Tokyo Explorer

Ethiopian food aficionados are in for a treat if they crave wat, tibs, kitfo, berbere and injera here in Tokyo.
The Queen of Sheba is around ten minutes away from Naka Meguro Station on the Hibiya Subway Line, and well worth the walk if you are in search of a restaurant that stresses authenticity in food, ambience and service.

Solomon, the restaurant’s manager, is very personable and goes out of his way to get to know his customers which contributes to the all round friendly atmosphere. In addition, unlike some other restaurants, customers are encouraged to relax and enjoy their dining experience here, rather than being rushed out as soon as they finish their meal; the result being quite a number of repeat customers.

Prior to living in Japan, I was (and still am) a veteran of Ethiopian food.  To that end, I was more than impressed to discover that this unique form of cuisine existed in the cosmopolitan city that is Tokyo.

The first time I actually went to the Queen of Sheba, in 2007, following my move to the capital from Kanagawa Prefecture, the experience exceeded my expectations and Solomon’s niche in the restaurant scene of Tokyo instantly became one of my favorite restaurants in Japan.

Central to Ethiopian cuisine is injera-an Ethiopian flatbread, that is made with water and flour and fermented for several days; the resulting slightly sour taste, an enhancement to the accompanying dishes. The injera also absorbs any sauces die to its crepe-like texture.

As a very communal people when it comes to eating, Ethiopian meals oftentimes epitomize the concept of “breaking bread” together. Various meat and vegetable stews are served on a platter of injera which is then shared by a group. Pieces of the injera are torn off and used to scoop up the food in lieu of utensils, and when the food atop the injera is finished, people turn their attention to the bread itself; thereby, as summed up by a friend, “First, you eat the food.  And then, you eat the plate”.

On a recent visit to the Queen of Sheba, with a beginner to Ethiopian cuisine, my dining partner and I started off with a large portion of goat kebabs. We then moved onto a main course of Kei Wat (beef in a spicy red pepper sauce a.k.a. ‘berbere’ sauce), Gomen Wat (spinach with potato and carrots in a garlic sauce) and Yabeg Alicha (lamb and potatoes in a turmeric sauce).

The goat kebabs were served medium-rare with a tangy sauce that serves as its foil. The Kei Wat was spicy, but not overly so while the Yabeg Alicha struck the perfect balance given the bite of the Kei Wat and the milder Gomen Wat, a vegetarian offering of the restaurant.

Price wise the a la carte items generally range from 1,000 to 2,000 yen which means it can get a little expensive as everything adds up. For larger groups it might be worth considering the 3,000 - 8,000 yen set courses which consist of around five or six items, with vegetarian options included. And of course, the all important accessibility; fortunately Queen of Sheba is not too busy, even at the weekends, but it is worth booking ahead to play it safe and ensure that you are not kept waiting.

[Queen of Sheba Ethiopian Restaurant]

Address: 1-3-1 Naka-Meguro, Meguro-ku, Tokyo.
Phone: 03-3794-1801
WEB: http://www.queensheba.jp