Things people ask before they come

I have never eaten Ethiopian food. Where do I start?

With the chef's platter. It is what most first-timers order and what we would order for you. It puts a bit of everything on one round of injera, half of it mild, so you find your favourites without having to know the names, and everything on it is food you already know: lentils, chickpeas, lamb, chicken, vegetables, a soft bread and a red spice, all cooked slowly.

Eat with your hands or with a fork, whichever you like, and ask us anything. See the platters or book a table.

Do we have to eat with our hands?

Only if you want to. There is always cutlery if you would rather; just ask.

If you would like to try, it is easy. Clean hands first, with the sanitiser by the door or in the bathroom. Tear a piece of injera about the size of your palm from the warm rolls at the side of the platter, lay it over whatever looks best, and pinch it up with your fingertips so the bread wraps the food and takes the sauce with it. Fingers underneath, thumb behind, and the next piece of bread cleans your fingers as you go.

The habit came from the highlands, where people were on the move and nobody carried cutlery, so the bread became the spoon. Mix as you go: a bit of shiro with a spoon of zighini on top is what we do. The three steps are on the About page.

How spicy is the food?

Dishes marked spicy on the menu are made with berbere, a chilli and spice blend, and have a medium heat. Aletcha, shiro, tumtummo and most of the vegetable dishes are mild; ades and dubba have a little berbere. Fresh green chilli is served on the side for anyone who wants more.

Do you take large groups and functions?

Yes. The room seats about fifty, with a long table for up to twenty and seven small tables outside, heated and covered against the rain, and shared platters suit a crowd. We host birthdays, work dinners and family gatherings, and we can cater platters for events elsewhere. Groups of up to ten can book online. For anything bigger, see the groups page and email us with the date and numbers.