Saturday, September 24, 2011

Today's Local Love: Jebena Cafe

Last week the fam and I were jonesing for Ethiopian food, which we haven't had since we lived in Toronto near Little Ethiopia up on the Danforth. Thankfully a relatively new spot in Northgate opened a few months ago called Jebena Cafe. 

Jebena Cafe is run by Martha Seyoum and her husband and though the restaurant is small the food is both hearty and fresh. Steve's vegetarian platter was full of two savory lentil sides, buttery cabbage, salad, spinach and a spicy pureed jalapeno condiment. I had a similar platter but with beef and when I asked for no lentils I was given an extra portion of spinach instead. Lukas also enjoyed everything, especially the spongy and delicious injera, which there was a lot of. If you have a hard time with wheat and bread in general then you'll most likely do well with injera which is made from teff, a tiny grain grown in Ethiopia and the main staple of the country's cuisine. The one thing I'd like to see on the menu is a chicken option vs just beef or lamb, sometimes a lighter option is nice to have.

The portions are generous and I ended up needing to take half of my platter home though we all left stuffed and barely had anything for dinner that night. Unfortunately we were so hungry when our food arrived neither of us thought to take pictures. You can find some great ones on Jebena's Yelp page. As one reviewer pointed out the TV in the restaurant was on at lunch time and as she pointed out watching Al Jazeera TV is indeed eye opening and we were able to watch broadcasts that clearly never make it to US television.

On top of the great food you also get great service. Martha is a wonderful hostess and proprietress who enjoys the company of her customers. It's obvious that she loves what she does and though not a trained chef, her food is prepared with care, passion and joy. When you eat at Jebena it feels more like going over to a good friend's house to have a home cooked meal in a relaxed and inviting atmosphere and that's almost impossible to find these days.

If you're looking to try something new and would love to support a small, family run, local business then make sure you stop into Jebena soon for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Jebena Cafe


1510 NE 117th St
(between N 15th Ave & N Pinehurst Way)
Seattle, WA 98125
Neighborhood: Northgate
(206) 365-0757