Consistency At Rahel Ethiopian

Not many places are as consistently good as Rahel Ethiopian, having both amazing service and delicious food. The prices are also very reasonable, as the restaurant participates in several coupon programs from the Entertainment booklet to Groupon-like sites. The best deal is of course the $25 restaurant.com gift certificate. On a rainy Sunday, my friend and I ventured there, as she had never been to Ethiopian town. While many of the restaurants of vegan-friendly, Rahel is a must, since it is the only establishment that is completely vegan. On this visit, we ordered the Millennium Special ($30), which is a favorite of mine, since it includes dessert. To start the meal off, we placed an order of two sambussas ($5).

The sambussas are wonderful and sadly the only appetizers offered at Ethiopian restaurants. They are so perfectly flaky on the outside, with a luscious, delectable curry on the inside. 

Next, the main course came out. This was just as lovely as I remembered it to be.

This was such a wonderful sampler and a fantastic way to experience all that Ethiopian cuisine has to offer. There was a lovely array of curries that varied in both tastes and textures. There was a great mixture of sweet and savory flavorings. What's perfect about this platter is that nothing is too spicy, yet the food is so well-seasoned and has just the right amount of spice to keep you wanting more. 

Lastly, our dessert came out. Usually, Rahel offers a delectable vegan cheesecake. On this past visit, they brought out some vegan baklava.

Baklava is typically a Mediterranean dessert, so I was a bit surprised to see this at an authentic Ethiopian restaurant. Nevertheless, this was my first time eating the vegan version of this dessert and it was delicious. It was flaky and crispy with a lovely pistachio taste. My only complaint is that it was a little dry and could have used some syrup to add both moisture and sweetness. 

Overall, the meal was very enjoyable. My friend was delighted to discover both a new cuisine and restaurant she now adored. The meal was also very inexpensive and cost us each less than $10 (with tax and tip). We were both stuffed beyond capacity and as we left the restaurant, it felt like our stomachs were about to explode. Nevertheless, I was able to digest the food fairly quickly and did not feel sick at all. I cannot wait to return to Rahel, knowing that the food will be just as delicious and we will be welcomed with open arms.