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| - A daily deal for a vegetarian platter for 2 enticed us to visit Pero but good food and service would bring me back to Pero.
It was very quiet while we were there. We were the only diners for the most part, other than a few men at the bar. Our server, who I believe is the owner, was very attentive and answered all our questions. He talked us into ordering an appetizing of 'ethiopian sushi' that consisted of injera with spicy lentil pastes inside, rolled up and cut. It was good but very filling, as injera tends to be so make sure you're adeqately hungry before ordering this.
We followed with a veggie platter that was smaller than the standard veg for 2 platter at Nazareth, that we are so used to, but also tasted much fresher. The wats were brightly coloured, something you don't see at Nazareth. We polished it off quickly, though I do remember some pieces of the eating injera being dry on the outside, as if they had been pre-rolled and then sat out, loosing some moisture. Wasn't a big deal though. I don't remember being charge extra for additional injera, otherwise I would consider this a sticking point.
Overall the service was excellent. I like that they have a lot of veg options on their menu and there's this nice little coffee ceremony area that they said is for weekend use and for large groups. The drawbacks here are it's not very busy and I think this is due to the prices. $30 for a veggie platter for 2 vs. the $8 at Nazareth is pretty steep. Yes, quality is a factor but I think $15 per person for what is essentially a lentil dinner just doesn't make sense.
They seem to be trying to go for the fine dining approach and the owner posts a lot of photos of chairs with fancy covers on them, but truly this is not what the ethiopian dining crowd is looking for in Toronto. People want good food and affordability, not frills. That's why Nazareth has a line-up out the door on a Thursday evening and this place only has a few guys at the bar. I'd like to support Pero because the food is good but $15 is more than I want to spend on one dish on my average night.
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