Hands get dirty with utensil-free Ethiopian cuisine

Despite the diversity of Boulder’s food scene, there is one dining niche that is under-represented: Ethiopian food. Thanks to Ras Kassa’s though, Boulder residents can enjoy flavorful, traditional dishes from Ethiopia.

Upon entering the restaurant, guests are greeted by warm lighting, brightly colored walls and jubilant—yet relaxing—African music. This atmosphere feels like a trip away from the day’s anxieties and helps settles visitors into a haven peppered with the staff’s smiles.

The round tables are small and short with even shorter stools for seating. Outside, a creek-side patio is laden with rope lights that give the restaurant a romantic vibe.

Injera is a traditional Ethiopian flat bread, used in place of utensils. (Courtesy of “yi,” flickr.com)

One of the unusual aspects of eating at Ras Kassa’s is the lack of silverware. Instead, food is served with injera, an Ethiopian flatbread that doubles as a utensil.

Injera is like a stretchy, sourdough crepe. A flat round of it lines the plate on which the food is served, and rolls line the side. All the entrees on the table come on one plate, so it’s easy to share and trade.

In general, the menu consists of stewed meats and vegetables that are generously spiced and cooked slowly. Meat, vegetable and combination entrees are all available and each come with traditional salads: a carrot, greens and lentil-based salad.

When I visited Ras Kassa’s, I got the special mushrooms vegetarian entrée. My boyfriend got the spicy chicken stew, while my mom got the lamb stew. The mushrooms were phenomenal, and nice because they were not too heavy. The dish included seared onions and bell peppers in clarified butter, and was topped with herbs, spices and red wine. Overall it was full of flavor and well-textured.

The chicken stew consisted of two moist drumsticks and a boiled egg in a thick and spicy red pepper sauce. The lamb, stewed in a spicy turmeric sauce, was better in smaller pieces probably because stewed meat is better when cooked longer and smaller pieces are easier to cook thoroughly. When chewed, the meat was tender and its flavor evolved from the tasteful combination of spices to pure lamb flavor—unlike some lamb that is indistinguishable from beef.

Overall, the experience was wonderful. Ras Kassa’s food is fun to eat and feels healthy and wholesome upon ingestion. I was able to sit down, relax and forget about the entire lab report I had to write when I got home. I left feeling nourished, rested, and rejuvenated.

Visit Ras Kassa’s at 2111 30th St. or call them at 303-447-2919

Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Ana McIntosh at Anna.mcintosh@colorado.edu.