Zagol Ethiopian Restaurant — Restaurant in Reno

I'm sorry if the first reviewer has been to many Ethiopian restaurants, he should have learned at perhaps the second or third that their bread is injera not angina which is chest pain associated with cardiac problems. Saying $15 for a meal WITH a beer is expensive makes me wonder if he stays at the cheap motels on E 4th St or just happened to be a bum wondering off the streets. The server may not have seemed very friendly, but that may be just a language barrier thing or perhaps in Ethiopia they're like that. The server I received kept returning to see if everything was okay and that's good enough service for me. The one thing I might agree with him on is that the meat portions were a bit small, but probably the same amount of meat for the price as you'd get at any big chain restaurant.

One thing that might turn people off is the fact that you use the injera bread to wrap the meat and salad, and there is no fork. I didn't ask for one, but you probably could get one. However, that may be the fun of it all, eating with your hands which creates a certain primal, rebellious, fun feel to the evening. It's also cool eating something the way they did before forks were invented. Some call Zagol, African food which is like calling Italian food European. Africa is a large continent folks with many different cultures and traditions. Ethiopia is culturally closer to the Mediterranean and Middle East. Don't expect lions and shaka zulu here.

Injera is also better for you than most grain products because it's made from teff grain which is gluten free with more iron, protein, and calcium than wheat. Even better it is fermented which reduces phytic acid which protects grain but causes indigestion and binds to minerals which keeps us from absorbing them. Seriously, look into it. Unfermented, unsprouted, and unsoaked grain (where the phytic acid is not reduced) makes you sick, ruins your teeth, gives you IBS, gives you mineral deficiency, makes you fat. Civilization expanded because of the efficiencies of grain, but at the cost of more weaker, sicker, irritable, and unstable people. Why do Ethiopians usually look so skinny (besides war and famine), even rich Ethiopians are skinny, is because Injera is their main carb staple, so they don't store as much fat or need as much. Perhaps that's why their long distance runners are so fuel efficient.

I wasn't into the honey wine which may be an acquired taste. Syruppy sweet ugh. I loved the Harar? Ethiopian beer, very smooth with a good aroma. I had the lamb which was amazing. Some of the best lamb I've ever had. Funny thing the great sauce stayed on my fingers after a couple washes. You may want to wash your hands thoroughly and clean your cuticles before going here too. Maybe they should offer those disposable food handling gloves here. I kept wiping my hand on my napkin. Also, I believe it's not kosher to eat with your left hand, but I'm sure they'll be understanding of American lefties just as sushi places don't look down upon fork or hand users. They also offer baklava which was really good. I didn't try the baklava with ice cream but I imagine that would be incredible. Nice, trendy bay area type decor with bright colors and with South facing windows, it's very light inside. Also a tip to carb watchers, you don't have to eat the injera every time. Keep using the bread to scoop up meat until it becomes too wet and...

We have been to this restaurant several times, most recently this last week. We always have a great time. We love the Kitfo. I recommend getting it in the authentic fashion of raw and spicy. We ordered the Zilzil Tibs. I would recommend this dish to anyone who loves beef but is new to Ethiopian cuisine. The dish is beefy, wonderful and a perfect introduction to a new food experience. We rounded out our meal with Yo Doro Alicha, a mild chicken dish, and KilKil a bright vegetable dish. If you never have eaten Ethiopian food there are some things you should know. The food is unique. The closet thing I can compare it to is Indian food. It is served family style like Basque food. You eat off of, and using, the Injera bread. It is like a spongy sourdough tortilla. If you stop to think about it this is ingenious; little water is wasted washing dishes and utensils. The first rule of waste reduction is to reduce. I am willing to bet this restaurant uses considerably less water than other restaurants which is a benefit to our desert community. Lastly the portions look small when they come out but I find them to be filling and rarely finish my entire meal. I would recommend ordering two items for one person and then adding an item for each person you add to your party. One person would equal two items, two people three items, three people four items , etc. Lastly when you eat at Zagol you are getting more than a meal, you are getting an experience. Whatever the meal cost it is less than at trip to Ethiopia. If you have never been part of the restaurant industry you may not know most operate on razor thin margins. Covid has made survival even harder for our small family owned restaurants. When you eat at Zagol you feel like you have been invited in to Shita's home. She is an amazing woman, we wish her continued success and hope to frequent her restaurant for...

After trying fantastic Ethiopian food in San Jose, California, I wanted to try the Ethiopian restaurant in Reno where I live. I even invited a friend, after raving about how delicious I thought Ethiopian food was.

Well, even though the restaurant was still open, the front door was locked. We therefore thought it was closed. We were already leaving to go somewhere else, when the owner (and sole employee of the entire place) came running out to asking us to please come in. She explained that she kept the door locked for safety reasons because she was all alone. We decided to go in and give it a try.

We ordered a chicken dish, and a few vegetarian dishes. The food tasted good, but it was very expensive, and the portions were incredibly small. In fact, the chicken dish consisted of one measly chicken leg in special sauce with spices and vegetables. We were two people, and we were served one sad looking chicken leg! I remember the two of us looking at it, and kept saying to one another, "You eat it." "No, you eat it." How embarrassing and awkward this experience was, especially because I was the one who suggested that we go there, after telling my friend how great Ethiopian cuisine was!

I saw a news story on TV earlier today on how this restaurant has been struggling during the pandemic. I was very sorry to hear this, because the owner seems like a nice person. However, perhaps if she were to serve more generous sized food portions, she'd do better? Afterall, with so many people who are struggling financially, it is going to be really difficult to attract diners if you are going to charge outrageous prices for teeny sized portions! Regardless of my opinions however, I still wish her the...