Have you ever wanted to try Ethiopian food but felt intimidated by the Blue Nile’s prices? Turns out there’s another option for you. Down at 1785 Washtenaw Avenue in Ypsilanti, almost hidden in a little plaza by a Little Caesar’s, is Red Sea Ethiopian Cuisine, which seems to be continuing the Ann Arbor area trend of colorfully named Ethiopian places.

I had wanted to try Ethiopian food for a while, but was slightly frightened at the prospect. I sampled some food from the Blue Nile at Taste of Culture and noticed how much of the food was something I either didn’t recognize or figured I wouldn’t like. But I thought there was a pretty good chance I’d be able to find something that intrigued me, so I headed down there on a Friday night around 5:30 with a few of my friends.

When we first arrived, we were the only ones there, though several other small groups eventually joined us. The space is small, with only a few tables, but it is beautifully decorated with African artifacts and pictures. Its intimacy would be perfect for a date, dinner with friends, or a casual business lunch. My friend had indicated to me before that it was an inexpensive place, but I was surprised at how affordable it really was. The most expensive dishes on the menu are the entrees, which are $7.99 each. Appetizers start at $2.99. But, you can get an even better deal if... 

you order a combination ($10.99 for one, $15.99 for two), where you can combine either two vegetable dishes and a meat dish, or three vegetable dishes. They also offer a lunch special and a Thursday all-you-can-eat, as well as a 10% discount for students, so don’t forget your M-Card! 

I began by ordering a Diet Coke to drink. I actually wouldn’t recommend this for future visits; they give it to you in a can, and you have to order a new drink when you run out, rather than getting free refills. Plus, they offer hot coffee, which is considerably more flavorful and interesting with the meal. Good news for you picky eaters: you will probably recognize about 90% of the ingredients going into each of the entrees, though you’ve probably never combined any of them together before. I ordered Yedoro Tibbs, which is a mild chicken dish; Shiro, which is peas combined with a red sauce and ground up; and Vegetable Alecha, which is steamed cabbage, potato, carrots, and onions. 


For those of you unfamiliar with Ethiopian cuisine, all of the food is served on a plate of bread, which you are supposed to eat after you have finished everything else, as it soaks up the various sauces and flavors of the food. The bread is unleavened and has a unique texture that I can only describe as spongy and floppy. It’s a bit of an oddity if you’ve never had it, but I quickly became fond of it. I was also very happy with both my chicken and pea dishes. Both were richly seasoned and delicious. 


I was not so fond of my vegetable alecha; maybe it’s just me, but I get a little weirded out by the texture of cooked cabbage. I would probably recommend either a lentil dish or the mixed vegetables for future visits.

Overall, our experience was extremely pleasant. Our waitress was courteous and knowledgeable, the food was delicious, and the bill rather small. It’s a bit of a drive for many of us, but it’s definitely worth the extra travel time. You would be hard-pressed to find such interesting food for such a great price around here!