EAT: ETHIOPIAN CUISINE AT BENYAM

Harlem Bespoke:  We have been hearing a lot of good news about Benyam on upper FDB between 148th and 149th Street in the past year and made it over for lunch service this week.  The bright, cool contemporary interior feels more like a hip art gallery and has an updated ambiance that is quite welcoming.  With that said, the word seems to be out on this little gem since the lunch service really picked up later on in the afternoon.

First on the menu was a plate of Sambusa which were crispy pastry puffs filled with beef and was nicely spiced up with a robust red sauce that accompanied the order.  Another Ethiopian favorite to try out was the honey wine which was a light white that had a slightly sweet but crisp finish. Our main entree was the Dor Wot which is the signature dish that features chicken in a rich savory stew served over sour dough injera which is somewhat like a spongy crepe.

No utensils are ever used so the aforementioned bread is torn apart and used to pick up the delicious offerings on the plate.  Those who have not tried Ethiopian cooking before should definitely make it over to this friendly, family-owned business and try out something new in the neighborhood.

HarlemBespoke.com 2018