Lalibela
Where? Lalibela (Christie Pits, Toronto, Canada) Map Menu
When? Monday June 6, 2022
Who? Me
Food Style? Ethiopian
A popular Ethiopian restaurant near Ossington and Bloor, Lalibela is conveniently on my way home from Tuesday night badminton. It’s a cool summer night and the restaurant is almost full, even at 9.30pm. As I look around at neighbouring tables, I spot these massive platters that almost cover the entirety of the table top. Definitely something to try with more people.
I’ve gone for the meat platter. The menu description says it contains a multitude of items but I have no idea what they are, and I’m hoping to be pleasantly surprised with a giant plate full of delicious spiced meat. Unfortunately, I’ve been seated after some big tables, so it’ll likely be a while before I get my food.
Mains
Meat Combination: Combination of alicha wot, kitfo, doro, gomen ayib, salad and dullet
When it arrives though, wow. That is a very large plate. And no cutlery. Sure enough, everyone else is eating with their hands. I’m no master of this particular art, but I give it a go. The pancake at the bottom is a peculiar texture and may trigger people with an aversion to weird patterns - trypophobia, thanks Google - and it’s slightly soggy and sour. Its porous nature soaks up all the sauce from the various curries. The chicken curry is particularly spicy but full of flavour. The beef mince is only okay, but the goat is pretty good. There’s a lot on the plate and it doesn’t really work together, but individually the dishes can be quite nice. I’m not going to lie, I was expecting more meat than that, but at the end, I’m very full and can’t finish all that pancake.
I wish they’d serve a bowl of lemon water to wash my hands afterwards. On the whole, the meal was okay but didn't blow me away. I felt the flavours were a bit muted and didn't have the intensity that I'm used to with Thai, Malay or Indian curries. This might have been more enjoyable in a large group with plenty of dishes to share.
Posted by Jeremy at 2:40am on Wednesday June 22, 2022 :: 0 comments :: 