Eshkol - Review - Ardmore - Philadelphia - The Infatuation

"Philly is rich with Ethiopian restaurants: Abyssinia, Dahlak, and Doro Bet, to name a few. The same cannot be said for the Main Line—Eshkol has the distinction of being the only game in town. From the silkscreened decorative tablecloths and wicker lampshades to the vast assortment of soaps and hand lotions in the restroom, it is a charming love letter of a restaurant. The hospitality and food give you the feeling of being invited to an Ethiopian family dinner. photo credit: Jonathan Deutsch And much like a family dinner, it may take a while until the meal is served (in some cases, an hour-plus) and some house rules apply: the restaurant does not allow alcohol. But what might be the city’s best doro wat, tikil gomen, and ater alicha are worth the wait. Photos of the dishes, friendly servers, and utensils on offer help to broaden the horizons of the Ethiopian-food uninitiated. But those who know their way around injera on a mesob will be pleased as well. Dine alone for a weekday lunch or a communal dinner with family and friends. Food Rundown Doro Wot Doro wot is the signature dish of Ethiopia and this is one of Philly’s best. Thicker than some, this chicken and egg stew simmered in berbere spice is a must. Zilbo Chunks of lamb are braised with collard greens, onion, garlic, ginger, and jalapeno. Despite the flavorful list of ingredients, this dish needed more of all of them as well as more time for the lamb to be as tender and luscious as it should be. Tikil Gomen Another classic where Eshkol’s version may be Philly’s best, turmeric, garlic and ginger-infused cabbage is sauteed until melty. Get this as one of the two included sides with any dish or as a vegan entree. Ater Alcha Choose this as your other side: yellow split peas are cooked with onion, turmeric, garlic and ginger, and mashed. The sides are as good as the entrees–consider the vegan combo to try them all." - Jonathan Deutsch