Ananymous wrote in All in London
My Review
9 out of 10 stars
Very tasty, divine food, close to Indian, but different and unique in its own way. Amazing service and warmth, felt like home. Had a lovely time.
Comment added Fri 12 Mar 2010 at 23:21:22
Comments
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(Posted on 2010-03-28 11:01:00 by )
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This was a first time for us to try Ethiopian food. I first learned about this kind of food from a Wilbur Smith book, wherein various feasting people in Ethiopia stuff themselves with a kind of stew called "wot", cooked in large metal cauldrons.
Many years later I tried to cook "wot" with my children. This was an interesting experiment, and it involved trawling around for endless spices and stuff we had not used before, grinding, mashing, pounding and generally taking ages to cook what we hoped was a fair bash at Doro Wot. However we did not attempt the "injira" bread. This is a strange, sour, soggy, pliant bread which is unlike any kind of bread I have tried before.
If you like the taste of unusual wheat beers and sourdough, chances are you will like it. At Kokeb the injira bread arrives covering the entire flat surface of an enormous metal circular platter, with some more pieces of the bread folded over napkin-style on top of it. The bread comes served at room temperature. The menu dishes come hot and are served like curry, on metal oval platters or, for the meat stew or "wot", in metal balti-like dishes.
The "wots" on the menu at Kokeb seemed to be mostly focused on beef and chicken. As a hen-keeping person I always avoid chicken when eating out on principle as the poultry farming industry is unnecessarily cruel, so we chose two beef wots. Usually I try to choose lamb over beef as sheep have at least usually had a better than average chance of being able to express some natural behaviour before being knocked on the head and turned into dinner - it is not always easy to know where the cows have come from, but the choice of lamb wot dishes seemed limited, so beef wot it was. I was half expecting to see on the menu goat or perhaps mutton (which I prefer over lamb anyway) but these may be a bit off the radar of a small restaurant hidden away in Holloway. There is a steak-tartare (raw beef, minced) option on the menu also, but I am not really brave or foolhardy enough to eat raw bits of cow unless I know exactly where the animal came from and I didn't feel like having a Mr Bean moment in case I didn't like it.
Well, the other thing about this restaurant is that you do not get cutlery - you have the use your "natural fork" as the friendly woman who runs it will tell you.
Going to this restaurant is an interesting experience and kind of what I imagine it would be like going to your Ethiopian aunt's house for dinner. Except if like me you don't have any relatives much further south than Munich then the next best option is going somewhere like this.
I had no idea what to expect from the injira bread as I never tried it before. I saw a DVD once where Michael Palin ate some where he seemed to like it and of course I read about it and found recipes for it. I had considered trying to make it, but after reading the instructions what with all the waiting around and fermenting, rising, falling, covering, etc it sounded like a bridge too far. (When I made "wot" with my kids we had cous-cous with it, and it seemed to go well enough, but then we like cous-cous and North African food generally.)
What you do with this massive platter covered in injira bread is you slop the substance of your dinner over it with a spoon (provided), and mop it up into little rolls and little canoe-shaped roll things with your fingers, and eat it.
Eating this way feels informal, communal, slightly messy, very fun and companionable.
I liked the injira bread a lot. It's bendy and squidgy and pliant a bit like carpet underlay. It's got a slightly sour taste, but is absorbant while being aerated and light, almost fluffy, so unlike Indian bread does not have any stodge and is sufficiently bland to more or less completely take on the taste of whatever you are mopping up with it. My wife got a bit overwhelmed by it after a while so I think it may be an acquired taste for some.
Although partly this may have been that it is deceptively filling stuff.
We had a kind of vegetable combo which gave us the chance to try around five vegetable dishes on one platter. French beans were delicious; likewise the spinach. The lentils were OK. The other dishes did not make much impression on me as I have forgotten them, but it was all pleasant to eat nonetheless. There was some ginger in there somewhere.
