Desta Bistro — Restaurant in University City

I ordered a veggie combo and tips with salad online. The total was $34.22 and the online ordering was okay. I've had an easier, more enjoyable time with other ordering platforms.

When I arrived to pick up my order, I walked in and noticed clutter in entryway, I felt like there was a better place to store those things, but this is a new place so I like to give grace. There were about three customers, two women behind the bar, all smoking hooka. It was pretty smoky as it didn't seem like there was proper ventilation for that, but in their defense, they did lay off of smoking it while my pregnant self and son were waiting on the order. I appreciated that.

There was a man working on a dirty laptop(literally built up grime on the corner amd sides where it's often touched) that went to kitchen to see if my order was ready. He came out and said it would be ready in about 5 minutes.

Not a problem for me, one of the women behind the bar came out to offer water she was kind and hospitable. Sadly, I was disappointed with the food I received.

While I am not Ethiopian, I've been eating this cuisine for two decades at friends' homes other restaurants and make it in my home when I have the time. It's a constant craving for me, especially when pregnant.

The collard greens were buttery tender and garlicky. I thought it was the best thing on the veggie combo but could have used more traditional spices. The lentils were also good but not warm enough. The other two things I believe to be chickpeas and cabbage were completely stone cold. Like not even warm, just slapped on platter cold. I was hesitating to eat it as I've experienced food poisoning but I'm here today, not sick, so that's good. The chickpeas had a yucky taste, to me it tasted like dirt.

The tibs were not seasoned at all, like zero seasoning but seemed to be cooked well in butter. I like my tibs seasoned well and enjoy the spice so it was very disappointing. I had the thought after that maybe the lack of seasoning on the tibs was my fault during the ordering process, but I'm not sure. The salad they made with it was yummy. I enjoyed the crunchy lettuce and dressing. I just think $18.99 for the unseasoned meat and little dollop of salad is too much.

I would come back for the veggie combo if things were up to proper temperature and maybe if I could avoid the chickpeas.

My suggestion to improve these issues would be to have someone from the front or another person help the kitchen. I could kind of see one lady back there running back and forth, trying to get my order done, which I appreciate, but I also wouldn't have mind waiting a few more minutes for properly heated food.

Overall, they have the right idea. it just needs a little...

We each had the vegetarian combo for our lunch. We were both quite full. I ate most of the Injera bread that is served with the veggies. If you're new to Eritrean or Ethiopian food the Injera is a big part of it. The rest of the food is served on an Injera that's the size of the large serving plate. Injera is a traditional sourdough so it has a tangy sourdough taste. It's very soft. You tear a small piece and then use it to scoop up some food. I loved this way to eat. My lunch partner ate with a fork. Most of the tables were low for the traditional dining style. The veggies were great. Two legume dishes, collard greens (one of most favorite foods), a gomen ( cabbage), and a great little fresh salad). All the food was seasoned to complement the food without over powering it. If you are looking for tasty food that is super healthy, this is it (IMHO). It looked to me like Delta Bistro gets going in the evening with a full bar and music. The atmosphere at lunch time was very casual and the staff was...

I was introduced to this restaurant from another couple a few years ago and have been coming back ever since. At first I was not used to the food and what to expect, but now I even crave it. My favorite dishes are the lamb, spicy chicken breast, zil zil (Beef in long, thin slices), and the lentil samboosas. In tradition of east Africa meals you eat by enveloping the food in injera bread. The best part is to eat the bread that is soaked with the flavor full juices on the platter. The meat is very lean. They also have take out. I like taking friends here that have dietary restrictions because they are very respectful of that. They were able to accommodate someone in our party that has the following dietary restrictions: gluten free, lactose intolerant, no salt, and a vegan. ...