KoKoB

KoKoB is an Ethiopian restaurant located in the heart of Brussels. There you can try the food from this African country in a very peculiar way: by eating with your own hands! Indeed, Mr. José Manuel Barroso and his team could not resist of going there and trying it for themselves... among many other delegations and groups from important institutions and companies.

What we were served as a starter: kinche (bulgur salad with lemon) and a  strawberry flavored apéritif

The space and the ambiance are quite nice, all decorated with African related objects and with a warm light illuminating the whole restaurant.

The wine that we drank

All dishes there are served with injera (a pancake made ​​with teff, a cereal similar to millet) or rice, you choose. According to the Ethiopian customs, the meal is served on a large common plate where everyone tries the various dishes with a piece of injera. However, on request, meals can be served on individual plates (but don't do that, go for the fun of eating with your hands instead!).

This is what there was in our plate:

• Key Wot (pieces of beef cooked in a spicy and berbere sauce)
• Doro Tibs Be Timatim (fried cubed chicken marinated with herbs, tomatoes and onions)
• Attir Kik alicha (lentils cooked in a mild pea sauce)
• Tikle gomen (white cabbage, potatoes and carrot cooked in a special sauce)
• Timatim, Gomen Ena Engudai Wot (tomatoes, spinach and mushrooms with a touch of ginger and garlic)
• Mixed salads
• Ayeb (white cheese)

It is also an Ethiopian custom that the first piece of food that you take is not for yourself, but for a person dining with you, so you should serve it to them in the mouth. It is really funny because the staff is quite friendly and in each step of the meal they explain you these facts and actually serve the first piece of food to you... in the way explained above! In the end you can also eat the injera that was covering the big plate and that got filled with the food that you put on top.

Ethiopian coffee that we drank for dessert

Before the coffee came, the staff also appeared with some of its toasted grains for us to smell them and gave us an explanation on how it is produced. Also, here's an explanation on how you're supposed to eat there with the injera:

The shared plates are served for groups of a minimum of 2 people and you have several menu formulas to choose from. So it is a good idea to come in a big group and order different menus, so everyone can try the different specialties. They are often full, so contact them for a booking beforehand!

KoKoB

Rue des Grands Carmes, 10 - 1000 Bruxelles.

Tel : 02 511 19 50

E-mail : info@kokob.be

www.kokob.be