The beef wots were great. They were both marked with two red ticks for heat, but I did not find them particularly strong - more aromatic, piquant and exciting. My wife, who is not a big fan of the hotter curries, and tends to steer away from vindaloos and jalfrezis at the curry house, was perfectly happy with the strength of these. The flavour is very full and tangy, unlike Indian food though many of the spices are probably the same. I preferred the one which was (I think) called "Awaze Tibs". We also had the "Key Wot" I think it was, and this was also good though being a cook myself could detect that it had tasted as if it had been made with tinned tomatoes rather than fresh. Not necessarily a complaint as I use tinned myself on occasion, but as a bit of a food purist the use of tinned tomatoes would not be authentic.
To drink we tried the Ethiopian export beer of which two were on offer. The St George is pleasant enough but very sugary, and the other one (with a name like Castel) was a more traditional blond beer. Both perfectly acceptable to drink and went fine with the food.
The cost? We spent 40 pounds which included a dessert cake (stodgy, indifferent quality, not recommended) and two strong black coffees (good) and a large Evian.
Would we visit again? Yes, definitely.
What would I change if it were my restaurant? It would be more romantic and relaxing if it were less bright inside. I prefer subdued light in a restaurant as I find it more relaxing. My wife's observation was that she found the injira bread a bit clammy and cold, and wondered if it would be served warm in Ethiopia. I have no idea, but I expect in a warmer (dryer?) climate things might be a little different. Of course once you shove the hot food on top of it, it warms up anyway. I was happy with it the way it was.
Richard wrote on London-eating
It's great to try a place like this. Good antedote to the endless same-old pizza, curry house, typical formula copycat restaurants everywhere. Also nice to feel the sense of connection with the cook/owner who takes a cheerful and personal interest in the food and your enjoyment of it.
I think going again, we would have a full dish of the french beans, and perhaps the same of the spinach or the lentil, probably both if we were hungry, and perhaps only one of the hot meat wots between two, as I felt that with two meat dishes and only one vegetable, the balance was too meaty-proteiny. As the meat dishes come with a lot of sauce and the veggies are quite dry, I felt that the best and probably healthiest way to have this food would be to have mostly vegetable perhaps in the ratio 2:1 veggie to meat, obviously with the injira bread as a base to the veggies, and then adding meat stew and sauce to add a bit of bounce and excitement to the bundles thus created.
With sensible choices two people could eat well here for 30 quid or less which seems very cheap for real cooking.
We'll try to go back for the coffee ceremony one day to see what that's all about.
richard
9 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 10
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
(Posted on 2010-03-28 10:58:00 by ) -
Anonymous wrote on London-eating
Went here for valentines and had a wonderful evening - the lady who runs it is extremely friendly and the food delicious...i love ethiopian food and have tried several london restaurants but this was especially good.
10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Monday, February 15, 2010
(Posted on 2010-03-28 10:54:00 by ) -
James Gilblbert wrote on Londen-eating
Good food, great value and charming owners. Recommended.
James Gilbert
9 Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 10
Friday, January 29, 2010
(Posted on 2010-03-28 10:51:00 by ) -
I went there the other night with a few friends from university to celebrate the end of a hard semester's work. Since we study African Security together, we decided to eat African cuisine and as none of us had eaten Etjiopian food before, we decided to be a bit adventurous. That adventurous spirit certainly paid off, as the food was excellent, as was the service and now we have all added Ethiopian food to the top of our lists of favourite foods from around the world. I fully intend to return with some other friends soon and show off this gem of a restaurant in an unlikely part of North London.
(Posted on 2009-12-20 02:07:00 by ) -
Nat wrote on London-eating
As many people already said : Lovely food is served here. We had mixed meat dish and mixed vegetables dish with injeera, of course. Went for the first time a month ago. It was excellent. Going again tomorrow.
Nat
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
(Posted on 2009-11-21 12:48:00 by ) -
Absolutely delicious food and service. The best Etiopian food I have ever had. I would highly recommend this place. The service makes it very speacial.
Go with lots of time at hand as the food is prepared fresh.
Coffee service is really good and must have.
(Posted on 2009-10-25 20:18:00 by ) -
Anonymous writer wrote on All in London.
10 out of 10 stars
Very tasty, very very authentic, all served by lovely friendly lady who serves as chef, waitress and hostess. Highly recommnded, if you like home cooked authentic food. She even advised against getting 2 chocolate sponges in fear of us spending too much. By the way, the chocolate sponge is delicious, and MASSIVE!!!
