MESOB — Restaurant in Melbourne

This restaurant had been on my bucket list for a year, and while the food was eye-opening, fresh, and delicious, the service was a letdown. We enjoyed the omnivore meat platter and the sambosa, despite the latter being a bit oily.

The major disappointment in our experience was the service. We visited on a Saturday night at 6 p.m. and, knowing it was a busy time, we tried to make a reservation an hour in advance. Unfortunately, the restaurant was already full, leaving us with two options: sitting outdoors or next door at a pub. Given the cold weather, we initially opted for the pub but were met with an unpleasant smell that resembled garbage. We quickly decided to sit outside instead to avoid ruining our dining experience.

While seated outdoors, my partner overheard an employee telling two other walk-in customers that they could have indoor seats if they waited for 10 minutes. This was frustrating because when we asked the same waitress if there were any available seats inside, she told us no, despite the cold and our prior order. While the food was undeniably excellent, the service left much to be desired. The discrepancy in how we were treated compared to other customers was disappointing. If you decide to visit, make sure to book well in advance to avoid the seating...

The interior is friendly and welcoming. There a many little details focused on the ethopian culture. There were many traditional dishes to choose from but this was our first time trying anything from the african continent so we decided to try the plate that gives us a chefs selection.

The service was great and the ambience was lovely and cosy.

We ordered:

•omnivore combination platter •sambosas •beers

•omnivore combination platter

A very colourful dish with a variety of different meats, there was chicken, beef, lamb and goat, they were sitting on a bed of ethopian style flour bread ( this was the most filling part ) the side salad included was a garden salad we really enjoyed this dish. the plating style was really interesting and you just have to remember to wash your hands before you start esting with them!!

we also couldnt get past taking two sambosas home as they looked amazing. they reminded us of mexican fajitas only in a different skin.you can have vegetarian or meat and when we took them home they were still amazing to eat with the chilli salsa.

we are excited to go back again and try more dishes on the menu. good luck...

I’ve always loved Ethiopian food and in general African and south Indian food because of the way that you eat it: with your hands! After practicing Buddhism many years ago, I learned the importance and magic of eating with your hands and how that changes the entire experience of nourishing yourself But this is really just a small detail in the beauty of this restaurant and café. My special-needs client and I were looking for a place to have dinner before a concert nearby and we chose this particular dining location, partly because it was wheelchair accessible. The staff were all very friendly and helpful in accommodating my clients and I. Inside the atmosphere is very low-key dimly lit and relaxing to be in. We appreciated the fact that the music was not blasting, and the waitress offered to light the candle for us on the table which helped create a nice atmosphere. We were delighted by the food. He got a chicken dish and I got a vegetarian platter. We were both deeply satisfied and nourished by the experience. I look forward to coming back...