Aster’s Ethiopian

Aster’s Ethiopian is my new addiction.

It’s quick, spicy, and yummy. It’s a little too pricey to eat there regularly ($9.95 for an entree and 3 sides; $12.95 for a vegetarian sample platter with all 8 veggie dishes), but it’s a lot of food and large enough to split into two meals. Also the staff is always smiling and they seem genuinely happy that you are eating at their restaurant. Also, it makes Miguel happy, which makes me happy.

I recommend getting the vegetable combination platter and a cup of ethiopian tea. The tea is strong and tastes sorta cinnamony – you can smell it across the room. If you order the vegetable combo, you get: collard greens, cabbage, eggplant, potatoes, injera salad, three different types of lentils, and 2 big pieces of injera bread.

If you’re with a few other people and you all order the vegetarian combo, it’ll be served on one giant plate and you’ll feel really extravagant.

Another thing I really like about Aster’s is that you get to eat with your hands. Forks are provided if you ask for them, but most people scoop up the food with little pieces of injera – the spongy, crepe like bread served with the meal. The other day, I was really hungry and I knew I was going to be stuck in traffic for a while. I was already on the access road near Aster’s Ethiopian, so I stopped. I ordered my usual and the food was ready in about 10 minutes. I took it back into my car, sat in traffic for about an hour, and proceeded to stuff my face with Ethiopian food. It’s funny how you forget that you’re still in public when your in the car – I would occasionally glance over at a stoplight and see people looking at me and my hands (and probably my face) stained with red and yellow lentils.