An Ethnic Experience
Xxxxx Xxxxxxx Prof Yoneshige
English 100
28 August 2013
A Taste of Ethiopia
Seven hundred and sixty-nine check ins. Eighty-one bookmarks. Twelve dukedoms. A global domination badge. For some people, Yelp is a way to see how well a new restaurant down the street is rated. For me, Yelp is a way of life. My curiosity, appreciation for technology and innate love for food have made me into somewhat of a “foodie”. It’s one of my better qualities. But, it also left me slightly stumped when I received this assignment to eat at a restaurant whose culture I hadn’t already experienced. After some serious brainstorming and a bit of in-class homework, I finally came upon an ethnic restaurant that had slipped through my fingers until then. I’m glad it took me this long, because this assignment left me with a newfound love- Ethiopian Food.
Of the details that really hang in my mind, one was definitely the mood of the restaurant. I went to Abyssinia Ethiopian Cuisine, a small unassuming place next to an ethnic market on a small street in Anaheim. I would have missed it, had I not been looking for the address. We parked in the first stall next to the door and went in about half an hour before close. A wave of deliciously spiced air greeted me and my boyfriend as an older lady with an enormous smile walked us into the next room and offered any seat in the house. Every table had a simple tablecloth, a vase and a single flower. The walls were covered with paintings, prints and the occasional mirror. At the back of the room, there was a table about two feet tall curiously topped with eight small cups and accompanied by a stool. I could not make out if it was for children to sit at or an offering table similar to those in some Asian cultures. Music played softly and I could not help but notice the similarities to the little Indian music I’ve heard, though this was certainly more soothing and relaxing. The lights were low and the ambiance was gentle, welcoming and ethnic at every
English 100
28 August 2013
A Taste of Ethiopia
Seven hundred and sixty-nine check ins. Eighty-one bookmarks. Twelve dukedoms. A global domination badge. For some people, Yelp is a way to see how well a new restaurant down the street is rated. For me, Yelp is a way of life. My curiosity, appreciation for technology and innate love for food have made me into somewhat of a “foodie”. It’s one of my better qualities. But, it also left me slightly stumped when I received this assignment to eat at a restaurant whose culture I hadn’t already experienced. After some serious brainstorming and a bit of in-class homework, I finally came upon an ethnic restaurant that had slipped through my fingers until then. I’m glad it took me this long, because this assignment left me with a newfound love- Ethiopian Food.
Of the details that really hang in my mind, one was definitely the mood of the restaurant. I went to Abyssinia Ethiopian Cuisine, a small unassuming place next to an ethnic market on a small street in Anaheim. I would have missed it, had I not been looking for the address. We parked in the first stall next to the door and went in about half an hour before close. A wave of deliciously spiced air greeted me and my boyfriend as an older lady with an enormous smile walked us into the next room and offered any seat in the house. Every table had a simple tablecloth, a vase and a single flower. The walls were covered with paintings, prints and the occasional mirror. At the back of the room, there was a table about two feet tall curiously topped with eight small cups and accompanied by a stool. I could not make out if it was for children to sit at or an offering table similar to those in some Asian cultures. Music played softly and I could not help but notice the similarities to the little Indian music I’ve heard, though this was certainly more soothing and relaxing. The lights were low and the ambiance was gentle, welcoming and ethnic at every