AOL CityGuide
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Adventurous foodies who love ethnic places will want to try this Ethiopian restaurant in the heart of the Queen City's business district. From the decor to the friendly owners who greet guests, to the menu itself, Queen of Sheba strives to create as authentic an African meal as possible in this little old Midwestern town. The menu includes traditional Ethiopian fare using chicken, beef or lamb, shrimp or whole fish, along with vegetables and lentils to create warm, flavorful stews and other dishes. House specialties include samplers, such as a meat platter of beef, lamb and chicken with lentils and roasted vegetables -- vegetarian platters are also popular. Folks quickly get over the notion of needing a fork. Guests use hot towels to clean their hands, then use spongy, warm bread called injera to help scoop up the delicious combinations. Business folks enjoy the popular lunch buffet, but the dinner hour brings a more diverse crowd, including adventurous couples who also order up an Ethiopian wine or beer to start the meal. --by Annie McManis >>more
Cincinnati CityBeat
For something different, try the Ethiopian fare at Queen of Sheba - by Anne Mitchell "Who knows but that thy country may be blessed because of thee," King Solomon said to Queen Sheba as she left him in the desert. As I left the brand new Queen of Sheba restaurant on a recent winter's night, I felt that downtown Cincinnati might be blessed because if it.
Ethiopian food is a completely new experience for me, so I took two veterans along on my visit to Queen of Sheba. They told me to prepare for a unique experience, and to wash my hands before we ate. Why? Because Ethiopian cuisine is eaten without silverware -- it's a hands-on adventure, exotic but very friendly and casual.
Injera, the bread of Ethiopia, is used as fork, spoon and plate. Torn strips are used to scoop up meats and vegetables on an injera base that is served on a communal tray.
"It is said that people who eat from the same plate will never betray one another," reads the menu at Queen of Sheba. Politicians should eat more Ethiopian food...
It's tough to "compare" Ethiopian cuisine, because it's not quite like any other I've tried. Ethiopia was never colonized by Westerners, except for brief military occupations in the 1880s and 1930s, so its 3,000-year-old cuisine has had almost no outside influences. There are elements of it that seem familiar -- the appetizers were a bit like Indian samosas, and the tea is reminiscent of Constant Comment -- but when it's time for something completely different, you should try Queen of Sheba. >>more
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Restaurant brings traditional Ethiopian cuisine -- and culture -- to Cincinnati
- by D.E. WHITE If you've never tried Ethiopian food, you owe it to your taste buds to visit Queen of Sheba. After all, you have nothing to lose. Literally. Nardos Gemechu, manager of the new downtown Cincinnati restaurant, says she'll buy your meal if you don't enjoy it.
But that's not likely to happen.
Queen of Sheba, which opened last month, offers delicious, traditional Ethiopian cuisine at affordable prices. And the relaxed, friendly establishment offers more than good food. From the tablecloths to the wall décor, Gemechu and business partner Sirak Geberegeorgis have taken great pains to give diners an enlightening, authentic experience.
"We try to give them the home flavor," Geberegeorgis says. "Like home. Like Africa."...
We learned Gemechu, 26, moved to the United States from Ethiopia at the age of 15. She earned her culinary stripes while working for her aunt, Abeba Tesfasion, owner of the Queen of Sheba restaurant in Indianapolis.
"At our grand opening, she was the guest of honor. She taught me everything I know," says the multifaceted Gemechu, who has a degree in computer technology from Purdue University. >>more
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