East Bay A-Z: E is for Enssaro

Name: Enssaro
Where: Grand Lake, Oakland
Type of Food: Ethiopian
Price: $5-15/entree
More Info: Yelp

E is for Ethiopian, so this week we headed to Enssaro on Grand Avenue. An unassuming storefront on the outside, but we were confused by the inside: the interior dimly lit and draped in gauze-like cloth, the bar dressed up like a straw hut. But the smell of meat and berbere filled the air, and we were ready to eat.

If you have never had Ethiopian food (I’d only been once before), make sure you wash your hands well, because those will be your utensils for the evening. Dishes are served with a generous amount of injera, a flat, spongy, crepe-like bread used to pick up your food, usually a thick stew of sorts. Overwhelmed by the menu? Try the meat or veggie combo to get a variety of flavors—our favorites were the ground beef and collard greens, and the lamb with berbere sauce. Skip dessert, but go for the honey wine, which tastes first like honey, then like a fortified wine with a malty beer aftertaste. It’ll knock your socks off.

Not ready to give Ethiopian cuisine a try yet? Learn more here!

East Bay A-Z: D is for De Afghanan Kabob House

Name: De Afghanan Kabob House
Where: Berkeley (University and San Pablo)
Type of Food: Afghan
Price: $5-15/entree
More Info: www.deafghanan.net

We had a few “D” options to choose from, but we decided to venture down the road less traveled: Afghan food. What IS Afghan food? If the meal we had was any indication, it is a cuisine that favors spice—but not necessarily heat—and likes to toe the line between sweet and savory.

De Afghanan is a cozy little place with a cheery owner who is glad to offer suggestions to new customers. Try the bolani kadoo, a sweet/savory flatbread reminiscent of a pumpkin quesadilla served with yogurt and chili sauces. We also had the mantu, dumplings stuffed with leeks and seasoned ground beef with an oregano meat sauce; the lamb kabob; plus, orange barley tea while we waited for our takeout. They all hit the spot on a rainy day, making our first experience with Afghan food a good one.