So, this past week, I have visited two Indian restaurants – one called Shaheen in the Sheraton hotel and the other called Ajanta. I went to Ajanta with a group of people 2 weekends ago and we have a mouth-watering array of dishes to enjoy including Palak Paneer (Spinach and paneer cheese) and Bhangan Bhartha (Pureed Eggplant Sauce/Gravy). There were close to 14 of us at dinner and it was nice to hang out with the other interns, Canadians and ex-pats who are currently calling Addis home.
I also visited Ajanta this past weekend because I heard they had rasam (which is a South Indian lentil tomato soup that is great for curing an upset tummy). Unfortunately, this restaurant’s version of rasam is far from the medley of lentils, spices, and herbs that combine to make this staple food. Instead, the restaurant decided to make rasam by mixing tandoori chicken paste with water and adding some chili powder. I have never tasted rasam like that in my life and I will take a pass at trying it again.
On Friday, feeling indulgent, slightly homesick and in need of some pampering, I decided to visit the Sheraton to enjoy their Indian restaurant, Shaheen, regarded as the jewel of Indian restaurants in Addis. Well, the jewel description is certainly apt. Shaheen is an opulent mixture of Indian artistry with old-world glamour. The silverware was all pure silver (not just the stainless steel garb we insist on calling silverware). There were silver goblets at each place setting with crystal to match, brass charger plates, ridiculous amounts of expensive china and all of the food was served in pure silver dishes. However, while the food was yummy, the prices were in keeping with the rich décor and general tenor of the Sheraton – i.e. ridonkulous. However, when converted into dollars, the meal was quite a reasonable price. For those of you who don’t know, I am notoriously cheap by nature, so coming home to Canada is indeed going to be a shock to the good ol’ pocketbook after being used to the cheaper prices in Ethiopia.
