Eating at Meskel: Please Do Not Disturb

When I first ate at Meskel, an Ethiopian restaurant, the couple who owned it – Tefari and Kassech Ayaiew-  were trying to keep up with  the Times stampede. Tefari, a former medallion-owning cab driver, told me that it was too much – he had wanted to take it easy with this new restaurant. After all, their menu states humbly "It's just home cooking!" Fortunately for us, their cover didn't work and their food got the attention it deserves.

The couple had closed Star 49, a Southern food restaurant in Hell's Kitchen, before they opened Meskel. Now that things have settled down in their new digs, Tefari's ambitions are returning. He wants to expand the menu to include his old specialities. "I make the best fried chicken and the best mashed potato! And my meatloaf - everyone loves my meatloaf," he said. He is an avid cook and has been doing it since he was very young. Right now, he defers to his wife, although he does pitch in with some of the cooking. "With Ethiopian food, she is the best!" he said.

I brought my friend Brian there the other day. He has been officially lumped into the "Ethiopian-eating friend" category, a group whose members I have been actively cultivating. His sole eating downfall, if you can call it that, is that he doesn't enjoy chewing on fat or cartilage. Otherwise, his record is clean, cleaner than mine even. We ordered the lamb with ginger and garlic and the vegetarian combo, a must order.The lamb was tasty, but a little too timid for me. It did manage to make Brian's top 3. I prefer their tibs wat, beef cooked in herbed butter. However, we both went crazy over the split red lentils in a berbere sauce (miser wat), which was smoky and addictive. The chickpeas in berbere sauce (shiro wet), was milder but very comforting.

"Abbodanza!"

But really, I love most Ethiopian vegetables and legumes without fail. Who knew vegetables could be so  mysterious and rich?  And Meskel's injera bread.. fresh and fluffy, with the perfect sour note.  The only teeny kvetch I have is that the dishes come so mild, even for me, but I understand that there is a business that needs to be run. However, they will give you extra berbere to spice things up.

Meskel
199 E. 3rd St. (just west of Avenue B)

212-254-2411