ROSALINDS
RESTAURANT

If you like Ethiopian style music, it is one of the few places to get authentic sounds. Fortunately, there is generally a band playing every Friday and Saturday for around $10. It can get very crowded and parking is difficult, but most of the Ethiopians in town can be found here on the weekends.

Rosalind's has a small stage and dance floor, with plenty of seats at the tables or the wrap around bar. The tables even spill out onto the street-side patio where many people can be found socializing late at night. >>more

Fairfax Avenue
Ethiopian Addis-Faction in Mid-Wilshire
LA Weekly

''Saturday night at Rosalind's on Fairfax Avenue is sumptuous. It's not just hip, gritty, nicely circumstantial (that Saturday afternoon that slouches into evening and finds you and a friend still wearing minimal makeup, shopping gear and a movie calendar folded on the back seat - what the hell?), even a lean cut of romantic - but sumptuous. Rosalind's is exactly that because, for several hours every weekend, it soaks up all the color and nuance of a very Ethiopian block like a great piece of spongy injera, Ethiopia's national bread.

The scene starts about 8 and peaks 'round midnight. It begins with serious dining: Waitresses pass by my table balancing hubcap-size platters of Ethiopian cuisine; honey wine flows; post-coffee incense burns. But what I came to sample most tonight is eskista , not a dish but a delectable Ethiopian dance whose chief ingredients are swaying heads and shoulders so sharply spasmodic they look as if they're being touched with an electric cattle prod. I have seen a little of eskista on videos and am curious to witness it in the flesh, to study any possible transcontinental links to Soul Train , breakdancing, '80s Michael Jackson... Rosalind's owner, Fekere Gebre-Mariam, 46, says the block weathered its toughest times in the early to mid-'90s, when the statewide recession and local riots one-two punched many a small business in metropolitan L.A." >>more

'' This is the best of the Fairfax group of African restaurants called "Ethiopian Row." The owners here are inviting and friendly and will coach you through the fine points of the many exotic menu choices. Use your injera (Ethiopian spongy bread) to eat all the specialties like Doro Wat and Kitfo. Groups do well here, as the unique food and environment make for lively chatter and relaxing conversation. Even if you have never tried this type of food before, you will fall in love with the many vegetable combinations and meat curries served here. ..." >>more

AOL CityGuide

''A friendly spot on Fairfax's "Ethiopian Row," Rosalind's is perfect for a group of friends open to sharing exotic dishes. Try the doro wot (a rich, spicy chicken stew), a less spicy lamb stew and a wide variety of vegetarian dishes that can be scooped up with a thick Ethiopian millet pancake. For a truly authentic experience, there's traditional Ethiopian music live every Friday and Saturday night..." >>more

VEGPARADISE

'The lights were dim, creating a comfortable intimacy. The left side of the long room featured booths that had overhanging bamboo umbrellas supported by bamboo poles covered in African designs painted in black, brown, and white. These gave the impression of being in little huts with thatched grass overhangs. The center of the room had tables flanked by a long bar on the right side... What really turns me on is a genuine dining experience in a restaurant that has carpeting, real tablecloths, and tasty food. Rosalind's has it all, wonderful food, great atmosphere, and even a red oil candle on the table. >>more

f you're interested in something different, it is a safe bet that Rosalind's Ethiopian restaurant is a place for you. Rosalind's makes up part of the large African restaurant presence on south Fairfax Avenue. The quaint eatery has something for the adventurous and something for the homebody.

Snuggled between two other African restaurants, Rosalind's offers a welcoming environment for their patrons. If you're new to African food, the helpful waitresses, dressed in colorful linen wraps and bangle jewelry, will assist you with the menu. If you know what you're doing, go ahead and survey the wide array of dishes available for the palate.

The trick to eating Ethiopian food traditionally isn't tricky at all. Simply take a strip of Injera, rip a piece of the bread and place between your finger and thumb and scoop the food from the desired pot of stew.

The first taste of Injera will take you back. It's a very sour bread. Eaten alone, Injera will get unpleasant very quickly, but soaked in the earth-toned sauces of the meat dishes, that is another story.

The acerbic quality of the bread mixed with the thick and spicy sauce makes for a unique taste overload. Add to that the tender softness of the meat and you wind up with empty bowls and plates. >>more