The James Logan Courier

By Zola Boyd, Courier Staff Writer

For my birthday on a recent Friday, I decided to celebrate the event with some fine dining. I chose Addis, an Ethiopian restaurant located in Oakland on Telegraph Avenue.

The place was quite crowded and smelled delicious. Unfortunately the crowded atmosphere resulted in quite a long wait for our waitress. However, the wait gave us time to look over the colossal menu, which had a large vegetarian selection.

The food is served on a communal plate, so it's lovely for dining in large groups. All the food is served with injera, traditional ethiopian bread. The bread is flat and spongey and delicious. Food is eaten with the hands, scooped up with the injera. One of my dining companions, Ms. Alexys Cran, described the experience as "fun and very communal" saying "eating from the same big place actually makes you feel more connected to the people you're eating with." I would have to concur.

We ordered three different vegan dishes: steamed potatoes and carrots with spices, stewed lentils, and tofu tibs. The potatoes and carrots were terrifically tender, but the portion was a bit small for a party of seven. The spicy stewed lentils were filling and flavorful without overpowering the lentils' natural flavor.

The best part of the meal was the tofu tibs, which I'd never heard of at any other Ethiopian restaurants. The tibs consisted of cubed tofu sauteed in an aromatic sauce of tomatoes, onions and what tasted like a multitude of delicious spices.

The meat eaters also dined upon the lega tibs, which consisted of thinly sliced lamb sauteed in the same tasty sauce as the tofu tibs.

As a fan of Ethiopian food, I've tried several restaurants, but I would have to say Addis was by far the tastiest, and a lovely place to spend my birthday. I would recommend it for large dining parties, because you can feed a large group inexpensively and it will be a feast.