Club Waziema

Club Waziema Restaurant Review:

Club Waziema is a funky Ethiopian restaurant frequented by locals and the city’s resident hipsters. Lots of dark wood, exposed beams and red crushed-velvet wallpaper contribute to Waziema’s vintage lodge-like atmosphere. A long bar packed with barstools (and a typically lively crowd) dominates one half of the main dining room, and a smattering of round tables fill the other half. A larger room toward the back is exclusively tables, and a raised area to the back of that hosts a pool table. The menu is somewhat limited, but most of the choices are winners. One of the most popular items is the spicy chicken, two succulent drumsticks stewed in an only slightly spicy red sauce. Another sure bet is the lamb stew, cubed boneless pieces of lamb prepared with ginger root and garlic. On Mondays, the restaurant offers unlimited “refills” on vegetarian platters: boiled potatoes, stewed collard greens, and both yellow and red lentils. The slightly tangy injera bread is made in-house for sopping up the wide range of sauces. The bar boasts a small selection of inexpensive wine (including a traditional honey wine) and an impressive line-up of draft and bottled beers.