This morning on Pacific Palate, a stalwart of the ethnic dining scene in Vancouver moves from Kitsilano to Main Street, with delicious results. I spoke with Assefa Kebede, chef and owner of the Nyala African Restaurant. It’s just moved to Main Street, a little south of King Edward on the east side of the street, after years at his location on West 4th Avenue.
Here is Assefa with ‘a little snack’ he made for me yesterday. A platter lined with Injeera (Ethiopian flatbread) and covered with a refreshing beet and potato salad, a quickly-cooked lamb dish, and a long-simmered goat stew, all delicious. On the show this morning Stephen Quinn got to sample Assefa’s excellent vegetarian dish, split peas and mushrooms, as well as some new African dishes on the menu, a South African-style sausage and merguez sausage, which is made with lamb.
At certain times you will also be able to order a Moroccan tagine, which is a lamb or beef stew made with dried fruits or preserved lemons, then served with couscous. It’s cooked and served in the unique dish you see here, but the kicker is that Assefa is also a potter, and he makes all of the tagines! If you speak nicely to him he will let you buy it.