Comment added Mon 28 Sep 2009 at 22:38:11
(Posted on 2009-10-24 15:24:00 by ) -
Anon wrote on London-eating
This has to be my favourite place to eat in London. I was a little dubious when my best friend first dragged me here, but it turns out I absolutely love Ethiopian food! And I didn't even know!
The veggie dishes I go for are kind of like curry should taste without all the bad sauces curry houses in this country insist on putting in, plus you get a delightful lemony-crumpety-like-thing to scoop it all up with which is great fun.
I recommend the vegetarian mixed platter, it is intended for one but could certainly feed two for lunch without you feeling aggreived! Plus, the prices are excellent.
I'm always a little sad that this place isn't busier, as it truly deserves to be, but then, I like being able to show up on a whim and get a table!
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
(Posted on 2009-09-24 10:30:00 by ) -
What can I say about this place that could possibly do them justice? Some of the best things in life can often be found in the most unlikeliest of locations and Kokeb in Roman Way falls into this category.
Rarely can I ever recall such hospitality and friendly service in London (and I am a Londoner of over 30 years experience!).
The lady here is like been at home having your mother cook you something to eat. The food was fantastic...We were recommended to order the starters without the injera bread, otherwise we would be too full when the mains came around - The bread is slightly sour and has the look of a pancake and texture like a crumpet - It compliments the food fantastically well.
I ordered Fule for starter (pureed fava been with cumin and spices) then Key Michet Abish (spiced minced beef) for mains - Such is the communal nature of Ethiopian food that all your friends can order something different and you can all tear off some injera bread and scoop up the food from each dish.
Make sure you ask for the coffee ceremony at the end - You will see the green coffee beans being rosted on a steel platter before you at the table then put through a mill and finally brewed in a traditional clay pot...
I can't recommend this place highly enough
Victor Ferreiro
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Monday, July 06, 2009
(Posted on 2009-07-08 10:10:00 by ) -
this is one of our favourite places to eat - we've been going regularly for 7 years. the food is always exceptional - try the red lentils, green beans and lentil soup, and of course the homemade injera. the service is second to none and you will always get a warm welcome.
Comment on this reader review
nitasha and dan (from London-eating)
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Saturday, June 20, 200
(Posted on 2009-06-26 08:51:00 by ) -
Not sure if I'm allowed to do this as I have reviewed it once before . I love this place the food is outstanding and the service form the terrific lady is the best ever . I have a ball every time I come here and I try to ensure if I'm in London I get to it . I wanted to give it 11 out of 10 last time can I make it 12 ?
quenya - From London-eating.co.uk
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
(Posted on 2009-05-30 09:28:00 by ) -
Introduced to Ethiopian food by ex-New Yorker friend who was addicted to it when he was in the States. Read reviews here and decided to try this place one day. Have now added it to list of Good Restaurants To Take VIsiting Friends To When They Come. Ethiopian food already exotic enough compared to the usual city fare. But this was just outstanding - even according to my addict friend who has much more experience with this cuisine. The food is heavily but delicately spiced. Goof flavour, good textures, good balance (we asked the owner to recommend some of the dishes) While I eat almost anything, but as a die hard carnivore "meatitarean", the highest praise I can give is this - even the vegetarian dishes were excellent. Usually I treat vegetarian dishes as an obligation, but in this case I'd happily go back again with my vegetarian friends, have a good meal without meat and still leave satisfied. Just be careful about parking on Arsenal game nights (owner was kind enough to check for us as we sat down that there wasn't a game on) due to local parking restrictions. Will go back again fairly frequently for personal pleasure. Definitely with visitors who want to see what sort of varied food London has to offer - this is an excellent addition to the list. Easy to get to. Owner was lovely. Dining was delicious but inexpensive, ambience was cosy and comfortable. 10 stars all in all.
Anonymous @ All In London
Comment added Sun 12 Oct 2008 at 17:58:35 www.allinlondon.co.uk/restaurants/restaurant-7863.php
(Posted on 2009-03-11 13:46:00 by ) -
what a fantastic find - indeed one of the best kept secrets of London ! went with a group of friends most of whom had never had ethiopian cuisine .. everyone loved the great food and service . The family that runs the place treat you like guests -very warm and nice people . The food was top notch - every single dish was mouth watering and super prices too .. the coffee roasting ceremony was a special treat . have recommended this place to many people and will definitely go back sometime soon .
