her title, Erin (who is not the High Lord of all Dissention and Argument) and Michael, who unfortunately never even got a title he didn't get to keep. Michael has left our number for greener pastures (I assume, having never been to Cleveland, I can only assume it is greener than the upper east side).

This has left us with permanent members numbering three, which is an awkward and uneven number. The table of four is left lacking, with no fourth member to fill its seat. Unfortunately, we are not currently open for applications, because I feel (and I will probably be supported by the rest of the society, ahem, committee) that none of you are worthy. Please, don't be upset.