Traditionally, Ethiopians eat with their fingers, tearing off bite-sized pieces of injera to pick up mouthfuls of different dishes. Communal Ethiopian dishes... from stewed meats and vegetables to legumes and leafy salads are served on a beach ball-size pancake called injera. The food is eaten by scooping it up and grabbing it with pieces of this tart, spongy bread. Entrees at Ras Dashen come with three sides, or you can diversify with the vegetarian combo (five dishes) or meat combo (two dishes).

We loved the mild, garlicky kik alicha, a paste made with yellow split peas; the spicy stewed lentils with okra, misserana bowmia, imparted a slow, tasty burn, and a robust beef stew called lebleb tips featured tender pieces of meat and a rich gravy. Vegetable hits include the qosta (spinach), diblik atkilt (a mix of green beans, zucchini and carrots) and the refreshingly bitter gomen (collard greens). Cool off with the tangy beet and potato salad, yeqaysur salata, and the elegant green salad billed as Ethio salata.

Don't miss the bread pudding, deceptively sinful with its healthful combination of raisins, nuts and roasted flax seeds.

by Chicago Tribune & Center Stage