Réservation Massawa Restaurant

Reginald Williams

a year ago

5

We have now tried three different Ethiopian restaurants in Paris, and have spent a month traveling around Ethiopia in addition to having g eaten Ethiopian food in amongst and with the Ethiopian community in the U.S. for over twenty-five years. Of the three restaurants we tried Massawa is definitively the best and most authentic. It is the only one of the three to use true injera (the crepe-like base on top of which all of the ingredients are served). Without injera, Ethiopian food just isn’t Ethiopian to me; think substituting cous-cous for rice in sushi. Meanwhile, the use of authentic spices was also most evident here. Everything seemed freshly cooked, which most certainly wasn’t true in one of the other most highly rated Ethiopian restaurants, while in the other one (also extremely highly rated) there were hardly any of the true spices used that make Ethiopian food so remarkable—even though several reviewers used the word “authentic”. Have they never had true Ethiopian food or are they simply friends of the owner, trying to be nice? I don’t need to know. This place is very good, and very authentic, though the spinach “gomen” was the one dish which seemed truly lacking in Ethiopian flavor. I should add that there was a dish in the menu I’ve never seen before, possibly typical of a region we haven’t visited, or more common in Eritrea (once part of Ethiopia) where the owner is from. It is the dish that looks a bit like humus but tastes nothing like it. Made from puréed lentils with a nice kick added in the form of some sort of chili pepper, it was truly delicious. Voir plus

Adri O

a year ago

5

This restaurant was such a good choice!!! I loved everything! The food is delicious! The veggi chickpeas dish is simply the best! Food is super tasty and full of flavors. I loved the ritual to eat with the hands and the service was fast and super friendly. Prices are more than fair and portions are super abundant. Quantity wise, I would even say that from one, two people can eat (but you will miss diversity and trying different things tho). Super recommended and will definitely come back (with an empty stomach) Voir plus

Rob Symons

a year ago

5

One of those rare finds which was unplanned but became a fantastic dining experience The food comes out with no cutlery and you eat with your fingers. Amazing food. Unique. Owner was fantastic. Voir plus