Selam Restaurant & Lounge — Restaurant in Toronto

Should I say that we were lucky that our friends canceled our dinner plan? Lol, The show must go on, right? So, we decided to go to another restaurant and have something a bit healthier tonight. We decided to have Ethiopian food and wanted to try a place that we have never been before. I chose Pero based on Yelp reviews. I also purchased a deal from GROUPON for $17 for a PLATTER for two people. You can choose between Vegetarian (Vegan) or Meat (Pero) options. It was 47%off from the regular price $32.

AMBIANCE (4 stars) It was a nice restaurant. You can smell herbs when you just walk in the place. The smell wasn't too strong. It went well with the atmosphere and music. It made us feel very relaxed.

FOOD (4 stars) It was a HUGE platter for two people! Check my picture! I'm normally a big woman, but the platter could hide all of my body! Should I be happy? Lol, We got PERO PLATTER which came with two portions of CHICKEN TIBSI and BEEF TIBSI, and three choices of vegetarian items. We chose -TIMITIMO TSEBHI (Lentil stew with spices and herbs). Our waitress suggested us to have this one if we like spicy. And we love it! SHERO WITH MUSHROOMS (Chickpeas sauce with sautéed mushrooms). This one was very tasty. HAMLI (Green salad with garlic and ginger). It was sour, but it was nice to have some fresh vegetable to go with the platter.

We also added on THE GORED GORED, served medium rare. My husband said that they were a bit hard to chew even though it was medium-rare. Maybe other people like it but I didn't think it was the right food for him lol.

After finished all food which we couldn't finish lol. We packed the rest home and ordered the TRADITIONAL COFFEE which was infused with ginger and served with POPCORN. We had Ethiopian coffee with popcorn before at another restaurant and we like it. This time we didn't regret it either. I could smell and taste GINGER from my coffee right away when I was sipping it.

DRINK (4 stars) We ordered the 1/2 liter of TRAPICHE CABERNET SAUVIGNON. It was $28. It is cheaper if you get a whole bottle which is $36. However, we knew we couldn't finish it, so we ordered only 1/2 liter.

PRICE (4 stars) It is the average price. Maybe a higher than some Ethiopian restaurants. However, the platter for two people was massive. If you get a deal from Groupon, you will get almost 50% off from the regular price for the platter for two people. It's a very good deal. I was lucky because I got 20% off from the normal deal ($17). So, I paid $13 for the platter! AND I got 10% discount off from the food from Yelp CHECK-IN!

OVERALL Good deal from Groupon and Yelp. Nice...

My wife and I recently had the pleasure of having a romantic dinner (our weekly date night) at Pero Restaurant & Lounge. We had been given a gift certificate/Groupon for Christmas. Having never had African cuisine before, we didn't really know what to expect, but were blown away by the food, service, and overall experience. We were also pleased to know we would be accommodated (both being vegan) with plenty of choices even though the restaurant also serves meat-based options. We were greeted by the owner Pero, who checked in with us throughout the evening. *Note be prepared to eat with your fingers - don't ask for cutlery! Pero teased me about asking us for a fork, then proceeded to explain the purpose for eating our particular dish with your hands. We had ordered a vegetarian platter with came with a teff-based bread which is very moist and great for scooping the different dishes it accompanied (mushrooms, chic pea, lentils, cabbage, etc). Our appetizer was also made with the teff/whole wheat bread, rolled up like sushi. A nice shiraz went well with the different flavours on our plate. Being a coffee fanatic, I was intrigued by the description of their "traditional coffee ceremony". It was one of the highlights of the evening! Part of the ceremony includes fresh-roasting the beans in front of you, leaving a wonderful roasted coffee aroma throughout the restaurant. Brewed with ginger, it's the first time I have referred to coffee as "refreshing". It was served with popcorn, which as odd as it sounds, was a nice compliment. Overall, our experience was a memorable one, a new cultural experience that was both enriching and educational, and the service was great. We will be back...

I recently visited Salem restaurant with a group of friends, and it was my first time trying Ethiopian cuisine. While my experience was not entirely positive, I can see why the restaurant would appeal to fans of Ethiopian food.

The restaurant itself was quite busy when we arrived, which is always a good sign. Our group was quickly seated and attended to by the staff. I appreciated the ambiance of the restaurant, with its warm colors and traditional decor.

As for the food, unfortunately, it did not quite meet my expectations. The bread, which accompanies all menu items, was too soft and soggy for my liking. I would have preferred a firmer texture, as I found it difficult to scoop up the food with the bread.

My friend who suggested the restaurant absolutely loved the food, but unfortunately, another friend and I did not share the same enthusiasm. The flavors were not to our liking, but we acknowledge that this is simply a matter of personal taste.

One aspect that disappointed me was that all the menu items came with bread. As someone who does not enjoy soft bread, I wish there had been an option to skip the bread or substitute it with something else.

Overall, I think that if you are a fan of Ethiopian cuisine, Salem restaurant may be worth a visit. It has a great ambiance, attentive staff, and a wide variety of dishes to choose from. However, if you are not a fan of soft bread or unfamiliar flavors, you may want to try somewhere else. While my experience was not entirely positive, I don't want to give the impression that there was anything inherently wrong with the restaurant. It simply wasn't...