I crave anything that is different from traditional America; that is if you can call anything that comes from America “traditional.” Food is one of the easiest outlets for me to find an international flavor and experience something out of the ordinary.
I also really enjoy visiting Berkeley, where great minds converge, people are expressive in a manner that can only be found in such abundance in trendy urban areas, and where finding an eclectic restaurant is as simple as blinking your eyes. Yes, Berkeley is a wonderful place.
So, to get things started, I was visiting the Bay Area for a few days while my mom was in town for a conference, and I told her that there were only two things that I wanted to do: the first was to go on a whale watch (didn’t happen, way too expensive) and the second was to find the perfect restaurant that served some kind of foreign cuisine. Not having tried many of the restaurants in the area, finding the perfect one would be difficult for most, but not for me. I have these wonderful superpowers that guide me to the most excellent of excellent restaurants. Well, really, all it involves is walking around to different venues and checking out the menu, and then walking out or sitting down.
On this particular quest, we (my mom, my boyfriend, my aunt  who was also visiting, and I) walked around Telegraph Avenue and its surrounding streets, known by some as the “heart” of Berkeley, a place where all the bums ask you for money and where all the UC Berkeley students shop and get coffee. I made them wait outside while I checked the menus of at least 10 restaurants. You can only imagine the annoyance that builds between three very hungry adults, and one very picky, very determined woman. This was not a pretty picture here, folks.
The tension was building because everyone wanted to eat, but how could I possibly let the people closest to me eat somewhere that is not absolutely delectable? Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on how you look at it, they all got fed up with me. My mom saw a blinking blue neon sign that read “The Blue Nile Restaurant: Ethiopian Cuisine.” Before I even had a chance to scour the menu, she had opened the door, and was being gleefully ushered in by a woman who appeared to be Indian. Of course, I do my best to make no judgments based on appearance, but in this case, I felt it appropriate.
The best part of the whole ordeal is that the hostess looked at all of us, and practically shouted, “I’m so glad you made it!” even though she had no idea who we were or what we had been looking for. I took it as a sign, and followed her up the stairs into a large dimly lit room, garbed with tacky beaded curtains that were used to divide tables from each other. I thought it was pretty cool; it reminded me of those private tables surrounded by heavy drapes where the bad guys sit and have meetings in James Bond movies. Regardless of what it looked like, it worked for me. I was hungry.
 We all looked at the menu and decided that we would order a few things and share, which was convenient because that is the way Ethiopians traditionally eat, although I think they make it themselves, instead of ordering it. I was a little skeptical of the menu because it wasn’t very descriptive. It explained most items as a certain meat or vegetable with “mouthwatering spices.” Sure, it sounds good when you read it, but I like to know what I’m getting. I mean, “spice” can mean a lot of things: burning-mouth hot, simple salt and pepper, or a network you order late at night on satellite TV. But what choice did I have?
We ended up ordering four dishes. Kitfo was described as “ the best in beef cooking, made fresh in our kitchen on order. It's the Ethiopian-style tartar steak, chopped top sirloin in  finger-licking natural spices.” We also decided on Ye siga alechs, which is a curried beef stew, simmered in a special buttered sauce, as well as Yemisir wat – basically lentils and vegetables in a special sauce – and lastly, the chicken tibs with wat sauce. To wash it all down we selected Teg, 100 percent natural Ethiopian honey wine.
To sum it up, all I can say is that it was a delightful dining experience. Our food was served steaming hot, arranged on a circular tray so that we could share everything. The most exciting experience was having no plates or silverware. You  see, Ethiopians make a very special spongy crepe-like flat bread called injera, made out of teff, a tiny and nutritious round grain that flourishes in the highlands of Ethiopia. Not only is it used for sustenance; it is used as a utensil. You rip off a mouth-sized bite, as our waitress explained to us, pinch food with it, and put it in your mouth. The injera is also wonderful because it soaks up all those “mouthwatering spices” and juices that come from the food into its spongy pores, and makes for a sensational occurrence on the palate.
I would consider myself a very picky person. To me, good food is very hard to come by. In fact, I have been to a majority of the restaurants in Eureka and Arcata, and there are only two that I like. But I can say with complete confidence that this was good food, and good drink as well. The wine was as smooth as melted chocolate, but of course, it had that little kick referred to as alcohol. We all agreed the dining experience as a whole was extraordinary.
Food is a great way for people to connect; in many cultures, it always has been. I often feel that American tradition does not cater to this connectedness. Many families don’t cook, eat in front of the television, or eat separately. I think this experience was so pleasurable because we not only ate together, we ate from the same bread, and the same plate, and we drank wine from the same glass.
Altogether, with good service, incredibly tasty food, and wine that I would take a bath in if I could, we had a mutually entertaining and interesting time. I would absolutely recommend the Blue Nile Restaurant to anyone with a craving to satisfy his or her international palette.
For more information about the Blue Nile, visit http://www.eastbayexpress.com/products/3194/index.html, or call 510-540-6777.
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