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Aix
Denver, CO |
Los Danzantes
Oaxaca, Mexico |
Asia de Cuba
West Hollywood, CA |
The Sanctuary
New York, NY |
Ghenet
New York, NY |
Moustache
New York, NY |
Lemongrass Grill
New York, NY |
Steak Frites
New York, NY |
Caffe Taci
New York, NY |
Sammy’s Noodle Shop & Grill
New York, NY |
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| Ghenet |
284 Mulberry Street
New York, NY
212.343.1888 |
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If Ghenet truly is, as their slogan says, "Where Angels Eat" it's probably because angels almost never find themselves in an uncomfortably tense post-breakup situation where every minute feels like an hour, so that it feels they're waiting, well, about 20 hours for the freaking check.
But perhaps I'm getting ahead of myself.
Ghenet is a fairly cozy restaurant offering a fine example of the uniquely delicious Ethiopian cuisine, and perhaps on a lazy weekend night surrounded by friends this sparsely staffed, slightly SoHo restaurant would be the perfect choice. On a night where conflict might also be on the menu, however, the sluggish service and communal aspect of the meal combine to create unneeded additional pressures.
For those who may not be familiar with Ethiopian food, it is generally offered as a large platter of meat and vegetable dishes, with all those at the table sharing from the platter. There is no silverware, with the diners using spongy injera bread to pick up the food. As mentioned, this communal aspect can make for a fun night among friends, but even under the best of circumstances contains a degree of strategy and gamesmanship that can be a passive-aggressive partner's dream.
For example: should you go for a mix of dishes or immediately zero in on that one favorite before it disappears? Making eye contact during the climax of your breakup speech might just give your now-spurned date the opportunity to scarf down the excellent spicy chicken dishes, leaving you with a lump of bland greens and a lonely, sinister hard-boiled egg.
As for the aforementioned service, while normally it might not have been an issue and perhaps I simply caught Ghenet on an unlucky, short-staffed night, it still wouldn't explain the long waits for refills on water and honey wine (a delightfully sweet complement to the spicy dishes), not to mention the hoarding of napkins like they were made of gold leaf, especially irksome during a meal eaten with the hands.
In short, while excellent in many ways, I can't particularly recommend Ghenet for any meal as complicated and fraught with danger as a breakup. Go someplace simpler, and save Ghenet for that next meeting of your Kelly Ripa Book Club. |
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| Ken Goldstein |
| February 22, 2003 |
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