The Blue Nile

Over the weekend our good friends, Allie and Ethan, came to visit and were kind enough to join us in our adventure to try Ethiopian food for the first time. I wasn’t really sure what to expect but I like a lot of ethnic foods so I was hopeful I would enjoy it. The Blue Nile has been around Columbus a long time and I wanted an authentic experience.

Here is a shot of the four of us gathered around the tray.

The owners were incredibly nice and I think their website does a great job explaining the experience and the significance of sharing the same plate. Here is what they say:

“Gather around the tray (Mosseb) made for a group to eat from the same platter. Experiencing the community dish by eating from the same plate and sharing the same bread (called Injera) is socially significant in the Ethiopian culture and also creates a bond of friendship and personal loyalty between the diners. It is said that people who eat from the same plate (Mosseb) will never betray one another.”

As an appetizer we ordered Vegetarian Sambusas, pastry shells filled with potatoes, peas and herbs. They were delicious. Here is what we ordered for our entrees as described in the menu.

Doro Wat: Chicken cooked and perfectly simmered with seasoned sauce of berbere. Served with hard boiled egg.

Minchetabesh: Finely chopped prime beef first fried in a pan with ginger, onion, cardamom and white pepper until golden, then sauteed in Ethiopia's famous keywat.

Kik Alicha: Yellow split peas cooked with onions, green peppers and garlic.

Shiro: Spiced and milled chick peas cooked with onions.

My favorite was the split pea dish and D liked the chick peas the best but was also partial to the chicken. All of the meals are served with injera. The injera basically acts as your utensil. Here is how Blue Nile’s website describes injera. “Injera, a flat tangy, crepe-like bread, is the essential part of the meal. It is made out of teff, wheat and corn flours. Teff is a cereal grain, until now unique to Ethiopia, which is rich in iron, protein, complex carbohydrates, calcium, potassium, and other minerals.”

Here is a shot of Allie scooping up a yummy bite with the injera.

All in all it was a great experience and I am so glad we have The Blue Nile in Columbus. I am eager to go back and get to know the owners better.

In adoption news, we completed our fire inspection on Tuesday morning. It was good to check that off the list. This weekend we have our appointment with CIS. It feels like we are moving along and getting stuff done. Hopefully the trend continues over the next few weeks!