Merkato Ethiopian Restaurant and Market

There are many restaurants in the Little Ethiopia cultural enclave but my absolute favorite is Merkato.

Merkato is a very unusual place because half of the facade is an Ethiopian market that sells a variety of imported goods treasured by homesick Ethiopians. The other half of the Merkato storefront is occupied by a cozy, inexpensive restaurant filled with flavas that excite your taste buds.

Merkato is located in the heart of Little Ethiopia, at 1036 South Fairfax Avenue, just south of Olympic Blvd. As any true Angeleno knows, parking in Little Ethiopia can be a nightmare but a walk of a few blocks is a small premium to pay for an absolutely fabulous meal at Merkato. Who knows, you might get lucky and find a parking space right there on busy Fairfax. If you're a regular like me, then you know that there's usually an open space in the alley way behind the restaurant, just east of Fairfax. I must be in a benevolent mood to be sharing parking secrets with the masses but blogs are supposed to be helpful and informative, so there!

Wherever you end up parking, you can rest assured that the walk back to your car will be a slow one, because the portions at Merkato are quite substantial.

If your not familiar with Ethiopian food then you should be fore warned that there are some protocols for eating African style. The first concept is; forget your knife and fork. You'll be using your hand, preferably the right hand, to eat your meal. Another grand idea is the art of sharing. If you're the selfish sort who prefers their own plate, I should warn you that all of the food is served on one giant tin plate for all to partake. Actually, the tin plate is topped by an equally giant piece of injera bread. Now here is where my descriptive powers will be challenged. How do you describe injera to those who have never seen or eaten it before?

Injera is the star of the show when it comes to Ethiopian cuisine. It has an other-worldly texture, soft and spongy, it resembles a sour-dough pancake. Not a pancake that's been cooked but rather a pancake that's cooking, because it's pock-marked with little air bubbles. Those air bubbles must be the reason why injera is so light and fluffy. It's spongy and thin, and it's so unlike bread that it's really hard to describe it as a "bread". To add to its other-worldliness, it has an odd color that also defies description. It's a grayish tan color that makes you wonder aloud; "what is injera made from anyway ?" Whatever injera is made from, I can assure you that it is the central unifying element of Ethiopian cuisine. Injera is utilized as a kind of eatable plate and an eatable eating utensil. All of the food is placed atop the injera. You can tear away the injera under the food or you can use another piece of injera like a spoon and scoop up the food.

So, what kinds of delicious goodies are arranged atop the injera?

Ethiopians love their Tibs and Wat. Tibs are made from assorted sauteed meats or vegetables. Wat is a thick spicy stew that could also be made from a variety of vegetables or meats. It can be pretty easy to understand. Let's take the word doro, which is Ethiopian for chicken. Doro Wat is a spicy chicken stew and Doro Tibs is sauteed chicken.

Ethiopia's rich religious traditions have a strong influence on the choices of meats and the number of vegetarian meals that make up this ancient cuisine. Since most Ethiopians are either Muslim, Jew or Orthodox Christian, Ethiopian cuisine does not employ any pork at all. Beef, goat, lamb, chicken and fish dishes are plentiful. Vegetarian dishes are also numerous because the Ethiopian Orthodox Church prescribes many Lenten fasting days.

A typical spread of Wats and Tibs at Merkato might feature collard greens, lentils and other vegetables alongside richly stewed meats. Some Wats are mildly-spiced, while others can bring the heat.

Since I am a quasi-vegetarian Island man who loves his fish, my favorite entree is the deep-fried Asa Tibs. The fish of choice at Merkato is fresh-water Trout. When you order the fried fish they bring you a delicately fried giant trout that is always flava-ful and juicy. The outside is always crisp and well-spiced, the inside is never dry, always moist and succulent.

Ethiopian coffee is legendary the world over so most people like to have a demitasse of the strong, cardamon-spiced, seriously sweet drink when they are done stuffing themselves silly.

If you're a tea drinker, the equally exotic Ethiopian tea will not disappoint.

Your Ethiopian experience does not end after your meal and coffee. The market annex is an incredible store that features all things Ethiopian, even Ethiopian gold jewelry! They have cool t-shirts, Rasta tri-color gear, imported incense and Ethiopian dry goods. There is even a delicatessen in the rear that sells assorted Ethiopian delicacies and coffees.

Merkato is unforgettable but more importantly, it has an incredibly mellow vibe. Nobody is ever rushing you through your meal. You can stay at Merkato for hours, taking in a little piece of Ethiopia, right here in L.A.

-Rasheed Ali for Black & Brown Flavas-

Merkato Ethiopian Restaurant & Mkt 1036 S Fairfax Ave Los Angeles, CA 90019

Phone (323) 935-1775