Kokeb Restaurant - Tasty Ethiopian

Playoff fever has hit the city of Winnipeg. Making the playoffs for the first time since relocating here, the Jets have given the rabid fanbase something to cheer about ... and often. Reminiscent of 2005-2006 when my Oilers made a Stanley Cup run, you can feel the energy and enthusiasm percolating through the streets as the umpteenth number of jerseys and car flags pass you by. Of course then, you would expect the majority of bars and restaurants cashing in on the new business as customers now have an excuse to open up their wallets and enjoy a meal prior to a game. One of those businesses in downtown Winnipeg is Kokeb Restaurant, an Ethiopian establishment featuring tasty curries and delicious stews in the heat of downtown.

Kokeb is located on Edmonton Street in a busy stretch of downtown just off of Portage Avenue. The restaurant has modern esque exteriors with a large window front and a brightly coloured banner enticing customers forward. The interiors are, in contrast, homey and reserved with bright wallpaper and a random assortment of mismatched tables and chairs. Definitely a cool place to hang out for a few hours while waiting for a game or event.

The menu is small and features the basic Ethiopian dishes one would expect. The basis of the cuisine are their curries and stir fries which feature a bevy of protein options including lamb, beef, pork and chicken. The vegetarian options are equally impressive with a large number of tasty cabbage, bean and chickpea dishes available. In fact, most of the Urbanspoon reviews rave mostly about their vegetarian dishes, including a incredibly cheap lunch buffet offered during the weekdays. The star and uniqueness of Ethiopian cuisine is of course in the use of Injera, a fresh sourdough crepe that becomes the vehicle to consume the curries and meats. Wanting to try a few dishes, me and my dining companion split a Veggie Combo and a meat curry.

From the top going clockwise: Green Lentils, Tikil Gomen (Cabbage and Carrot Stew), Qeye Seir (Beets and Cabbage), Salad, Misir Wot (Red Lentils in Berbere Sauce), Potatoes Stew, Dinich Wot (Potato Stew in Berbere Sauce), Salad, Defin Misir (Blended brown lentils). In the middle is the Yegel Tibis (Smoked Lamb).

This behemoth of a dish was an excellent collection of delicious Ethiopian dishes. The standouts were, as expected, the vegetarian dishes with succulent and rich curry sauce enveloping potaotes in the Dinich Wot, and tender beets with crisp cabbage with tangy vinagrette in the Qeye Seir, and the smooth smokey blended beets in the Defin Misir. The lamb was unfortunately dry and overcooked rendering it devoid of its flavour. In fact we continually went back to the vegetarian combo and preferred it over the lamb dish.

As with all Ethiopian food, Kokeb delivers a few large rolls of Injera to eat with the meal. With no utensils in site, one realizes quickly that Injera becomes the vehicle and utensil of choice. The bread has a nice sour aroma and flavour that contrasts well with the luxurious curries, and is soft and delicate enough to soak up all the delicious sauces. Accompanying the Injera is a small dish of tasty salty Jalapeno spread that adds heat to the meal.

Overall Kokeb delivers quality Ethiopian cuisine. The true standout dishes were the vegetarian options and given their quality, Kokeb offers incredible value for the low price charged. Perfect for anyone in the area looking for good African/Ethiopian food, just get your protein load elsewhere.