Naima Restaurant — Restaurant in Lewiston

I ordered the goat. I always order the goat. Whenever goat is on the menu, it’s the one for me—rare, elusive, and delicious. In the U.S., goats are everywhere, but not on most menus. So I find myself in Jamaican joints, African spots, Indian places, sometimes Mexican kitchens—anywhere goat might appear. And here, in this Somali restaurant, it did.

When we arrived, there was no printed menu. Our server—kind, soft-spoken, with little English—simply answered our question, “What do you have for lunch?” with: “Chicken, beef, or goat… and rice… and injera bread.” Goat was the obvious choice. We learned too late that we could have spoken to him in French, which might have opened up more conversation. Still, the simplicity of that exchange felt like an invitation: just choose, and be fed.

And fed we were. The goat was exquisite—tender, rich with flavor, the kind of dish you don’t just eat, you remember. Goat once reigned as the most popular meat in the world, until chicken overtook it—largely because China’s booming middle class wanted more chicken on their tables. Goat, though, has stayed special. It’s gentler on the land than lamb, nibbling at weeds and brush rather than tearing up the roots, thriving in dry places with little water or feed. It’s a sustainable choice, though you’d never know that from its absence on most menus.

Here, they made goat sing. Every bite was deeply seasoned, the rice was perfect, the injera soft and tangy. The meal was as much about the welcome—the pared-down clarity of “chicken, beef, or goat”—as it was about the food itself.

If you see goat on the menu here, take the leap. Or skip the menu entirely, ask the question, and be surprised. Either way, you’ll leave happy....

My husband and I had an appointment in Lewiston, and had it in our minds to try Somali food, which was a first for us both. Let me just say, we will make the drive (an hour and half) to eat there again. Muktar (I hope I am spelling his name correctly) greeted us warmly, we were early, but he invited us to wait and brought us the most delicious tea I've ever had. It felt like being in some of the neighborhood family restaurants we have visited when traveling out of the states. Even other guests were friendly and engaging, and we had a fantastic conversation before the place got busy. A menu was never mentioned, we were simply told what was available and what was recommended and he even persuaded us to try the goat which is something I never thought I would enjoy so much. The chicken was fall off the bone tender. Very flavorful! He brought us out soup which was goat broth and mind-bogglingly good. It warmed you up and felt like delicious medicine. The food was plentiful. I could not finish mine but could not bear to even leave the rice behind so I will have it for dinner tonight. The quality and quantity of food for the price is the value that cannot be beat. Truthfully, we live on the coast with lots of fancy restaurants around and they all have paled in comparison. They just seem like dry copycats of each other after the vibrant food and welcoming atmosphere of this place! I would encourage anyone to break from their routine, step into this wonderful establishment, and you will...

We were headed for Saban's across the street but they were closed for some reason at 5:30pm. Naima didn't have much signage but there were several groups eating so we gave it a try. A very pleasant surprise for a low key spot. We did order 3 different dishes but as it turns out they are really just a lunch place and normally close at 5. So we got what they had, a big (24"?) platter covered with an injera, with various meat and veggie portions on top. Big cups of warm, cardamom spiced, sweet tea and bottled water. They were out of rice but brought an extra injera and a few stewed goat bones to pick at. No utensils needed or offered! Definitely will get back here for...