Staying Young Together - Ethiopian Lunch Date: 7 '16

We often set aside  Sunday afternoons for some sort of local adventure, so  today's lunch date was already built into  both our schedules.  However, the specifics for today's outing only began to formulate last night after watching an Anthony Bordain "Parts Unknown" TV show about Ethiopia. The food shown in the show fit right in with the North African theme meals we have been eating all week long. We decided, if there is an Ethiopian restaurant in the area, we would have lunch there.  It turns out there is one in Myrtle Beach.  (And as far as we can tell, it may well be the only Ethiopian Restaurant in all of South Carolina.)

Redi-et is a small, not too fancy, family run place in the older business section of Main Street. The place is clean, and the service was fast and friendly when we walked in. Initially, we were the only customers there, so we had our choice of seating from its twelve tables. (Another family did come in just as we were leaving).

We could tell from the decor, and the lack of customers, that this was not going to be a five star dining experience. Redi-et is a no-frills spot. Sparsely furnished, with lots of odd green and red colored curtains, the restaurant has the kind of look that might make some diners wonder if they should stick around. We’d say yes. What Redi-et lacked in décor it definitely makes up for on the plate. 

Since BJ and I  were both looking forward to trying some authentic Ethiopian food, we ordered a platter with several traditional items to share. We  had:

• Beg Kei Wat: Tender lamb meat stewed with onion, garlic, ginger root, spiced butter & red chili pepper powder (Berbere). Hot*. 
• Misir Alicha : Red split lentils cooked with garlic, onions, green pepper, ginger root, oil, seasoned w/ turmeric & other tasty herbs and spices. Mild
• Kik Alicha:  Yellow split peas cooked with garlic, onions, green pepper, & ginger root, seasoned w/ tasty herbs and; spices. Mild. 
• Gomen: Collard greens cooked with onions, garlic, ginger root,  well-seasoned with herbs and spices, but not enough to cover the greens’ flavor. 
• Atkilt Alicha : Potatoes, and; carrots stewed with ginger root,and garlic, then seasoned with tasty herbs and spices. Mild. 
• Ensalata: Fresh lettuce, tomato, onion salad, tossed with  home-made dressing. Served cold. Mild
• All served on Injera: a thin sourdough Teff grain crepe that is used to pick up and eat the items with.

All of the items were very fresh and all were delicious.  We were however, disappointed in the lack of heat in the Berbere seasoned lamb.  For a dish that was listed as "HOT", it seemed milder than many of the dishes we regularly eat at home.  After talking to the waitress, we found out that the chef had  decided to deliberately lower the heat on our dish when he prepared it.  It seems that in his experience, Southerners don't like spicy food. Live and learn.  Next time we go to an unfamiliar ethnic restaurant,  we'll know to tell the waitress  that that we really like hot  spicy food.