Freedom F.
Google
I was recommended to this restaurant by a family because I naively did not realise that there were clear differences between Ethiopian cuisine and Somalian cuisine, my shameful ignorance. Upon entering, I explained of the recommendation and asked for a menu. I was told that there was no menu. So I asked for lamb and rice as recommended. I was with my younger child. I asked questions but was met with little to no answers. I felt embarrassed to continue asking as I felt a nuisance. We chose a table and sat down as two bowls of soup were served, had no idea why and no explanation about the soup. I noticed that every diner who sat in and ordered were served a banana with their meal which I now understand is tradition. It would have been nice if it was offered to us but it wasn’t. My daughter noticed a fridge and got herself a drink and I asked for a place to wash my hands. The communication was so poor that we followed him to the kitchen because he did not tell me where to go.
Two jars were served to us with sauce, I did not have any because it seemed as if it was used (served to all customers) so didn’t trust having it. When our meal came, I asked why it wasn’t served in a shared dish. I was told because what I ordered was for one, even though I had my daughter and simply asked for lamb and rice. The diners next to me were also two, but were served with a sharing plate along with banana and a separate sweet pepper salad. I was however given extra rice to eat with our lamb when ours had finished, which was very kind, but unfortunately my daughter looked at me as he poured it rather roughly in our plate. I tried to ask questions at the end of our meal wanting to know the name of our meal and the what meal the diners beside us, but was met with a toothpick in the mouth and little response. I didn’t feel like we were accepted here and would not return.
The price of the meal was good value for the portion we got. My daughter enjoyed the rice and I the lamb with the rice.
The service as well as the food makes a place and unfortunately this place lacks good service (I felt as a non Somalian diner).