Awash - More Ethiopian on Broadway

Awash has been open about a month, and I stopped in for lunch yesterday. At first glance, it's difficult to tell what sets this new restaurant apart from the other Ethiopian joints in town. It's a welcoming space with carved wooden chairs and tables, a stage for music and friendly staff. I didn't read the menu closely, but Awash's offerings seem very similar to what one can get at Ethiopian Diamond, Ras Dashen, Demera, etc. Awash, however, does have a full breakfast menu, which may be one distinguishing element...I'm not sure. I've never had any kind of African breakfast, so I would like to go back to try a porridge or scrambled eggs served with some stewed meat.

As for my lunch yesterday, I ordered the doro watt, which hit the spot.



It was more sweet than I'm accustomed to and with a slower burn--not bad, just different. I felt the same way about the lentils around the platter; some of the spicing tasted unusual to me. I concluded that unusual is better than bland, and maybe my taste buds were just having a weird day. I need to recruit some ordering power and return.

Awash
6322 N. Broadway
Chicago, IL 60660
773-724-0784

My wife and I finally tried Awash for the first time last night, following the advice of an Ethiopian cabbie. I will definitely return soon - it was an excellent meal. We started with two orders of sambusa, a beef and a spinach. They were served with a sauce that more resembled a freshly chopped Mexican salsa than a standard dipping sauce. Very refreshing. We especially enjoyed the finely ground beef, which had that elusive comfort food feeling that's hard for me to describe.

The pacing of the meal was deliberate, to be kind. I wouldn't recommend dining at Awash if you're in a hurry. The servers were all very friendly and seemed genuinely happy to have us there. They kept our drinks full, but the kitchen just took a long time to finish the entrees. There were only two other tables, so I can't imagine how slow it would be on a busy night.

But the entrees were worth the wait. We had the doro wat (chicken leg and hard boiled egg in a dark, spicy sauce) and the kwanta ferfer (beef jerky mixed with small pieces of injera in a savory, spicy sauce.) We've enjoyed both of these dishes at most of the Ethio spots in town over the years, but Awash's version of both were the best I've tried. Ras Dashen has been our gold standard the last few years, but recently they changed their menu and removed the kwanta ferfer altogether. I won't even miss it now. Awash's jerky had that perfect chewy/crispy texture and the sauce had an addictive balance of spicy and sweet that I usually associate with great Thai food.

The veggie sides were fine, but nothing too exciting. I'd still recommend Ras Dashen for a vegetarian or vegan companion.

Bill came to $66 before tip, which included three beers and one scotch on the rocks. Reasonable by any standard, I think. I regret having waited so long to visit Awash, but I'm so glad I did. I encourage any Ethio enthusiast (or heck, even a newbie) to clear a couple hours and give it a try.

tapler wrote:My wife and I finally tried Awash for the first time last night, following the advice of an Ethiopian cabbie. I will definitely return soon - it was an excellent meal. We started with two orders of sambusa, a beef and a spinach. They were served with a sauce that more resembled a freshly chopped Mexican salsa than a standard dipping sauce. Very refreshing. We especially enjoyed the finely ground beef, which had that elusive comfort food feeling that's hard for me to describe.

The pacing of the meal was deliberate, to be kind. I wouldn't recommend dining at Awash if you're in a hurry. The servers were all very friendly and seemed genuinely happy to have us there. They kept our drinks full, but the kitchen just took a long time to finish the entrees. There were only two other tables, so I can't imagine how slow it would be on a busy night.

But the entrees were worth the wait. We had the doro wat (chicken leg and hard boiled egg in a dark, spicy sauce) and the kwanta ferfer (beef jerky mixed with small pieces of injera in a savory, spicy sauce.) We've enjoyed both of these dishes at most of the Ethio spots in town over the years, but Awash's version of both were the best I've tried. Ras Dashen has been our gold standard the last few years, but recently they changed their menu and removed the kwanta ferfer altogether. I won't even miss it now. Awash's jerky had that perfect chewy/crispy texture and the sauce had an addictive balance of spicy and sweet that I usually associate with great Thai food.

The veggie sides were fine, but nothing too exciting. I'd still recommend Ras Dashen for a vegetarian or vegan companion.

Bill came to $66 before tip, which included three beers and one scotch on the rocks. Reasonable by any standard, I think. I regret having waited so long to visit Awash, but I'm so glad I did. I encourage any Ethio enthusiast (or heck, even a newbie) to clear a couple hours and give it a try.

Interesting because my wife's been after me to try somewhere other than Demara for a while. The breakfast menu and the kwanta ferfer sound like they're worth trying.

I'd still kill for the veal version of zilzil tibs, with a red wine secret ingredient that really amped up the spice, like I had at Blue Nile in Berlin, though .