Little Ethiopia

Around 7,000 Ethiopians were counted in the 2010 U.S. Census as living in LA.  A cluster of Ethiopian businesses sprung up in the 1980s and 1990s along Fairfax south of Olympic, in what was an older Jewish area. In 2002, the city officially recognized this area as “Little Ethiopia”. Recently, I decided to seek out the traditional coffee ceremony. Coffee is a major part of Ethiopian culture, and one place in particular is well known for their traditional process. I got off the bus on Olympic and walked south. About a half dozen Ethiopian restaurants  (including several vegetarian and vegan ones) and a few Ethiopian mini-markets, line the street. Rosalind's was the first to open in the early 80s, and is open til 2 am with a full bar, live Ethiopian music and dancing, making it the hub of Ethiopian nightlife in LA. Men sit at sidewalk tables or stand in front of the establishments on Fairfax  drinking coffee and talking. Posters on power poles are in Ethiopian. Inside one of the shops is a selection of Ethiopian flags, jewelry, portraits of Haile Selassie, incense, Lion of Zion stuff, Ethiopian cds. Another store called Safari Ethiopian Boutique sells traditional Ethiopian clothing like the gabi (a light shawl) and the coffee dress. The markets are stuffed with injera bread - the spongey slightly sour staple of their diet that also functions as the plate and the eating utensil. One business is called Merkato (recalling the name of the massive market in Ethiopia’s capital city). Our Merkato in Little Ethiopia is a pint size version, split between a dry goods market and a restaurant. I ask if they live in the area or if this is just a non-residential hub. Some live in apartments nearby but a lot live in Culver City where another small Ethiopian and Eritrean enclave has sprung up. Still others live scattered around the LA area and journey to Little Ethiopia on a regular basis. Finally I've made my way to Messob- site of the coffee ceremony. I am greeted warmly as I take a seat and read the menu.  There are traditional seats and woven tables. I order the traditional coffee and am offered sambussas, small pastries stuffed with lentil beans. The coffee beans are selected and displayed to me as they are pan roasted.

 Yeshwaget, my server, allows me to photograph this. When the coffee has been roasted, it is brought out in a Jebena, a clay percolator. Accompanying this and completing the process is a large incense burner, burning a special fragrance. I sat for quite awhile drinking this rich coffee and looking out the window. I felt extraordinarily comfortable, satisfied, and eager to come back with all my friends so they could share the experience with me.