By Ava Stryker-Robbins
When I think of my favorite Upper West Side restaurants, Awash at 107th and Amsterdam, is at the top of the list. The vibrant flavors of their Ethiopian dishes are some of the best the neighborhood has to offer.
Awash offers a variety of dishes served atop classic Ethiopian Injera bread — sourdough-like spongy flatbread. Meat options include lamb, beef, and chicken. Vegetarian platters are offered, with options including beets, string beans, lentils, mushrooms, yellow split peas, and more. Food is served on platters and eaten with your hands. You take a roll of Injera and grab a bite of food.
The lamb I typically order is called Beg Alicha, which is a lamb stew made without the fiery spice berbere. It is a buttery, hearty lamb, incredibly soft . With the Injera, the flavor combination is soothing, intriguing, and delicious.
Awash opened in 1994 with the goal of sharing Ethiopian cuisine with America, according to its website. Motivated by the city’s lack of Ethiopian restaurants, it brought traditional cooking techniques to New York. A generation later, Awash is continuing to fulfill its mission of introducing Ethiopian cuisine to new audiences, in addition to being a mainstay for regular patrons who return to this restaurant time after time. The staff at Awash is incredibly friendly, and they offer both indoor and outdoor dining options.
A sampler platter for one person is $19, for 2 people is $39, and for three people is $58 dollars.
The Dish: Sampler Platter With Beg Alicha Lamb and Vegetables
The Restaurant: Awash (947 Amsterdam Avenue at 107th Street)
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That does not look appetizing at all.
Good
Don’t go.
Their vegetarian platter is one of my absolute favorite meals
A long time establishment with good reason.
I have never ate Ethiopian cuisine, but i have to tell you, that looks very good! I think it gets served with a type of bread that looks like pita🧐. Those dishes are labor intensive to cook, but they are made with lots of love, thats what makes food so special when you go out to eat with the family, it brings people together!
The bread is by far the worst part. That stuff on the plate isn’t bad.
Injera is a spongy, slightly tangy flat bread made from teff flour. I don’t think it has much in common with pita, but it’s a great complement to Ethiopian food.
Perfect, thank you for the info, i will have to try Ethiopian cuisine one of this days.
Awash is phenomenal.
Awash is amazing! Incredible flavors! Strongly recommended. One of my favorite restaurants in the city also a great place to go for vegetarians and carnivores alike.
Alech is an excellent preparation for lentils, as well.
Why didn’t you provide a link to the restaurant?
Good point. Added.
Can the author (or WSR readers) recommend some non-spicy-hot dishes at Awash? I checked out the menu and nearly everything has jalepeno. Even the dishes listed as “mild” have jalepenos in the photo.
That said, I would go for the coffee alone. Ethiopian coffee is amazing.
Yes!!!! So good
You HAVE to try the doro wat. Soo delicious! My one recommendation but everything there is so good.