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LAist "... We looked over the menu, and though it has good descriptions of the foods, we had lots of questions (mostly about spice levels). In the end, we ordered the Fassica Special combination platter . This is what we had done last time at Fassica, the best first-time introduction to Ethiopian food. This is the best thing for first-timers, right? Sebel nodded with a smile and then softly shuffled back to the kitchen ... Everything was delicious, from the barely bitter yet tender gomen wot (collard greens) to the ever-so-slight natural sweetness of the yeater kik alicha (yellow lentils), yemisir kik (red lentils), and yemisir (brown lentils), to the mild atkilit alicha (cabbage, carrots, and potatoes), to the earthy alicha wot , to the delayed spicy heat in the various tibs (beef). Everyone else seems to tangle their tastebuds over doro wot , a deeply flavorful and complex chicken stew, but we'll be honest, we didn't love the chicken. However, the injera underneath had turned scarlet red from the juices, fat, and drippings that had seeped out and soaked into the sponge-y bread, and that was delicious. Cool, creamy ayib (Ethiopian cottage cheese, homemade by Sebel) and a green salad with Italian dressing were refreshing sides. We liked all of it, some things more than others, and when we saw the mostly cleaned out plate of food that was probably enough to feed six, we wanted to breathe a sigh relief. We couldn't. Like the first time, our eyes had outdone our appetites. We were so full, we was breathless... >>read more (back to top ) The Delicious Life There are some cuisines that I try and try and I know I will never love, like Thai. It simply doesn't click with my taste personality, but I never argue when it's someone else's choice. I'll eat it, but I don't have to like it. There are some cuisines, like Oaxacan, that I've tried once or twice, and I'm just not used to it. Perhaps the flavors are something that have to grow on me. I will give them more time, before I formulate a real opinion. And then there are those cuisines that I've never had, like Ethiopian . Beverly Hills Courier "I say this, not because it's my wife who does the cooking, that the next best place to get Ethiopian food is 15,000 miles away" said Mulugeta Lakew. Lakew is talking about Fassica, the Ethiopian cafe he and his wife co-owner Chef Seble Asfaw opened on Washington Blvd, by Motor Ave five months ago. It seems to be an unlikely location, but the people from Sony Pictures Studios across the street have discovered the exotic food at low prices, about $10 a plate for lunch and dinner. The vegetarian buffet lunch at $6.95, offered from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. is especially popular. Asfaw told us, "The restaurant's called Fassica meaning Easter, when families get together to celebrate; it's a place where everybody gathers to enjoy" Lakew and Asfaw... It's decorated by artificial orchids and colorful prints by Afework Tekle that speak of Africa. Originally from Addis Ababa, Asfaw is brining her family's cooking to the Westside. No two Ethiopian women cook alike, learning about spice blends and legumes, special sauces and stews from their mothers, passing on ideas to their daughters. Injera, a sour spongy crepe, the size of a large pizza, that doubles as a plate, fork and bread is central to Ethiopian cooking. Food is mounded on top of injera, and one tears off swatches to scoop up morsels like a tortilla or pita bread. However, plates and utensils are available. Preparing injera daily from lightly fermented t'ef a nutritious grain she swirls the batter into large porous pancakes.... >>read more (pdf file) (back to top ) LA City Beat As Darwin noted, the isolation of islands allows everything to develop to extremes, to specialize and differentiate. Over the eons, as humans and nature experiment, culture, as well as flora and fauna, becomes interesting and baroque. Not all islands are surrounded by water. Ethiopia is an island in the middle of a continent - a mountainous, mostly temperate place surrounded by deserts. As with other islands, crops and critters that are unknown elsewhere evolved there, as did a proudly self-sufficient culture - and a cuisine that made the best of all ingredients. Ethiopian food has hints of the Middle Eastern and Indian traders who journeyed to the remote kingdom then known as Abyssinia, but at the heart of it are elements found nowhere else. One great place to experience Ethiopian cooking is Fassica, a 12-table restaurant in Culver City. The tiny place is easily missed, and the plain interior hardly hints at the cultural wealth of Ethiopia, but it's the dining spot of choice for many expatriates, always a good sign for ethnic establishments. We were welcomed by Seble Asfaw, Fassica's cheerful owner and chef, who volunteered to explain any unfamiliar dishes. This was hardly necessary, as Fassica has an unusually well-written menu with plenty of description, but we appreciated the offer. Two of us decided to share a combination plate ($22), while the third selected Yebeg Tibs ($8.95), lamb sautéed with butter, onions, spices, and hot peppers. We briefly considered an appetizer of vegetarian sambusas (flaky pastry turnovers), but the large Ethiopian party that had preceded us had snapped up every one. >> read more (back to top ) Husband- and- wife-owned eatery serves silverware-optional Ethiopian fare in the shadow of Sony Studios. >>read more (back to top ) |
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