Our first visit to Lucy Ethiopian Cafe, last weekend, not only left us with wonderful memories of a great meal, but sparked our curiosity about the people of Ethiopia.
We’ve since learned that sharing our meal with friends, around a low table, made it more in keeping with Ethiopian culture, where eating is a communal experience. Tearing off bits of the light, lovely ingera bread and scooping up tastes of the lentils, vegetables, and meat stews became a fun topic of conversation as we all tried to perfect our technique.
This is a place where the host family wants you to be comfortable getting to know their culture. They’re ready to explain anything you’d like and even have phonetic spellings of some words in their language on a chalkboard, so you can learn to say them. Everyone in our party wanted to learn the same phrase, "Thank You!" or Ameseginalehu (Ame-segi-na-lew.)
Here are a few thoughts for enjoying your meal at Lucy:
The staff is happy to bring more ingera, if you’re running low on the rolled pieces. However, eating the whole ingera, that has served as your tray and soaked up all the flavors of the meal, is perfectly okay– and very delicious!
Our group stayed with the traditional way of eating this food by hand, but knives and forks were graciously provided to other guests.
Their spiced teas and ice tea are very good with the food.
Lucy is a great place for a meal before Symphony or for coffee and dessert after a concert.
Because Ethiopian religious traditions require long periods of fasting from meat, Lucy is a good vegetarian choice. Next time, we plan to order more of the delectable vegetable and lentil choices because they disappeared first from our tray.
If a meal at Lucy Ethiopian Cafe makes you want to learn more about African food and culture, here’s a book to begin your quest ...
The Soul of a New Cuisine: A Discovery of the Foods and Flavors of Africa
Details:
Lucy Ethiopian Cafe
334 Mass Ave, Back Bay, MA 02115 (map & reviews)
617-536-0415
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2011 Penny Cherubino