this is the exact type of place I expect to get amazing Ethiopian food and Lalibela never…read moredisappoints! not your typical "restaurant" as there's a little dance floor bar area when you first enter, but as you progress through the space there is plenty of restaurant sitting - feel free to seat yourself wherever! we ordered to-go so we took our seat at the bar, placed our order with the nice young lady, which let us know our food would be about 10/15 mins. portion sizes are definitely worth the price which isn't too expensive (we got the vegetarian combo). I'll snap some pictures next time ha

SEVEN WORDS: TRADITIONAL, LOW PRICED, EHIOPIAN CUISINE / SKETCHY NEIGHBORHOOD…read more . Since we Live in Whitehall and my Wife has never tried Ethiopian Food, we stopped by Lalibela's - One of this part of towns historic Go-Toss. for Ethiopian Food anywhere in Columbus. . As we parked Our Car, we were greeted by a Short Strip Mall that had a very Gritty Look to the Exterior: Dirty Windows, Littered Parking Lot (with an Unbelievably High Number of Old Blackened Bubble Gum Stains from Parking lot to Front Door. It was Something you might see in a Marrakesh Baszaar - or any thired World Place where the Challenge was to actually keep things Clean on a Continual Basis. However, this is Hamilton Road in Sub-(Urban) Columbus. . We've eaten at Several Other Whitehall Restaurants - and Nothing look like this until you get on the South Side of Livingston Avenue - and Beyond. Still, I am personally undaunted by Exteriors - and sometimes the Restaurants themselves - by a little bit of unclean surrounds. . We Entered and the place immediately reminded you of a Middle Eastern Restaurant - Well-Stocked Bar along the Opposite Wall from the Entrance, a Quaint Restaurant that is outdated - and probably needs a good refresh on Furniture and Wall Coverings - but All are VERY Negotiable in a World Food Setting. . When we Looked through our Menus, we really didn't know a Single Dish on the Menu. Still, I chose the Beef Kitfo (Cooked to Medium) and My Wife Got the Beef Tibs (Cooked to Mild). . Unfortunately, we are both fans of a Very Mild Food - so this was not quite for us. Still, Let's try to give it a reasonable Fair Review, based on the Community, not the Individual Tastes. . Kitfo is a traditional meal, where a thick chili-like paste is cooked and placed in a small bowl with a Starchy Yogurt Sauce that has more of a butted whirred potatoes than the true yogurt that is mentioned. . The Bowl/Tureen sits atop a large pancake of "Injera," a fluffy Bread that is half-way between crepe and pancake, but 100% Savory. The traditional eating method is the Right Hand, taking the Injera in the right hand, folding around a dollop of Kotfo (or whichever protein) and maybe smoothing on a small bit of the Yogurt. Again - it's like Potatoes in this case, which was great. . Sorry for Being Lengthy, but If you don't know Ethiopian, you don't know it at all. . The Kitfo was mildly spicy and had the strong tastes of both Anise and Cardamom: Both are very Savory, but As Good as a licorice Liquor. The Beef, cooked to my liking - was like a spicy chili with a deep smoky tinge of Chili powder - and maybe even turmeric. Bright and Bold, but not Overwhelming. The Injera (bread" was like a fine piece of wheat-pumpernickel bread, a small bit tart, but quite yummy. It complemented the Kotfo perfectly. . My wife truly doesn't like Spicy food - and the Beef Tibs (not Tips, but a similar mash of Beef, Tomatoes, Chopped Onion, and some hot Peppers of some sort. . Due to the Heat and Exotic Flavors, we filled up quite quickly, but there would still be enough for a Hearty Serving for Each of Us. The Bill, including Two Entrees and One Soda came to $42 Reasonable, considering two Beef Dishes - and the Extra prep for the Made-from-Scratch Injera. . Although I Ranked it 3-Stars, it's still a mid-3, Maybe 3.45. Was it the Best Ethiopian? I'm not Sure of that, But I'll let you know whenever I try another of these Restaurants this Summer.

