Addis Red Sea Review

"I'm too busy" is never a good excuse to skimp on exciting and delicious food escapades. In this new series, explore the culinary scene of Boston and Cambridge with Jane, your Crimson foodie who may be picky, but will still try anything on the plate at least once (except maybe chicken feet).

You won't need any forks or knives when you eat at Addis Red Sea, an Ethiopian restaurant near Porter Square. Instead of cutlery, Ethipian food calls for a different set of tools: namely, your hands. With the aid of lots and lots of injera, an Ethiopian bread that's like a spongier version of sourdough, you scoop up different entrees and channel the food directly to your mouth.

For those who have never tried Ethiopian food, the Addis Red Sea Special Combo ($28.95) offers samples of the top six most popular entrees. In addition to the platter of food, you're also brought a basket of injera.

The Gomen Wot, chopped collard greens drenched in herbed oil with onions, green peppers, and garlic, was cooked so thoroughly that it was really soft and tender. The seasoning for this dish was not too overpowering.

Doro Alcha, or chicken simmered in a mild sauce of butter, ginger, and onions, was suitable for those who don't like anything too spicy.

Doro Wot was perhaps the most complex dish in terms of its preparation. The tender chicken was first marinated in lemon, and then sautéed in seasoned butter. Finally, it was stewed in red pepper sauce that gave a tinge of spiciness.

Lega-Tibs, or beef chunks sautéed in oil and seasoned with onions, green peppers, rosemary, and black pepper, was so spicy that it called for a lot of water. Like, multiple refills. That would have been fine except that the beef was really tough, making the texture not worth the spiciness.

The entree also comes with Zenge, another spicy beef dish, and the Addis House Salad.

Addis Red Sea is perhaps not the best place for a first date since it can get messy. On the flip side, you definitely have an excuse for "accidently" brushing against your date's hand as you reach for that last bit of chicken.