Comment on this reader review
Sandy
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Friday, April 25, 2008
(Posted on 2009-03-11 13:45:00 by ) -
This restaurant is amazing! Went there last night with my dad and we both loved it. The owner is a fantastic lady who runs the place by herself and takes care of all the cooking. We also did the coffee ceremony, which was very interesting and the coffee was great!
Try the Ethiopian beer too.
If you have never tried Ethiopian food just ask the owner for advice and she will be happy to help. We ordered all she recommended and it was really good. I will definitely go there again!
Valentina
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Friday, May 02, 2008 www.london-eating.co.uk/29400.htm
(Posted on 2009-03-11 13:44:00 by ) -
Thanks for the cuisine, never tried it before but enjoyed what i did have, and left stuffed! The friendly nature of the staff great, and for all we ate it was good value!
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Monday, May 26, 2008
(Posted on 2009-03-11 13:41:00 by ) -
Well this place is wonderful more like a night at at your best friends than a restaurant . i had never had Etheopian food before but the lady there ( owner waitress and friend ) was great she helped me through the menu even reccomending something less expensive than the one I origainally wanted . Had vegatable souo t o star and Lamb tibba with Etheopain bread to follow . All were wonderful aand the bread was lovely and lemony . I had a grwt time ona wet horrid Thur and will most defiantly be back next time I'm in London . If you want to give this type of food atry go here as you will have a wonderful night out . I would score all of it 11 out of 10 if I could .
quenya - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Wednesday, June 04, 2008 www.london-eating.co.uk/29400.htm
(Posted on 2009-03-11 13:41:00 by ) -
Went on a miserable Saturday afternoon with my wife. We were the only two in there but never felt awkward about it. You've got to try the traditional cuisine with the bread and accept that the owner wants to treat you as house guests. The food was very tasty and a bit different from the normal. Music wasn't too loud and added a lot to the ambience of the place. The restaurant is in the most unlikely setting but don't be put off by it - you will not forget your visit here.
K
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Thursday, June 26, 2008
(Posted on 2009-03-11 13:37:00 by ) -
went to Kokeb today with a friend and her 13 year old son; we'd passed the place many times and always remarked that we should visit it; finally one day we did and it was an amazing experience unlike anything I had ever experienced in a London restaurant (with the possible exception of the Gay Hussar).
The food was reasonably priced and delicious, it had that full bodied, marinated and tender taste that you usually get with homecooked food one prepares a day in advance purposefully, like boeuff bourgignon and coq au vin. I had the ethiopian steak tartare which was intriguingly spiced, very delicate and with a light afterburn, it was served with this crumbly cheese and collard green dish. To start I had the fule (dried fava beans cooked for a long time served with chopped tomatoes) and injera bread. My friend had the lamb and chicken soup for a starter.
The lady was very sympathetic to her son's needs as she is a mother too so knows how picky young people can be. She gave him rice (basmati) as it was the most "normal" thing on the menu. I wish I had ordered rice too as it looked ethereally perfect, every grain glistened, enevloped as it was lightly in butter, and was fluffy and separate with just a hint of bite.
We both had Ethiopian beers to drink, I had the St George (4.5%) which was mild tasting, aromatic, and subtly sweet. My friend had the Castel (5.5% I think) that had an aroma of wild honey and was terribly moreish. To finish we both had spicy tea that had a strong scent of cinnamon but also a finish of sandalwood or something similar. I recommend it to be drunk quite sweet.
I cannot really find a fault with this place, it felt as though we were guests in someone's home who hadn't seen us for a long time. We were made to feel very welcome and shall definitely be returning there.
It's a truly authentic experience and the chef makes no consolation to squeamish English palates as other restaurants do with chips and mushy peas and fried fish. We did not, alas, experience the coffee ceremony but we're all looking forward to it on our next visit.
I think everyone should eat here at least once to just experience this rare hospitality, but also it's an olfactory orgy of seductive scents and beguiling textures.