Fork in Nigeria 3696 E Main St, Columbus, OH 43213…read more Oxtails on Rice: Four pieces of tender Nigerian-style oxtails, served over your choice of rice, topped with plantains and mixed sautéed vegetables. 3696 E Main St, Columbus, OH 43213

This is a way to enter into the wonders of Nigerian African Flavors!!!! They do catering and my…read morestudents have enjoyed the food for several years! Puff Puff is an all time favorite along with joloff rice! Everything is just packed with flavor! Side note I discover this place with finding the Book Children of Blood and Bone!!!!

Pretty good eats! I stopped by for some jollof rice with peanut spicy chicken, beans and plantains…read more I grabbed some afra fantastic sauce but really didn't need it. The food was flavorful and spicy but not too spicy that made it hard to finish or required a bucket of water nearby. I also got a similar dish with goat meat. The goat was a bit too saucy for my liking, but otherwise it was a solid dish of jollof rice, corn, mixed veggies and plantains. This is a definite must eat again next time I am in the area!

The ladies working the day I went were really nice and patient. They explained the items I didn't…read moreknow since I hadn't been there before. I enjoyed the roasted goat with mild sauce and jollof rice. That will be my exact order the next time I go. The Bashaal juice was delicious. It tasted similar to a non alcoholic piña colada. I tasted the lamb shank, fufu, and peanut soup as well but I probably wouldnt reorder any of those. The inside was clean and orderly.

We got an order to go to break our fast with. This time we got the lamb shank meal, Afra chicken,…read moremango lemonade, and chicken sambusa. Everything was packed really nicely and the portions are big. The lamb shank was fall off the bone and really well spiced. Everything we got was actually really nice in flavors. I got jollof rice with the meat and it was spicy but not overpowering. The plantains were really good and the salad was fresh. I love everything mango, so the mango lemonade was refreshing. My son enjoyed the chicken sambusa and my husband enjoyed the Afra chicken meal. I gave my son ketchup as a dip for the sambusa because although their sauces are very good, they are much too spicy for him. The Afra spicy sauce was good and my husband said it elevated his chicken meal. They also included crepes with our meal. I was not aware that they come with the meal or if they just gave us these as an extra. The crepes were huge though and delicious. They had the perfect amount of sweetness to them. We were late in picking up our meal, so appreciated the staff for holding it for us. The food was fairly warm even after the delay. We will definitely be back.

So happy to return to this wonderfully delicious spot in my old "stomping ground" on Morse Rd…read more First checked them out over in Easton, and I've been wanting to return ever since!! So many tempting choices offered, it's tough to decide. The minute you walk in the door, the smell of all the wonderful, tempting options will let you know you're getting the "real deal." You can create your own bowl, choosing the protein (chicken, goat, fish...) and the toppings and sauces to your taste. Speaking of taste, the woman at the counter very helpfully gave me a taste sample of several different options. Both the regular and spicy chicken were super flavorful, and I've tried Somali goat meat before (very flavorful!) but trying to keep it light(er) since I had a plane to catch in a few hours, I got a veg. bowl, with a sampling of both types of rice and (woops!!) and spaghetti add on (carb-o-licious!!). Should have added on the salad, that might have made a bit more sense! Anywhooooooo, my bowl was DELICIOUUS, as was the veg. sambus I added on, and super reasonably priced for the quantity (and deliciousness!!) of food I was served. Come HUNGRY, leave VERY happy and FULL!! Beautiful, cozy dining room, great service, and a WONDERFUL way to support our pan-African neighbors!! Mmmmmmmmmmm!!

So I went to Foodateria Kitchen again this evening. They specialize in upscale Kenyan & Nigerian…read morecuisine. Also, they do have 8+ vegan / vegetarian options as well. Ya'll the place is straight The service and food is absolutely exceptional. It's a must try.

