Search for Ethiopian Restaurants on Madison Yelp and you get 1. Count them 1,..1,..1...
This place will work. Duck downstairs away from the h/bustle of State Street and find yourself in a lovely cool and calm space with a bar and two big dining rooms. It's not the biggest menu I've ever seen but it has the basics. We had a Lamb tibs and a Chicken with peanut sauce and the lentil/potato as a combination plate. Both served with injeera. The tef-based flat bread was excellent. The other dishes were missing something. We looked at each other with a "what's wrong here" look. Aha!!! S.U. called the waitress over and asked if they had Berbere sauce (the Ethiopean hot sauce). That's what was missing. A few drops of that and it was all good. The mouth burned, the sweat flowed, the flavors came alive!!!!
So, I am a fan. I understand that the typical Wisconsinite may not immediately love the spiciness that Ethiopian cuisine can bring to the game (or eating with the hands, forks are provided). So I say this. Ask for The Sauce or say, up-front that you like The Spice. They'll bring it! Game on!