Ghenet — Restaurant in New York

Being a novice to Ethiopian food, I guess I'm going to be the one to give a practical review. My daughter and I came here with a friend who usually gives great advice on restaurants. This is the first time we didn't enjoy his recommendation. While we are new to Ethiopian food, we have had a lot of great experiences with other African cuisines.

To begin, many readers will be horrified that we asked for forks. I knew going in that Ethiopian food is eaten with your hands, but I prefer not getting sick and was not afraid to ask. However, the server gave us a very nasty look which wasn't called for. Otherwise, I didn't find the service outstanding, but it was adequate. For example, we specifically asked for separate servings of injera (bread), again for health reasons, but it came together.

My biggest disappointment came from the food. I found it very bland. I didn't experience the well-balanced seasonings that other reviewers mentioned. I felt that the split pea was much better at most other restaurants, and honestly, I felt Progresso split pea soup was even better. Usually I like collard greens, but these were awful. The stew was okay, but I can get the same or better at many diners and pubs. The injera, which is fun to make little tacos with, is very bland. That might be the Ethiopian way, but I wanted some taste. Since injera is an Ethiopian staple, I suspect Ethiopian food is not for me. I love good bread way too much to have enjoyed injera. I did like the cabbage with potatoes (not sure what it was called) however again this is served in many pubs as an Irish-American dish, where it's much tastier. The dish with mushrooms was very good.

I guess overall I was expecting much more from reading the other reviews. It was okay but not a place I would visit again. It seemed to be busy enough for a Friday night, but we were able to be seated right away. I guess without me going again, it will be easier for the fans to find a seat.

I don't want to say it was a horrible experience, but the practical side of me says it wasn't anything that I haven't had before. I wanted to try a new cuisine, but it seemed to be the same stuff I've had before with less taste, higher prices and horrible bread. When I start thinking that a pub/deli/diner has something similar and with more flavor then I know it's not a meal I'll remember.

It's in Park Slope, so parking is not easy. However, since it's 4th Avenue, it's not as bad as most of the areas in the slope. Of course, there's plenty of public transportation nearby. Almost every train stops not too far from here at...

Delicious spot in the midst of Gowanus' plentiful breweries. Spare interior with tables of questionable stability, to be sure, but the walls are beautiful to look at. Staff very helpfully informed us that both of us getting the Ghenet combination - one meat stew, two vegetarian dishes - meant we could then try six different preparations so off we went with the doro wett -- a delicious spicy chicken stew, with a hard boiled egg -- and siga wett, more of a berbere beef stew with some smokiness but not overpowering. The vegetarian dishes were all very good, and pretty standard: lentil, carrot/cabbage/potato, chopped collard greens, and a pureed bean dish. Plenty of injera was served with the stews, and we wound up eating all of that - especially the injera on which the stews sat and soaked into it.

For the why-not, I also ordered a St. George beer, one of the basic national Ethiopian lagers. Nothing to write home about, and every country has something like it. It's basically a requirement for being a country (as someone wiser than me once said). All told, quite an inexpensive lunch date for voluminous food intake to carry us through the afternoon, and much appreciated for its proximity to other fun...

Yesterday, a friend and myself dined at Ghenet. Under traditional dishes they list Doro Wett a chicken dish that is uniquely spiced to create an exquisite dining experience. At first I said this is good marketing so let's experience what exquisite chicken tastes like.

To my surprise it was not just good marketing it was actuality and the chicken was everything they describe. It was spiced to perfection in a delicious sauce. The chicken, sauce and injera all blended together exploding inside our mouths with exquisite flavor.

Along with the Doro Wett we ordered a vegetarian combo with some mild dishes that complimented the spicier Doro Wett (If you like spicy but not too spicy this is the perfect dish because the bread nicely absorbs the heat leaving you with a tasty spice sensation.)

I can't wait to go back and try other dishes. Also, we had the gluten free injera which is pure teff. They charge an extra dollar a slice and it is well worth it. When I left I was satisfied and not stuffed or bloated like when I eat too many carbs.

The staff is friendly and the place has a good vibe. The front has move ambiance however, sitting in the back allows you to eat and look up at the sky in a room...