Mesob, a restaurant located in the Pigneto neighborhood of Rome, serves some of the best Ethiopian food I’ve had outside of Ethiopia. With a strong focus on injera — the sour, spongy bread that accompanies every Ethiopian meal — and a heavy use of earthy, berbere spices, my meal at Mesob taught me that Italian food does not have to mean pizza and pasta.
On my visit last year to Ethiopia I was taken by the beauty of its landscape just as much as the country’s strong sense of national identity amazed me. While Italy occupied Ethiopia during World War II and brought some of its food traditions along, the East African country forever maintained its sovereignty. Ethiopia is therefore proud and confident in its traditions, particularly where food is concerned. On my visit to Mesob I talk to the owners and enjoy a series of vegetarian stew-like dishes as well as doro wat — the earthy chicken stew that is deliciously rich.
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