All Entries in the "African" Category
Restaurant Review: Queen of Sheba Ethiopian Cuisine
Last night, Dereck and I went to Queen of Sheba (3636 Henderson Blvd, Tampa, FL 33609, (813) 872-6000). I admit that I had preconceived notions about what kind of “cuisine” an Ethiopian family might eat. Could it be twigs and sticks? Bugs? Folliage? Exotic meats? I wasn’t sure what I was in for, but I braved the culinary waters to bring you this report.
When we got there, the first thing I noticed was how hot the restaurant was. I’m typically only comfortable in about 70-78 degree weather and this was significantly hotter. I’d say it was probably 84-85 degrees inside. I looked around at all the patrons sweating as they ate. Thankfully, they brought us out water right away and kept it coming.
The restaurant is decorated with traditional Ethiopian colors and artifacts. There are a number of books and instructional guides when you walk in to give insight on the culture. I was surprised at how diverse their customs really were. I guess, in my mind as a typical American, I hadn’t given much thought to how rich their heritage was because I had never been subjected to it.
Since I had no idea what to order, Dereck and I decided on the “Queen’s Eight Meal Platter”. Ethiopians traditionally eat in one platter. A family up to eight people sits around the mesob and eat together off one plate. To enjoy this unique dining experience we decided on the Queen’s Meal from the menu which serves well up to seven people; a combination of four meat and vegetarian entrees from our menu. They have a one person, two person and three person version of this. We elected for the three person, thinking that we would bring home whatever was left.
The platter itself came out within about 25 minutes. I had no idea what anything was, so the owner came by to fill me in. There was lobster stew, chicken, eggs, lamb stew, a greens dish and some other assorted filler, all served with this sponge-like flat bread. After some reluctant posturing, I decided to use the bread like a hand scoop and excavate some of the food to my face.
As I tried the various parts, I was surprised by a few things. Firstly, everything was very dense. This food is very fiber laden and thick, so it doesn’t take a lot to get full. Secondly, the tastes were actually quite refined. The stews were pungent and carried a lot of earthy flavors that I’m accustom to from Indian and Greek foods. All in all, the dish was flavorful and there was far too much food for either of us to eat.
The only things I wasn’t a fan of was the eggs. They were boiled in this dark red sauce which was spicy, but not particularly flavorful. The egg set off what little flavor it had and I wasn’t a fan. That said, everything else was worthwhile and a good value considering this platter was only $36.
After dinner, our hostess brought us some coffee in these little cups. This was VERY strong, like expresso. Even with sugar, it was a bit too bitter for my taste. Dereck seemed to like it.
I’m going to try another Ethiopian place in a couple of weeks now that I know what to expect. As for Queen of Sheba, it’s pretty decent and I’ll definitely be returning eventually to try some more specific dishes.