We love this photo of Sambrosa Selit (tropical seedless dates baked in a pastry crust, $4) from Ethiopian Diamond mostly because the concept of Ethiopian desserts had never really occured to us before, which is odd since we’ve actually been to Ethiopia. But we love flaky crusts and dates, so we thought we’d call up Diamond and ask them about the cookie. Turns out, we were right to be confused! The item, while delicious, is not really a traditional Ethiopian dessert at all. In fact, the proprietress told us that they “don’t really eat dessert in Ethiopia.” Although we recall Italian pastry shops all over Addis Ababa making quite serviceable confections, and don’t get us started on coffee with honey.
Anyway, what you see before you is the cookie shell (the dates are inside), topped with whipped cream, sugar, and a little chocolate sauce. So kudos to their ingenuity, and remember: when trying a restaurant for the first time, always order dessert - it’s good for the economy.
Have a sweet weekend!
Ethiopian Diamond [MenuPages]
Ethiopian Diamond [Official Site]
[Photo: Zesmerelda/flickr, of course]
