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The 2008
Mietta Song Recital Award

Cafe Lalibela

Ph: 9687 0300; 91 Irving St, FOOTSCRAY 3011

ethiopian, $ -
Open Lunch 7 days Dinner Sun-Wed; Licensed, BYO, Corkage $2 bottle; No Cards

Mietta's Review
Footscray is becoming an African centre as evidenced by this Ethiopian cafe. Forget your knife and fork use the injera (a flat sour dough bread) to wrap up your ful (fava beans flavoured with chilli and ricotta) or dip into the spicy chicken stew. Low prices helo compensate for the laid back service.

Other published opinions

Herald Sun Extra Food, Claire Sutherland, 12-08-08 Score: *** "Cafe Lalibela does comfort food like no other"

The Age Cheap Eats 2008 "Unless you are a pro, prepare to get delightfully messy' warns the menu at Cafe Lalibela"

The Age Dani Valent, 9-10-2006 "Cafe Lalibela's offerings are more or less the same as those in Footscray's other African restaurants, it stands out as the slightly more upmarket option. Slightly. Its most expensive dishes are $12, while those nearby stop at $10. An extra $2 buys a smarter, more modern fit-out and the feeling that you're in someone's restaurant, not their lounge room. Wooden chairs, easy-wipe glass-over-linen tables, odd overhead lighting panels and paintings of kings, camels and coffee ceremonies do for decor in what is still a minimal fit-out."

The Age Cheap Eats 2007 "No fork, no knife, no spoon, no plate? No worries! Just use your fingers: your waiter brings a tray draped in a pancake-like wheel of injera (fermented Ethiopian flatbread)."

The Age Cheap Eats 2006 Many Ethiopian taxi drivers end their shifts at this homey joint, which looks more like a restaurant than a cafe these days after a serious makeover. The walls are hung with artwork, tables laid with earthy-hued tablecloths and traditional instruments are displayed near the bar.

The Age Liz Cincotta 4/2/06 ""Traditional dishes are served on enamel trays and covered with giant pancake-like bread known as injera. Favourites include the doro wat - marinated chicken prepared with herbs, spices and berbere (hot pepper) - and ful, a spicy meal of cooked beans jumbled with green chilli, onion tomato and ricotta.

Herald Sun CityStyle 26/04/05 Taste of Africa Sally Fisher "at Cafe Lalibela, the Ethiopian spicy stews are eaten without knives or forks. You use your injera, a sour pancake-like bread, to scoop up your meal, which is served on top of the bread."

The Age Cheap Eats 2005 "THIS slice of Ethiopian cafe culture is testament to Footscray's African evolution."

The Age Cheap Eats 2004 "Cafe Lalibela serves as an unofficial meeting spot for Ethiopian expats, and a jumping off point for local adventurers."

Age Cheap Eats 2004,'World Food Dish of the Year,'Out of Africa and into Footscray comes this Ethopian dish of mashed bean,sparked with green chilli,onion,tomato and dollops of soft ricotta.'

The Age, Agenda, 4/4/04,Roslyn Grundy,'you'll receive a broad enamel platter covered with injera,the spongy sourdough bread,on to which will be upended things like doro wot (chicken stew)...Then it's time to tear off hunks of bread, wrap it around the food or use to mop up the juices.'

The Age, Epicure, Under $10, John Weldon, 15/10/02 'Yefem tibis $8.' "What is yefem tibis- Ethiopian diced lamb sizzled in a clay pot."

The Age, A2, Food & Wine, 2/8/03, John Weldon,'Dining here is a genuine thrill for those who haven't tried Ethopian cuisine as everything from the food to utensils and the tableware is unlike anything you might have sampled before.'

Herald Sun, Sunday Magazine, 2003, Sally Fisher,'food is exotic and eating utensils are non-existent...excellent and cheap eating experience.'