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Thursday, July 31, 2008 www.london-eating.co.uk/29400.htm
(Posted on 2009-03-11 13:34:00 by ) -
I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone wanting to eat beautiful food in a relaxed and very friendly atmosphere at very affordable prices.
We recently went to Kokeb restaurant to celebrate my husbands birthday along with 15 of our good friends. The lovely lady who runs the restaurant was very friendly and helpful from the time i called to make the reservation right through till we left at the end of then night.
We opted for the buffet as we were a big group, every dish was very tasty and beautifully cooked, everyone commented during the night how delicious the food was and returned to the buffet several times.
The coffee ceremony and serving of the cake i had brought along for my husband made the night even more special and unique for all of us.
The flavours of the food and coffee were lovely and aromatic and it has definitely inspired us and our friends to eat ethiopian food more often.
Thanks for a lovely night Kokeb Restaurant.
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Monday, September 22, 2008 www.london-eating.co.uk/29400.htm
(Posted on 2009-03-11 13:32:00 by ) -
Upon making a reservation, we were told the restaurant should shut by the time we would get there... But they told us we were still most welcome to come and they would keep the restaurant open for us, as we were guests of the house..
When we arrived, the host was extremely hospitable and made us feel most welcome... Having never eaten Ethiopian food before, the host gave us her recommendation and explained to us in a polite and friendly manner, making us feel completely comfortable the entire timeâ¦
My party and I had eagerly anticipated the food and were not disappointed⦠We were all amazed by the traditional layout and aroma of the food⦠The host then explained to us what was what and how to eat it and ensured we were ok with everything and from time to time approached us to make sure we were fine...
I can ensure anyone that comes to this restaurant will not be disappointed with the flavour and true cultural experience this restaurant has to offer. In addition as someone who has been to many restaurants around the world, I can truly say I have never experienced hospitality as gracious as what I have done in the establishment.
I would recommended this restaurant to everyone, you would not be disappointed if your looking for that something different..
Madison Lee
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Saturday, October 04, 2008 www.london-eating.co.uk/29400.htm
(Posted on 2009-03-11 13:30:00 by ) -
I called on a Sunday morning to see if I could make reservations for a 1pm lunch. the owner told us that she didn't open until 4pm, but that we were welcome to come at 1pm, as she would be there anyway!
having read the previous reviews of this restaurant, I can say we were not disappointed. the owner was most inviting, giving us recommendations from the menu, and making us feel very welcome. the food was excellent, and good value for money. the location seems slightly out of place in a residential area, but the restaurant wasn't trying to be something it's not - decor was tasteful and authentic. The owner was great fun - treating us as true guests. I have nothing negative to say - the experience was excellent - we will definitely be back!
Dave C
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Sunday, October 26, 2008 www.london-eating.co.uk/29400.htm
(Posted on 2009-03-11 13:28:00 by ) -
We had our office Christmas dinner in Kokeb and we all thought it was excellent. There were seventeen of us in total, and they arranged seating for us all with tables to spare.
As we made the large booking in advance we had a buffet menu, the manager informed us all what each dish was, and then itâs a case of see how much you could fit on your plate! You eat the food in a type of bread that resembles crumpets, which sounds odd but believe me, itâs really nice.
You have a selection of meats and vegetables, and a choice between spicy food, or not.
Service is excellent, the staff are friendly, the food is really good value and is highly recommended.
Geoff
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 10
Friday, December 12, 2008 www.london-eating.co.uk/29400.htm
(Posted on 2009-03-11 13:26:00 by )
ኮከብ
ምግብ ቤት
Written on Toptable.com
The consumate chef/hostess/waitress/owner of Kokeb Ethiopian Cuisine â exotically named Getenesh â must be secretly wearing a cape under her clothes as she runs this restaurant like a superhero. Treating every customer like a houseguest, Getenesh runs an immaculate eatery on London's Roman Way, and her home-cooking is a wholesome and adventurous affair. The cosy and colourful dining room at Kokeb is filled with African textiles and lively music, and the restaurant is also conveniently close to the Emirates Stadium and Caledonian Road station, making it a good place for pre-game feeds. Don't miss the chicken cooked in a light tomato sauce with coriander and onions, the fresh injera bread and the huge portions of chocolate sponge cake.