Meals By Genet Menu

Meals By Genet Restaurant Review:

Little Ethiopia is a one-block strip of shops and restaurants on South Fairfax, and Meals By Genet is the neighborhood’s crown jewel, offering better flavor and a more inviting space than its neighbors. Genet Agonafer’s handsome establishment features framed Ethiopian paintings and decorative dark wood silhouettes. Every meal involves a platter lined with injera, the sour, crêpe-like bread made from teff. One may tear off hunks of injera to use as a utensil, or silverware is available upon request. A great way to sample different tastes is to order the vegetarian combination, 10 distinct piles highlighted by sinus-clearing green lentils with hot Ethiopian mustard, collard greens and a mix of thin-sliced potato, carrot, green bean and onion. The top meat offering is Hirutye’s Yebegsiga Alitcha, on-the-bone lamb shank stewed with garlic, ginger, “other spices” and more tufts of injera. Chicken tibs is also first-rate; boneless chunks are sautéed with onions, green chilies and Ethiopian butter --- clarified butter blended with cardamom. Agonafer’s spices are sun-dried in Ethiopia. There are also Italian dishes, but better to stick with the Ethiopian classics. To drink, order a bottle of sweet Ethiopian honey wine. Takeout is available from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.