Best Ethiopian Restaurant in Austin - Aster's Ethiopian food

When we arrived at Aster's, a mix of emotions invaded my whole body;

I entered the restaurant right on time to meet Aster, the owner and a beautiful lady with an incredibly captivating smile, she and Zhipeng were having what seemed a very pleasant conversation about the many times Zhipeng had been at the restaurant.

The colorful table runners caught my attention right away; green, red and yellow, the colors of Ethiopia. After being introduced to Kassaye, Aster’s son, I let myself wonder around and took a look at all the ethiopian spices on the rack in front of the door, and the traditional - and some not so traditional - clothing on the rack next to the cashier.

The dining room is quiet, we have chosen a good time so Kassaye, the host and the server, is able to chat with us for a little bit. That is the reason why we are here! To discover more about their story, their culture, and what emotions their #food evokes!

Today is an extremely exciting day for us. We are expecting a great time with friends, amazing food, and the beginning of the project we have been talking about for the last couple of months #thekitchenpass. There isn’t a better place to bring our baby to life than a restaurant that brings food from the cradle of civilization, right?

We ordered several signature dishes: Doro Wot, Kitfo, Menchet Abesh, Begg Wott and Atakelt Beyaynetu. This last one is the combination of all the veggie dishes on the menu.

Kassaye brought out the food served on a large platter and sat down with us; he has a warm and welcoming smile, and his dark eyes sparkle like little stars when he talks about Ethiopia and their family restaurant. He shares with us that the restaurant is the result of his mother, Aster’s passion for bringing people together. He remembers how l his house would be full of people for every single meal; family, friends, and neighbours will gather at his house to enjoy his mother’s delicious food “She would cook for everyone; she even did my sister’s wedding catering!”.

In between Doro Wot bites, we discovered how affectionate ethiopian culture is; “It is common for Ethiopians to hold hands with any member of their family, male or female, old or young” Kassaye mentions. What a beautiful gesture full of caring!, Zhipeng tries some of the veggies while Kassaye tells us more about Ethiopia. Depending on the tribe or region the food will be different. Did you know that in Ethiopia eggplants are not that common, except for one small region to the west of Addis (the capital)?. And that the Guraghe tribe would argue that they make the best kitfo.

Kassaye describes Addis Ababa as the Amsterdam of Africa, vibrant, full of life and international restaurants;In fact, (Addis is) one of the best places to try any type of international food. the best Turkish food I have ever had was in Addis" It is not a surprise that he tries to go there often and get embedded with the environment.

After knowing a little bit more about Aster's history we let ourselves taste each one of the dishes in front of us- we have been waiting so long for this moment!! Pro tip: come hungry because it is going to be a feast.

We practise gursha, which is the act of feeding one another in representation of friendship or love. It is such a simple and beautiful way to show your feelings. Take a piece of injera with your right hand (yes! only right hand), grab some kifto or wat with it and feed it to others, the larger the gursha the stronger the friendship. Check our episode to see who loves who more!

Our Doro Wat, #Ethiopian National dish, is unexpectedly delicious. I say unexpectedly because it is different from anything I have tried before. It is spicy and a little hot, the special type of heat that does not come right on; it takes its time. It's a complicated dish that can take up to 9 hours to cook. In fact, this dish is so complex that the only thing my tongue can detect is a tiny hint of cumin midst all the spices.

My favorite dish was Begg Wott, lamb cooked in a thick stew. So good with homemade Injera, tender and flavorful, absolutely on point!

Tej, also known as honey wine, is a fermented drink made from honey, gesho, and water. The one served here is a little different from the one you will find in Ethiopia, which is usually homemade and can be cloudier. Sweet honey wine with spicy food, a must try!

Now it is time for you to try it and tell us all about it!

You can find our episode at Aster's here (TK YouTube)

Thank you for all your support dear readers, and remember than any comment or feedback is always welcomed!

The Spanish one - L