Craving Ethiopian in Los Angeles? What to Order on Your First Visit

Do you know Ethiopian in Los Angeles is one of those meals people rave about for weeks?  Maybe it is the eating-with-your-hands thing. Maybe it is not knowing what to order. Either way, let us fix that.

One food blogger who finally made it to Little Ethiopia wrote a note to self: never suggest Ethiopian food for a first date. Their full review is a fun read. Honestly, though? That might be the best reason to go. Nothing breaks the ice like tearing into one big shared platter.

Where Do You Even Start on the Menu?

Start with a combination platter. Messob splits its menu into meat and vegetarian sections, and the same blogger solved the dilemma by ordering a combo that sampled a bit of everything. Smart move. You get lentils, greens, and stews in one go, and you never have to commit to a single dish.

Add a glass of Ethiopian honey wine. The Daily Bruin called it a must for first-timers, and it is sweeter than most people expect.

What Does the Table Actually Look Like?

Here is where an Ethiopian restaurant in LA does something different from the usual plated dinner. Everything lands on one large sheet of injera. A USC columnist visiting Messob with two friends noted that each person ordered a lunch item and the whole spread arrived together on a single big injera, as reported in the Daily Trojan.

So what should you point at on the menu? Here is a quick cheat sheet for your first round:

• Doro wot: slow-cooked chicken stew, the dish most people use to judge a kitchen
• Yebeg siga alitcha: lamb stew with garlic, ginger, and spices
• Yemiser wot: split lentils, hearty enough to satisfy any meat eater
• Tomato fit-fit: bites of injera tossed in a tangy tomato mix
• Yatakilt alitcha: mildly spiced steamed vegetables for balance

Pick three, share them, and ask your server what else looks good. The staff will happily explain anything, according to a review in the Occidental.

How Busy Does It Get, and When Should You Go?

Busy enough to matter. During one dinner visit, a Daily Bruin writer waited about 15 minutes in the back wait room. Messob is open daily from 11am to 11pm, so a weekday lunch is calmer. Or skip the guesswork and use the reservations page. Why stand around hungry when you can book?

What Is the Vibe Inside?

Warm and a little theatrical. The decor runs red, green, yellow, and burgundy, and the front cabana area, built from straw and bamboo, feels like a tent on a private safari. Instrumental Ethiopian music plays softly in the background, so you can actually hear your friends laugh.

Will Picky Eaters Survive the Meal?

Usually, yes. Think of a combination platter as a tasting menu. A skeptical friend can nibble the mild stuff first and work up to the spicy ones. Messob keeps pork off the menu entirely, and the vegan side is big enough that plant-based guests are never an afterthought. A reviewer in the Occidental called the cuisine exotic yet appealing to a wide audience, which is exactly how it plays out at the table.

Here is a small trick. Ask your server which dish is mildest and start there. Then add one spicy wot to the middle of the platter and see who dares. And if a friend refuses to use their hands? Tell them the injera is the fork. That usually ends the debate.

Come with an open mind and a clean right hand. You will leave full, a little messy, and already planning the next visit.