Ethiopian Adventure at Zagol

Zagol Authentic Ethiopian Cuisine
875 Bloor Street West
416-530-1234
Dinner for two with all taxes, tip and (Ethiopian!) beer: $50

Bloor Street west of the Annex slowly bleeds across the globe with Korean eateries sliding into taquerias, and old-man Greek restaurants quietly giving way to African kitchens. Around Ossington we hit Zagol, a stylish new standout among the Ethiopian offerings.

At the front of the house two generous booths are premium-seating now that the windows are thrown open to let in the summer breeze. A well-stocked bar lines one wall, facing a small lounge. The main dining room is set with linen and furnished in clean and modern lines. The effect is dark, sleek, and decidedly more fashionable than the other Ethiopian restaurants that dot this stretch of Bloor.

Ethiopian dining can make for a fun and adventurous night out, but those new to the cuisine ought to know a few fundamentals. First, food is served communally on larger platters lined with a bread called injera. Made from teff (an ancient grain), injera is slightly sour and filled with air bubbles like a pancake or crêpe. Second, this bread is your cutlery (that's right, no knives, spoons or sticks) as food is scooped up with pieces are broken off with the hands. While Zagol's accommodating staff will happily bring forks to the squidgy neophyte, the tactile experience is part of the fun. Culturally, eating from shared plates is a fundamental gesture of trust, and "giving gursha" - literally feeding your dinner companion - is common among intimates. Which brings us to a final point of etiquette - use your right hand only when eating since the left is reserved for "other" practices.

We contemplate the buffet ($12) for its wide range of offerings, but for only a few extra dollars it's worth ordering from the menu for a more authentic experience.

The menu is divided into salads/appetizers and entrées - vegetarian, chicken, or meat (note that there is no fish of seafood here, and most Ethiopians don't eat pork for religious reasons). Although dishes can be ordered à la carte, our server strongly recommends the platters and so we go with her counsel. The vegetarian platter is $12 per person while the meat version is $16.

Ethiopian food is mostly stew-like concoctions mixed with various spices. The cuisine has a reputation for being spicy and tastes of chili, garlic, ginger, cumin, cardamom and other exotics abound. There's plenty of flavour, but nothing really punitive in terms of heat.

The spread we get is more than generous, served with a second scroll of bread on the side. Our favourite of the vegetarian offerings is mehsir w'at (w'at means stew), a thick lentil stew with a deep rusty colour and lots of chilli. A second lentil dish is sweeter and lighter in colour with a more chunky texture. Qheliqil sees a stew of soft carrots, beans and potatoes with tomatoes and spices. The flavour of this dish is familiar, reminiscent of curry with a hint of sweetness. Alicha kehk, yellow split pea dip, is distinctive in colour but mild in flavour. It's pleasant, but lacks definitive punch. Teqhel gomen is cabbage with potatoes and carrots in a brighter sauce. We also get a green salad with crisp lettuce, tomatoes and a vinaigrette dressing which is no doubt not of traditional extraction but gives adds some much appreciated texture to the plate since the rest of the food is a bit soupy and monochromatic.

Dorro wa't ($12), a traditional stew in berbere sauce with eggs and cheese is the sole chicken dish on the menu. T'ibs are sauteed pieces of meat with jalapeno peppers, onions, rosemary, and spices - essentially we're talking about steak tips, Ethiopian style. We choose beef, but lamb is also available and the dish comes with a side of hot red sauce so the intrepid can ratchet up the heat factor. Adventurous eaters might also enjoy kefto, a traditional dish of marinated raw meat ($12) or doulet ($12), with liver and tripe.

Gomen besiga ($12) sees cubes of meat with collard greens flavoured with more spices. The menu advertises "tenderloin" but the meat appears in large boney chunks so there is some tearing and separating to do with the teeth or hands. The dish is both too fatty and boney for my liking but the taste is nice.

We do our best, but we cannot get through our platter. Our server kindly asks if we'd like to take leftovers home, even indicating that Ethiopian is one of those cuisines that tastes even better the next day.

We wash things down with Ethiopian beer ($4.50), light lagers that pair well with the food. There is also a full bar (we see girlie mixed drinks flying around), and wine (as low as $5 per glass) served in pretty carafes.

Zagol doesn't serve dessert yet (we're told that they'll be adding some sweet offerings soon), but in the meantime one can finish with coffee. Traditional Ethiopian coffee is a ceremony unto itself, requiring a good half an hour or more for suitable preparation and presentation. We opt out in favour of well-executed Americanos.

Service is pleasant and patient, providing plenty of guidance about the menu and making sure glasses are never empty - despite a full house. We catch Zagol when they're hosting a discussion night for the Ethiopian community and it's a fascinating forum with traditional music, speakers... and a large turnout. The whole experience amounts to great value for the money and a fun night of culinary and cultural adventure.