A Radiant Evening At Rosalind's

Another day, another chance to try a new restaurant. This time, my friend and I headed to one of our favorite places in Los Angeles, Ethiopia town. I secretly have a goal to try all the Ethiopian restaurants on the block, as they all look lovely and I am truly in love with Ethiopian food. On our visit, we chose Rosalind's, which seemed very vegan-friendly and is featured on restaurant.com. The interior decor was very similar to Rahel and also had upside down umbrellas hanging from the wall.

When we arrived, the restaurant was nearly empty, which seems common at ethnic restaurants, especially on a week night. While looking over the menu, we informed the waitress that we needed the food prepared vegan and she pointed to the vegan combination plate and told us she would make us a family style dinner.  I was a little disappointed that she ordered for us, taking away the freedom of choice I enjoy so much when I dine out. I requested two orders of sambussas ($2.50 each) to be brought out as an appetizer, and it felt good to have some input in the meal.

First, the sambussas were brought out.

These were really good and way bigger than the sambussas I've gotten at Ethiopian restaurants in the past. The were soaked in oil and were perfectly deep-fried and very crispy. The interior had a well-seasoned mixture of lentils and a very mild spice.

Next, we were served salad to accompany the main dish.

This salad was wonderful. The vegetables were so crisp and crunchy. They were coated in a very light seasoning. The dressing was so delectable and had a citrusy flavor with a slight tanginess.

Our main course came out in the usual form of being scattered on a large, round piece of injera bread.

The curries had a lovely, mild spice and were very savory. They were all so soft and the spongy bread absorbed them well.  My favorites were the beany dishes that had a smooth consistency and were so creamy. There was a slight sweetness to each dish that contrasted beautifully with the saltiness. I really love Ethiopian spices and they were so prevalent in each curry.

Overall, I really enjoyed the meal. It was so satisfying and each dish was very flavorful. I would love to have tried the African dishes on the menu, as those are what really sets this place apart from the rest. With the $25 restaurant.com gift certificate, we each only paid $11. I will definitely return, but it's hard to justify going to a non-vegan restaurant, when there is a delightful vegan version right across the street. Nevertheless, the food is just too good not to enjoy again.