My very first meal on moving to Ohio!…read more On my way from the airport to the hotel, I was hankering for some good food. Good ol' Yelp popped up Foodateria on my route, and I am so glad it did. The restaurant had a warm ambiance with earthy tones as you walk in. Nothing to write home about with standard tables and chair but one is here for the fare! The gentleman who runs the restaurant kindly suggested the Yetty's Egusi. In my opinion it was the perfect surf and turf (or should I say surf and fluff?) dish. This was a delicious stew with both fish and chicken in it. The stew of spinach (or was that kale?) and melon seeds in palm oil initially left me a little confused wondering if it was ricotta cheese, scrambled eggs, or fish roe. The Chicken drumstick and the fish morsel were deep fried separately then added to the stew later before serving. The chicken was really good with a teeny crust from the frying, and moist and juicy inside, but I have got to hand it to the fish. It was moist, flaky, flavourful, and reminded me of all the river fish I grew up eating. Upon mentioning to the gentleman that I was intrigued by the Fufu, he let me order it as a side (it's not usually served with the Egusi). It was super soft, starchy, with no need to masticate. Had you come here with your gummy teeth, having left your dentures at home, you would have absolutely no problems downing this dish. Had on its own it reminds one of a smooth and creamy mashed potatoes. I enjoyed pinching out tiny morsels of it, dunk it in the sauce, and just let is slide down my chute. PS: I read that it is considered ill-mannered to chew the fufu. One usually swallows the morsel without any chewing. And I can see why. Just crush it up with your tongue against the roof of your mouth to extract its mild flavour and enjoy the creamy texture, and off it goes! It's been a while, and I really need to go back again!

One of my all-time favorite street food trucks in all of Columbus. Fetty's is a must find and must…read morere-visit food operator. Proudly owned & operated by native South African Damian "Fetty" Ettish, who is a great all around guy & family man. It's worth a visit just to meet and talk with him as the fantastic food is prepared. Be prepared to experience a variety of Asian, Thai, Indian, & South African street food. It is truly a foodie experience not to be missed!

Everything they do is fantastic. Had the beef Rendang and yellow chicken curry tonight. Both…read morephenomenal but the Rendang deserves a special shout out. Keep it up!!

The owner is truly an amazing person. She so kind and caring and she knows my family very well. She…read morehas some of the best Swahili-Indian food I have ever had. I truly proud of your success of your business. The drinks are delicious.

This spot has been saved on my collections list for sometime now. I was finally close enough that I…read morewas able to stop by and pick something up for dinner. Not a fan of the area as I used to live near there but it's not bad. I walked in and was immediately greeted. I didn't catch her name (which I feel bad for) but she was super friendly. She was talking to me about some of the menu items while she took my order. While I was waiting on my food we talked a little but about the culture and history of where Swahili food came from and her story. I got my order to go. I got a beef sambusa and the chicken white rice. Wow...the food was delicious! I didn't want to stop eating it. The rice was perfectly fluffy, the flavors of the chicken and kale were delightful. the portion was large enough to make two meals out of it. The sambusa was yummy as well. It was an all over delightful experience and the food is tasty.

Outstanding food, beautiful staff, plenty of spice, and great prices…read more I've never had Somali food before, and I'll seek it out in the future! (Oh, the housemade lemonade was also sweet, tart, and fresh: highly recommended!)

I stopped by this food stall for lunch after seeing so many great reviews and decided to try the…read moreChicken Safari, injera bread, and a sambusa. Since it was my first time trying this style of cuisine, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. The food was flavorful, and I enjoyed getting to experience something new. While I thought everything was good, it didn't quite stand out enough to be memorable compared to some other meals I've had. One thing that did stand out was the service. The staff member who helped me was incredibly friendly, welcoming, and happy to answer my questions, which made for a great overall experience. If you're looking to try Somali cuisine while visiting the North Market, this is a solid option with good food and excellent customer service.