TRIANGLE TODAY | THE NEWS & OBSERVER
WEDNESDAY, MAY 30, 2018
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GOORSHA’S ‘MODERN ETHIOPIAN CUISINE’
TRUE TO TRADITION
Greg Cox for Triangle Today
Injera, the Ethiopian sourdough flatbread made from teff flour, is often likened to a crepe. To me, injera’s thickness and texture — soft, pliable and spongy, ideal for soaking up juices — are more like a pancake. Kitfo, a dish of minced raw beef, butter and spices, is Ethiopia’s amped-up answer to steak tartare. The turmeric and ginger notes in the yellow split pea stew kik alecha remind me of Indian chana dal. Wot (sometimes spelled wat), fiery with berbere and other spices, has a complex flavor that’s a little bit curry and a little bit Texas chili. Whenever I write about Ethiopian cuisine, I can’t resist relating dishes to more familiar foods. The comparisons aren’t precisely accurate, of course, but I find they’re a helpful way to describe a cuisine that’s relatively little known in these parts. (By my count, only six Ethiopian restaurants have opened in the Triangle in the 23 years I’ve been writing about the local food scene). Until now, though, I’ve
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never compared an Ethiopian dish to a taco. That’s just what Goorsha’s kitfo presentation calls to mind: injera cut into taco size rounds, folded around kitfo and spinach (the “lettuce”), and topped with crumbles of Ethiopian fresh cheese (“queso fresco”). They’re even folded taco style, and served two to an order on a taco tray. The kitfo presentation is a fetching example of Goorsha’s self-described “modern Ethiopian cuisine,” but it’s by no means the only one. Sambusas, savory pastries with a filling of lentils, onions, garlic and jalapeños wrapped in shatter-crisp phyllo, come with a pungent green sauce served in a sleek ceramic spoon of the sort used for tasting menus. Entrees are served on rectangular platters. There’s even a selection of Ethiopian-inspired cocktails. Sinig Ginger, for one, a refreshing quencher of muddled ginger and fresh jalapeño, mitmita (Ethiopian chile powder), silver tequila and pineapple juice with just enough kick to hold up to the fragrant spices of Juli the food. Leonard
Don Ricardo Massenburg Jr. Design Inkredible, Durham
Goorsha 910 W. Main St., Durham 919-588-4660 goorshadurham.com Cuisine: Ethiopian Prices: $$ Atmosphere: casual and colorful Noise level: moderate to high Service: friendly, knowledgeable, and (with occasional minor lapses) attentive Recommended: kitfo, sambusas, metin shiro, zilzil key wot, doro (chicken) wot, awaze tibs. Open: Lunch and dinner daily. Reservations: accepted Other: full bar; accommodates children; /excellent vegetarian selection; patio; limited parking next to the restaurant; additional parking in the Brightleaf Square lot. Read more at triangletoday.com.
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