... in a shopping center.
Abyssinia Restaurant is quite convenient to our neighborhood, just a short jaunt down Western Boulevard.
It has classic ethnic-restaurant ambience: none. It was also almost entirely empty on a Friday night, which was a bit disconcerting. I wish I'd taken a photo of the menu -- the cut-and-paste graphic design and the seemingly-endless innovations in English grammar and spelling were memorable.
But we'd heard good things about the food, and in general lived up to its reputation. Our table of four was served a giant platter, covered with Injera (a spongy bread), and arrayed with Kay wat (spicy beef), Miser Wat (cracked lentils cooked in a spicy red pepper sauce), and Yebeg Alicha (lamb braised in turmeric sauce), as well as a few garnishes including peppers, cheese, and collards. The presentation and eating experience is considerably different than a run-of-the-mill restaurant -- not just that it's family style, but we ate with our hands, using the Injera to grab little bites of the various dishes. My personal favorite was the spicy beef, but it all hit the spot.
The verdict: novel, fun, and tasty.
User experience recommendations: improve the ambience through decor and lighting; expand the beer list; hire a design student from NC State to redesign the menu in exchange for free food.
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