Have you ever had East African food before? Well, here's your chance. The New Eritrea Restaurant and Bar at 907 Irving St. between 10th and 11th Avenues serves food with a history spanning back to the ancient world. The restaurant serves food that has been influenced by Egyptians, Greeks, Phoenicians and Italians.
It is a simply, but resplendently decorated and tidy restaurant. Sunlight streams through the dining room's glass roof, and honeysuckle and orchids drape from large pots hanging from ceiling beams.
All meals come with a crisp salad and injera, a thin, flat bread of corn meal and wheat flour. The menu offers plates such as Sambusa, Zebhi Dorho, Allicha Begee, and Lasagna from Eritrea's Italian colonial era, made with berbere, a fiery African pepper.
Sambusa is a deep-fried batter shell filled with spiced ground beef or vegetables and onions. Zebhi Dorho is grilled marinated chicken with tomatoes, onions, a red pepper sauce and tesmi, a clear, spiced butter.
Allicha Begee is a curried lamb and vegetable stew served on a bed of injera. The food can be wrapped in injera torn from the plate, and dipped in either a spinach, split garbonzo bean, or yogurt sauce. A second plate of injera, folded neatly like a napkin, is available for soaking up excess sauce.
The food is filling and the service is excellent. Prices range from $2.25 for appetizers to $9.00 for entrŽes. The restaurant serves beef, chicken, lamb, and vegetarian dishes. For those who don't like hot spices, the food can also be prepared with mild seasoning.
To try Eritrea's dishes, call (415) 681-1288.
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