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Restaurant to be featured at East County Magazine’s “Taste of Africa” Oct. 8
By: Jessyka Heredia
September 29, 2023 (City Heights) -- Ethiopian
cuisine is known for spicy meats and savory vegetable dishes. Red Sea Restaurant located at 4717 University Ave in City heights has authentic cuisine and a traditional experience the diner might have if they had traveled all the way to Ethiopia. Red Sea restaurant is the oldest Ethiopian restaurant here in San Diego, according to its website. Look no further for a true Ethiopian delight!
Owner Shimeles Kilbret and his attentive staff are quick to greet you at the door and invite you to join them for a traditional cup of strong, fresh roasted coffee as if you are family. It was a delightful small cup for sipping, much like espresso or Turkish coffee would be enjoyed. Coffee is a ceremonial event three times a day in Ethiopia., once in the morning, at noon and once in the evening.
I started off with a fabulous Sambussa as my appetizer. With its perfectly flakey crust and a generous mixture of lentil or green peppers and then spiced just right with onions, cumin and a touch of nutmeg rounded out with a spicy hot sauce for dipping. These Sambussas were exceptionally large, so prepare to share these with your friends and family at the table.
For my main entrees I ordered two different combination dishes so I could experience the many flavors of Ethiopia. I selected a vegetarian combination of dishes as well as one that featured several spicy meat selections. Vegetarians will be happy here. Many dishes from the East Africa region are vegetarian.
In my combination I was able to sample Split Pea Alicha; this dish is creamy and flavorful--not spicy but full of flavors of garlic and ginger. I was also served a wonderful dish of lentils that had a rich spicy sauce made from red peppers. If you like collard greens, look no further. These were some of the best collards I have ever had, spiced with green peppers and onions but beware these greens are a bit spicy if you are sensitive to heat. The most interesting of the vegetarian dishes was the Vegetables Alcha which was full of flavor and a lovely texture comprised of lots of steamed cabbage, potato carrots and onion. This dish is bright with a hint of spice but not overwhelming.
For my selection of meat entrees, I first tried Tibs, one of Ethiopia’s most recognized dishes for its seared beef simmered with onions and butter in a berbere sauce. Berbere sauce is traditionally made with red chili peppers, ginger, coriander, cardamom, allspice, cumin, peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon. This sauce became popular in Ethiopian dishes around the 5th century when the spices from India and China became available through trade. Although berbere means “pepper” or “hot” in Amharic, Ethiopia’s national language, have no fear this dish was not spicy but had a wonderful kick of flavor. I also had the Yebere Siga Wot, which is a spicy beef stew that bursts with flavor and starts off not spicy at first but then a few seconds later the spice creeps up around your tastebuds for a nice, heated finish. My favorite dish however was the Yedero Wot, a delicious, stewed chicken thigh that was covered in a rich and spicy red pepper sauce. The chicken was moist, tender and the sauce divine.
Ethiopian dishes are customarily served family style on a large platter with plenty of traditional Injera bread, which is flat and unleavened. The texture is spongy and has tiny crevasses to soak up all the wonderful flavors and sauces. It is customary to use the bread to pick up bites of each dish similar, to how the tortilla is often used in Mexico and even here in San Diego. If you need a fork, just ask. The staff is very accommodating.
I washed all of my satisfying and flavorful dishes down with a wonderful cold African Harar beer. This beer was refreshing and perfect to quench my thirst after a few spicy dishes. For dessert they offer a lovely Baklava.
Bemigibu tedeseti! Enjoy your meal in Amharic.
Red Sea Restaurant
Address: 4717 University Ave, San Diego, CA 92105
Phone: (619) 285-97Email: info@redseasd.com
Website: http://www.redsearestaurantsd.com/2014/
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