Location

Gera Serenity, Off North Main Road, Koregaon Park, Pune.

Owned by

Vikram Mohan, Chairman of VM Hospitality.

Heading the firm Pricol, his latest foray has been into the ultra-competitive restaurant business. The group has launched five restaurants, including India’s first Ethiopian restaurant, Abyssinian in Chennai and now in Pune.

About

As the country’s first one-of-a-kind Ethiopian fine-dining restaurant, Abyssinian boasts of colourful tribal culture, community meal practices and spicy delicacies. Everything, right from the artefacts and wall paintings to the cutlery, has been specially flown in from Ethiopia. Some of these artefacts are almost 150-200 years old!

The seating arrangement provides a unique experience as well. The furniture is also from Ethiopia and lends to the authenticity of this specialised restaurant. Everything in here sets the tone for a very special meal.

Review

Abyssinian is a great addition to the global food scene in Pune. They manage to create an authentic Ethiopian experience with the food and the decor. With sharing platters in tune with their theme, I was treated to traditional food from the ‘Tona’ menu that far exceeded my expectations. If you are looking to try something new and delicious, Abyssinian is a great option.

Spring Collins with Mandassi (a popular Ethiopian appetizer made from refined flour) and Lentil Samosas.

The base of the meal is an Ethiopian bread called Injera – a spongy sourdough flatbread that almost serves as its own platter for all the fix-ins. It is fermented for 36 hours before being prepared and served.

A communal platter serves as the main course. The ‘Tona’ menu at Abyssinian provides traditional items with their Injera such as the Doro Wot, Doro Alicha, Fosolia and Yebeg Bozina Shiro.

Their dessert is a classic Baklava with Sweet Sambusa – a fried flatbread parcel with sweetened carrots, dates and nuts, served with honey. Finished off with a coffee ceremony featuring small cups of dark Ethiopian roast, some popcorn and salt. They suggest adding a little salt towards the end to add layers to the tasting.

Image credits : Maya Lalchandani