Habesha - Newcastle

Never knew about Ethiopian cuisines untill i visitied back when they were on king st. Now in a larger location in the juntion (next to grilled) its an easy choice to try some new enticing food that you wouldn't ordinarily think of when dining out in Newcastle. Great food great service, will be back for sure to try more of their menu! (also great if you have Vegetarian and Vegan friends they have a great range for both) Service: Dine in

Stepping into this uniquely vibrant venue, you would be forgiven for mistakenly thinking you are about to embark on an authentically Ethiopian experience. The menu speaks to a locally inspired menu with Injera as the tablecloth with deliciously healthy lentil curries spread atop it as you use the fermented bread as both your plate and cutlery, but alas, Habesha do not feature this dining experience, despite talking to it on the front page of the menu. The aloof and somewhat disinterested waitress showed little interest when thankfully seating us at a table, despite not having a booking on a Saturday night, however, we assured we wouldn’t take long as with two kids, eating out is often a rushed affair that is a luxury these days. We looked past the cognitive dissonance of the menu versus the dining experience and ordered from a list of entrees that featured a variety of things all deep fried. The lentil sambussa and zucchini flowers $16 each for 3 4 pieces) were our deep fried starters of choice and they failed to disappoint considering the amount of oil and pastry the delicious fillings were doused in. When it came time for the main event: misr wot and kik alicha $27 each for roughly 200 gram serving) thankfully the flavour made up for the immense lack of value. Considering the mains consisted of ingredients like lentils, spices, and water, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say the markup on the items was roughly 1000% and where Ethiopian cuisine is generally quite generous at least that’s been our experience previously) this was the perfect amount of food to get us out of the venue quickly yet with a hefty dinner bill. Don’t get me wrong, the food was simply delicious, but where this venue could do so much better is an improvement in service, hospitality, and value. Aside from the chef eating while cooking, which is generally not accepted due to hygiene standards, the waitstaff didn’t really seem like they wanted to be there and preferred to text while leaning on the furniture, which is understandable considering it was a Saturday night, yet still frustrating as a patron asking for attention. The grand finale came when we pointed out the hair in the injera bread basket and were greeted with a blank stare, followed by an awkward pause, and a disinterested “I’ll just clear everything now.” An adjustment to the bill would have been above and beyond, but a simple apology would’ve sufficed we received neither. Vegetarian options: Great vegetarian and vegan options.

First time I ever had Ethiopian food. As a South African of Indian descent, I saw connections with sub continent food (Sambussa very similar to Samoosa and also to the Lebanese food Sambousek). Had a great experience Service: Dine in Meal type: Dinner Food: 5 Service: 5 Atmosphere: 5

Nice Décor but very dissatisfied with the service.Firstly we were not asked if we had been before so we were unsure what to order and not told about no cutlery?we had to look around the restaurant to see how everyone else was eating it ??We did obviously asked a few questions. Then they didn’t have the wine we wanted $24 but wait staff said it’s ok we have a replacement? My friend made sure it wasn’t the $46 bottle and she said no. When we got our bill the wine was $36 ? So we explained we were told you had a replacement we thought it was the same price ?? They offered to meet half way and charge us $30 ? Not happy they didn’t care Also $27 for spinach and pumpkin so over priced with hardly any pumpkin.Such a shame as was looking for a local restaurant that was a bit different. Will not go back very disappointed.

Fantastic food great service. Can highly recommend the goat, Red lentils, zucchini flowers and mushrooms. Will be back Service: Dine in Meal type: Dinner Price per person: A$20–40 Food: 5 Service: 5 Atmosphere: 5 Recommended dishes: Fiyel Wot Braised Goat, Chicken Skewers and Crispy King Prawns, Sautéed Mushroom