The Abyssinian

Ph: (03) 9376 8754; 277 Racecourse Rd, FLEMINGTON 3031

African, $
Open Open Mon-Sat 5.30pm-10pm; Licensed, BYO byo, Corkage $8 bottle; MC V EFT
Chef Rahel Ogbaghiorghi (27-8-07) Owner Vittorio Silvestro (27-8-07)

Mietta's Review
Probably African in Flemington isn't as far fetched as it might seem - look up and you see the grey concrete Housing Commission blocks surrounding you. But, the Abyssinian owes more to white inner suburban Flem than African immigrants. The shopfront space is painted a strong red-orange and hung with African artifacts. The tables and chairs are timber, firm and unadorned, though there is some lower soft seating around carved occasional tables. The food comes from the kitchen on layers of sour injera bread, protected by graceful covers, born by the equally graceful woman of the 'house', Rahel Ogbaghiorghi, wearing a long traditional garment. The cover is removed at the table and the Ethiopian equivalent of silver service is performed as the dishes are poured from their bowls onto the bread below. You eat with your hands using the bread to scoop up the food and its juices. A supply of paper serviettes is provided for finger cleaning. The pricing seems aware of its desirable inner suburban location and veneer of comfort - mains are hastening towards the mid $20s, platters are more and corkage is $8 a bottle. The clientele is numerous and predominantly white - double sittings are frequent at weekends.

Other published opinions

The Age Dani Valent, 24-6-2008 "The Abyssinian is a lovely place to take a smallish gaggle: the smiles are real, the service is swift, the food is good. Best of all, you eat with your fingers. The restaurant is owned by Eritrean immigrants, Rahel Ogbaghiorghis and Vittorio Silvestro. Their food is a mix of Ethiopian and Eritrean, which means rich, spiced casseroles; wholesome lentil and chickpea curries; marinated meats grilled in ghee; and two types of raw beef for the brave. Everything is served with injera, a large, spongy flat bread that you rip apart little by little to use as a scoop for your meal. The Abyssinian is unusual among Melbourne's African restaurants in that they make their own injera. It's a fiddly process and, in winter, fermenting the sourdough can take up to three days."

The Age Cheap Eats 2008 "As well travelled as the average Aussie palate may be, slow-cooked food from the Horn of Africa is a new frontier for many"

The Age Matt Preston, "The Abyssinian in Kensington is a case in point. It's only been open for about nine months but is exactly the sort of place you'd expect to find in the next edition of Cheap Eats. Yet its food is good enough to stake it a claim for inclusion in the Good Food Guide next year. It's a family affair. He () is on the floor; she () is in the kitchen. The good food is based on recipes from the kitchens of the Horn of Africa served communal style on large enamel trays lined with swathes of sour, pock-marked "injera" bread."