📍 Wazema Ethiopian Restaurant – 1360 Danforth Ave, Toronto, ON M4J 1M9
🌍 Country: Ethiopia
🔥 Must-try dish: Wazema Platter
🎭 Dinner guest: Pornstar Sam & Tante Elise
🪑 Seating: Indoor seating only.
👍 The high: The decor transports you all the way to the restaurants and bars of Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia.
👎 The low: There was an epic stage but no band since we went on a weeknight. 

Wazema is on the fancier side of the Ethiopian restaurants that call the strip of the Danforth between Greenwood Avenue and Monarch Park Avenue home. This is the heart of Little Ethiopia, and although the area is slowly gentrifying, it still very much caters to Toronto’s East African community in regards to the shops and services available there. Most prominent of all being the abundant Ethiopia restaurants to pick from for breakfast lunch, dinner, and the occasional party night. 

This wasn’t our first, and it certainly won’t be our last time tasting the various restaurants in this neighbourhood – there are a myriad to pick from, and all have their own special charm. Numerous things help to distinguish one from another: reviews, atmosphere, outdoor seating, live music, or anything else that tickles your fancy. There are those who stay loyal to one place, or those like us, who enjoy tasting all the restaurants while making unique experiences at each one. 

Despite Wazema having higher online ratings than some of its neighbours, that wasn’t the reason we were excited to eat there. Instead, it had to do with the classy decor that could easily take you from Toronto to the streets of Addis Ababa. On a busier night, it’s the type of place where there’s live music, drinks are flowing, and the injeras topped with everything keep coming out of the kitchen. Mood lighting is the only setting, with a prominent bar at the front, a stage at the back, and tables scattered throughout the space for diners. The vibe is so much more than just a restaurant. 

The dishes are similar at Ethiopian restaurants, and although certain places have specialties, it’s pretty clear what you’ll order before you open a menu. The injera is the base of all Ethiopian cuisine, and everything else is its supporting actor. This being said, the injera needs all the other fixings for it to shine. 

The Wazema Platter was an obvious choice as it blended the meat and vegetarian dishes on top of a gigantic injera – Ethiopia’s fermented flatbread that’s used as a utensil to eat everything else. Each dish has its own small section on the injera and the sauces soak unto it throughout the meal, making the base layer one of the tastiest parts of the meal. But don’t worry, fresh injeras are rolled up and delivered to the table to use for the first part of the dinner too in an attempt to keep your hands a little cleaner. 

This platter offers an array of delights, each marking its own territory on the flatbread. Of the vegetarian options, there were split peas, lentils, cabbage and a salad. The legumes are all saucy and cooked with spices ranging from savoury to spicy, each with its own unique flavour profile. Although the meat dishes are the highlight of the Ethiopian meal, you can’t go without these less heavy options that really demonstrate the character in this country’s cuisine. 

As for the meat, it came in abundant portions. If you ask an Ethiopian person, they always recommend the Kitfo, which is included in the platter. It’s minced beef that’s served raw or lightly cooked with pepper seasoning, and the more cooked it is, the less authentic it becomes. This is your Ethiopian beef tartare. 

For non-Ethiopians, Tibs are the most famous dish, which are marinated and grilled pieces of meat that are also included in this stocked platter. It’s mildly seasoned with local spices then sauteed with onions and peppers. This is a crowd pleaser, and will convert any type of diner to this cuisine. 

The Cha Cha Tibs didn’t come with the platter but we couldn’t resist getting one lamb dish, and this one was worth it in name and in taste. It was the favourite of the night, but we do recommend getting a platter regardless and ordering extra plates to build on it – this is where the Cha Cha or the Zil Zil dishes come in. What makes the Cha Cha unique from other tibs and meat dishes in Ethiopian cuisine is that the berbere is up-front in each bite. It’s a chili based spice with a fiery flavour that’s common in both Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisines. If you haven’t tried it, now’s your chance!

The error was that we went to Wazema’s on a Tuesday night for dinner, but on weekends, there’s a lot more going on with entertainment and people in the bar. Despite not speaking Amharic, which is still heavily spoken in this area of Toronto, it would have been fun to catch a show and a more traditional experience of Ethiopian culture. Needless to say, we’ll be back for another night, but next time it’ll be on the weekend! 

Eat with you soon,

Mandrea Bike
(Mat & Andrea)