MULU BALTENA

T he name Mulu Baltena comes from the Amharic language mainly spoken in Ethiopia. It's simple translation to English means "complete gourmet". The café serves a variety of authentic fine cuisines ranging from a choice of chicken, beef, lamb and fish dishes to a host of vegetarian delicacies for those who are strictly vegetarian.  

The name Mulu Baltena has also been inspired by the tireless mother of six, chef Mulu to whom most of the credit for the unparalleled home style cooking is deservedly owed. Chef Mulu's actual name is Mulunesh and most people affectionately address her as Mulu in short. - website

AOL CityGuide
by Wesley Yang

''... Situated on a grungy block that boasts two (!) dollar stores, Mulu Baltena is a tiny oasis of calm, quiet and cleanliness. It has none of the ethnic trappings -- the woven benches and tables -- that sometimes accompany the Ethiopian "themed" restaurant, but makes up for this absence with solid food. Sitotaw Fantaye works the counter while his mother (the restaurant's namesake) Mulu does the cooking. They are fastidious, evidently tireless people, and they serve up a surprisingly varied menu of authentic favorites: attractively prepared, in vast abundance, and at very low prices. You can sample an array of lentil, potato, and chickpea dishes, good collared greens, sandwiches, and excellent curried lamb and chicken dishes in delicate, peppery sauces served over rice. That curious spongy bread called injera is on hand to sop up what remains of all the juicy excess, and the coffee, stronger than anything you're likely to have sampled, comes in a special clay pot. ..." >>more