I have to give Dad a lot of credit. Whereas Mom goes into her “Our Lady of 1001 Fears” routine when I suggest she join us for Thai food, Dad is quick to throw on a polo shirt, cargo shorts and sandals at the mere mention of that cuisine, even though I said we weren’t going for a couple of days. This scenario is played out weekly now as, during Sunday dinner, Dad starts quizzing me as to our next dining outing.

“Can we have Thai?” “Is there a BBQ place that you are dying to try?” “Do you ever think your mother will join us?” Yes. Yes. No.

While I know that Dad is really enjoying these expeditions for cuisine, I have been careful not to push the envelope too much and suggest we try the new Bosnian place in Phoenix or something similarly exotic vis-à-vis his palate. So, imagine my surprise and shock and confusion when I asked Dad what kind of cuisine he would like and he said, “I was thinking Ethiopian.”

Then, the cogs in my brain shut down because in a million years, I never would have expected to hear my father say, “Let’s have Ethiopian.” Mom’s response, however, was par for the course: “You are having a very bad influence on your father.”

Make that “Our Lady of 1002 Fears.”

So, I did my research and Dad and I headed to Tempe to check out The Blue Nile Café on University near Rural. I thought I had missed the restaurant at first because Blue Nile is squarely tucked away in a run down strip mall and the signage for the place is hard to see from the street. But we found it and pulled into the lot. After parking and entering, we were hit with the scent of spices and were told by a very polite young man to take a seat at any open table. We decided to stay close to the kitchen and took a four-top table halfway between the entrance and the kitchen.

After a minute or two, the gentleman who told us to take a seat arrived and announced he would be our server, handing us menus and setting glasses of water on the table. He asked for our drink order and Dad and I each got a glass of the Ethiopian Iced Tea ($1.50 each). Our server departed and I looked over the menu since Dad said he would defer to my judgment to guide him in the right direction.

I couldn’t resist going for something that gave us plenty of choices, so I went with the Blue Nile Messob for Two ($19.00) which contained a large array of various tidbits to tickle our tastebuds. These dollops of treats would be served on a round of injera, the spongy, tangy, elastic bread which is a staple in Ethiopian cuisine. There were two other things that really stood out to me and I thought I would get them as appetizers. They were the Sambussa ($3.00 for two orders) and the Misir Azifa ($2.99).

Our server returned with the Ethiopian Iced Tea and we really enjoyed the flavors of cinnamon and cardamom in the drink. It was spicy, bold and very refreshing. Dad was absolutely in love with the drink and kept getting plenty of refills.

We waited about five minutes and our Sambussa arrived. There were four triangles of phyllo dough filled with either spiced ground beef or braised cabbage and potatoes. Served along side was the a thick yogurt-based dipping sauce that gave off a light aroma of curry. We tried the cabbage ones first and they were stellar. The cabbage had a wonderful sweetness to it and was soft and pliable. The dough was crisp, flaky and buttery; a perfect contrast to the cabbage. The dipping sauce was cool and creamy and complimented the pastry well. We then tried the beef triangles and they were good. The beef was mildly spiced and the texture was quite smooth. Like the cabbage triangles, the pastry was perfect. Still, Dad and I preferred the cabbage ones.

Next to the table was the Misir Azifa Salad. It was different than what I was expecting, but I was pleased from the minute I took a bite. Lentils were mixed with a Dijon vinaigrette and then chilled. The taste was outstanding. The lentils were not overcooked, but tender, and the dressing had a powerful tang that was a wonderful contrast to the slight salty taste of the beans. I liked the fact that the dish was served ice cold because it was incredibly refreshing. Dad said he like the dish as well but said he would have preferred a bit more dressing.

There was a 15-minute gap between our appetizers and the arrival of our dinner platter. When it did arrive, the platter was huge. The injera had been spread across the platter and the servings of aromatic stews and other delights filled the air with their wonderful scent. There was Zegency (cubed beef in spices), Kik Alitcha (purred yellow peas), Atkilt Watt (stewed string beans), Gomen Watt (collard greens and garlic), Begerdan (eggplant with peppers and tomatoes), Yemisir Watt (pureed lentils) and Yedor Watt (chicken in sauce). Dad and I had a difficult time deciding what to dig into first, but I gave Dad a primer on how to eat by picking up a piece of the injera and grabbing some of the green beans. I was floored by the taste. The green beans had been stewed with tomatoes and spices and it was so satisfying I immediately grabbed a second taste. I then tried the yellow peas which were soft and almost pureed, but had a subtle nuttiness to them. I also liked the lentils that were cooked with various spices and some vegetables. A very hearty dish. The collard greens were amazing with a hefty amount of garlic. Dad loved this dish the best.

For the meat side of things, I loved the chicken dish that had my mouth on fire with a strong, potent spiciness that had permeated the chicken. Dad wasn’t so sure and said he thought the chicken was too spicy. The stewed beef was outstanding with cube of tender beef in a rich tomato sauce packed with flavor. About the only thing I didn’t like on the platter was the eggplant, but I am not a fan. Dad said it was really good, but felt it could have been hotter in temperature.

I also noted to Dad that Blue Nile was exceptionally generous with the injera. We were given a huge basket of injera pieces that had been rolled up and stacked. We barely had room to finish it all. Many Ethiopian places nickel and dime you to death with the injera, so this was a welcome and refreshing change. The injera itself was excellent as it wasn’t dry and had just enough of a tangy edge to keep it more than interesting.

Dad and I were stuffed by the time we finished, but we wanted to try the one dessert they had which was the Vegan Orange Coffee Cake ($3.00). Dad also ordered an Ethiopian Coffee ($2.00). We only waited a minute or two before our coffee cake arrive and it was delicious. I was expecting it to be one-dimensional, but the cake was light, refreshing and creamy, despite the lack of any dairy products. The orange essence made the dessert shine. Dad was very enamored of the cake and considered getting a second piece.

Then, thing suddenly took a turn for the worse. Although our server told us that Dad’s Ethiopian Coffee needed to be made from scratch, it took nearly 30 minutes for his 3 oz. cup of coffee to arrive at the table. Dad said the coffee was strong and “decent” but felt it wasn’t worth the 30-minute wait.

This was followed by our requesting the bill three times over another 20 minutes. Ten more minutes passed before our server ran our credit card and returned with our tab. I simply was befuddled by how the service went from attentive and considerate to abysmal at the snap of the fingers. Even freshly made coffee doesn’t take 30 minutes to brew and having to request a bill three times is unacceptable. Sadly, the service issue cast a pall over the end of the evening.

The bill totaled $31.88 which included tax.

We left and Dad said he really enjoyed the meal and loved the food. He found the exotic spices and taste to be a real eye-opener. I agreed with his assessment that the meal was outstanding. Ethiopian cooking never ceases to surprise me with its delectable and bold flavors and yet is very comforting. I only wish the lack of service at the end hadn’t capped the evening.

As we went into the house and told Mom about the meal, Dad was gushing about the collard greens and the green beans. “You would have loved it, dear,” he said. Mom only smiled and said, “Oh, that isn’t my thing, but I am glad you survived the meal.”

And thus spoke Our Lady of 1003 Fears.

Blue Nile Cafe
933 East University Drive
Suite 112
Tempe, AZ 85281
Dress: Casual
Hours: Tuesday through Sunday – 11 AM to 10 PM; Closed Mondays.
Notes: Restaurant is located at the back of the strip mall.
Alcohol: None.