restaurant
Muzita Abyssinian Bistro
Reader Review
Hospitable intro to veg-rich Ethiopian/Eritrean cuisine, served family-style, to eat using healthy whole-grain spongy pancakes to pick up savory morsels. Try Ethiopian beers or crisp honey wine. No wheelchair access to interior. Moderate.
General Information
Price: $8 - $18
SD Reader Rating: 
Delivery: No
Outdoor seating: Yes
Party room: Unknown
Reservations accepted: Yes
Kids' menu: No
Occasional live music: No
Vegetarian friendly: Yes
Payment options: Accepts credit cards
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African spices and African hospitality will greet you at the front door of Muzita Bistro on Park Blvd. in University Heights. They serve Abyssinian cuisine from Ethiopia and Eritrea. The restaurant is named for Muzit, a sister of the Woldemichael family, proprietors of Muzita Bistro. Ethiopian food is very generous to vegetarians, but lovers of beef, chicken, lamb and seafood will not be disappointed. Abyssinian cuisine really does have something for everyone, but it is still somewhat exotic. Don’t bring picky or timid eaters to dine with you at Muzita’s. Leave them home. I once went to a restaurant serving similarly exotic food with one extremely picky person who ended up creating a minor, but embarrassing scene. Because Ethiopian food is served without utensils and was unfamiliar to him, he panicked. Instead, invite your fun, adventurous friends, people who appreciate unusual, great food. They’ll love Muzita Bistro. Even though I am a vegetarian, I have never liked okra, but being a good sport, I have tried okra prepared in many, many different ways, in hopes that one day I would eventually find an okra dish that I liked. That day has finally come. Oh happy day, I love okra! This okra was one of Muzita Bistro’s appetizers. It is listed on the menu as Teff Encrusted Bamya. It is okra with whole teff (an African grain), awaze (a paste of berbere chilies, garlic and ginger), roasted tomato, caramelized cippolini onions in a golden pepper emulsion, with not one hint of sliminess. This dish came served on a beautiful plate. The okra was stacked up into the shape a cylindrical tower, like so many Lincoln Logs. Sprinkled onto the plate with the okra tower were delicate little purple and green heart shaped kohlrabi micro greens tasting like spicy radishes, only better. The presentation was second only to the amazing flavors that blended well together, but could also be tasted separately. In all my days I never imagined that okra could be like this. My friend and I ordered two vegetarian combinations that each came with salad and two side dishes. We wanted to taste as many different things as we could, so this was a good option. They brought out everything served on one giant round plate. The plate was wearing a nifty “warming hat”. Dollops of different stewed items were served atop a large flat “pancake” of injera. Injera is spongy Ethiopian bread, made with teff flour. You just tear off pieces of injera to scoop up the stew. We sampled hamli (braised spinach and collard greens); timtimo (red lentils); shiro (seasoned ground chickpeas) and kantisha kilwa (button mushrooms with zucchini, serrano chilies and butter stewed tomatoes). The latter being my favorite. The spicy African flavors and the warm African hospitality made my endorphins soar that night.
By Mango 10:59 a.m., Jun 22, 2009 > Report it
Mango, this is an excellent review of some fabulous vegetarian food! The ancient grain teff (also called "lovegrass," how cool is that?) sounds like a great gluten-free and protein rich option, and I can't wait to try the okra dish, too.
By SDaniels 10:12 a.m., Jun 23, 2009 > Report it