One of the best things about Madison is that although it is surrounded by farmland, its restaurants represent cultures and cuisines from all over the globe.
Although it can be intimidating going to a restaurant where you can't even pronounce most of the items on the menu, don't always resort to something familiar like Noodles & Co.
Yirgalem, 2623 Monroe St., is one of these unfamiliar places that will surely impress anyone willing to give it a chance. Owner Daniel Teferra, a UW alumnus, opened the restaurant a year and a half ago with the intent of giving Madison a flavor of Ethiopian cuisine and culture. It is named after his hometown in Ethiopia, which he left in 1974.
Ethiopian food, Teferra said, can be broken down into four main categories: wat (sauce), tibs (saut??ed meat), kitfo (finely chopped beef or tuna) and veggies (like lentils and string beans).
All meals in Ethiopia are served with injera, a sponge-like bread, which acts as your knife, spoon and fork.
I started off with the Timatim Fitfit ($6) appetizer, which consisted of injera pieces mixed with tomatoes, jalapeno skins, onion and a lemon-based house seasoning all tucked inside a folded piece of injera.
I was also given a free basket of baked injera pieces served with a creamy dip that tasted somewhat similar to hummus, but a little bit thicker in texture.
In the spirit of Ethiopian tradition, all meals on the menu are intended to be shared. Entrees come on one large serving plate and are split among the dinner party.
Although Ethiopians also believe in hand-feeding one another, or \giving gursha,"" as a way of showing love, you can, but are not expected to, do so at Yirgalem.
For the main course, we ordered two different entrees to share. The Kitfo Special consisted of chopped organic beef blended with Ethiopian herbs, jalapeno peppers, onion, olive oil and awaze sauce, which gives the meal a spicier flavor. You can adjust the spiciness of any dish by simply asking for more or less awaze sauce.
The other meal we ordered, Yedoro Tibs, was comprised of chicken breast strips saut??ed with onion, garlic, bell peppers and a house seasoning. The chicken was cooked to perfection, not too dry or too chewy, and the flavor of the seasoned vegetables was out of this world. According to Teferra, the chicken tibs have become the restaurant's most popular item.
Most of the meals are priced moderately, ranging anywhere between $12-$17.
The atmosphere adds to the dining experience as well. Seated among dimmed lights and orange walls covered in art revealing Ethiopian history, you can't help but feel you are experiencing some of the Ethiopian culture. The d??cor is simple yet elegant, and includes a glass hutch displaying Ethiopian ingredients, including jars of grain used to make injera.
Yirgalem is the busiest on weekends; yet, there is rarely a wait-list. However, if you aren't in the mood to eat out, they do offer a to-go option as well.
Overall, the food is absolutely fantastic and the experience is unique in itself. It would also make for a fun first date, as long as you feel comfortable getting a little messy with your food. Generally, Ethiopian restaurants are pretty scarce in the Midwest, so take advantage of this opportunity and explore the culinary delights Ethiopia has to offer.
Yirgalem is open for dinner Sunday through Thursday from 5-9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 5-10 p.m.
E-mail Kat at krpeterson@wisc.edu.
