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| - I was ecstatic, when years ago, I discovered Blue Nile Cafe in Tempe. Yes, being out in Goodyear, it was a MAJOR pain to drive out there. But very good Ethiopian food in a city not exactly known for a variety of ethnic restaurants?! And so, I dealt with the drive. And then The Blue Nile closed and my heart sank ... until tonight. This restaurant has been open for more than a year and why I didn't go looking for it till now, I'll never know (but I'm glad I did).
My partner and I had the large combo plate, which includes all their vegetarian selections and three meat dishes. At $13.99, it's a real bargain. Unfortunately, gluttonous as we are, we EACH had one. Okay, so we took some of it home (and, for those who know combo dishes, it will lose a lot of charm the next day, because you can't keep the individual dishes apart ... but really: who cares?).
Unlike Blue Nile, the portions on the combo plate were big and spiced excellently. The bread was spongy and moist (yes, for those of you who don't know Ethiopian bread --- which resembles something like the chamois you use to dry your car --- this is exactly what you want to hear). Hands down, this food is much better than what the Blue Nile used to serve; and we used to drive the 35 miles each way once a week to partake in it.
Now, here are the downsides:
The restaurant is located in a non-residential and very commercial area, which means business is likely to be slower during off-business hours than it should be. It's also not the best of neighborhoods; but I'm betting one of the reasons for the property selection is lower rents than, say, in Tempe. But, unfortunately, location is everything and this restaurant deserves to be packed ALL the time. Given where it is, however, most students and yuppies, who would both enjoy eating here, won't be here in the evening (and they do have very extensive operating hours).
The exterior of the restaurant is nice, but it's decorated to look like "wood". This makes the place seem unobtrusive during the day and very hard to see at night. This is the one time I would encourage some bright signage outside.
Service is polite, efficient, friendly and fast. You are checked on to make sure everything is okay, but not in a way to make you feel like they bug you too much. I can't speak for the other dishes, because I didn't have them, but I suspect the combo plate would be a good representation of what there is to be had. If it is, don't walk, RUN to this restaurant. It fully deserves your support and there's really nothing of substance to complain about.
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