There’s a little restaurant on the Shepherd’s Bush end of the Uxbridge Road with the brightest red and yellow sign I’ve ever burned my retinas on. That’s Red Sea Restaurant, a cosy place serving food from Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia and Yemen. The countries seem a bit random but a quick peek at Google maps confirms that the countries are all clustered together, with the Red Sea acting as the boundary between Africa and Asia. I’d visited the restaurant a year or two ago with a colleague but hadn’t been back since to really try the menu. I reckon we’ve made a good start of it recently and it’s now a firm favourite of ours.
After meeting at Westfield one evening after work, Blai and I headed to Red Sea to dine rather than go to one of the chain restaurants at the mall (we usually head to the Byron’s there but we weren’t feeling like burgers). Keen to try as much as possible on our (sort of) first visit, we opted to share their Red Sea special dish, a mix of seven Abyssinian dishes (£22) . What arrived was something a little bigger than we anticipated.
Let’s take a little tour around the platter!
Everything’s sitting on a base of injera, that fermented, spongy, steamed flat bread, which does a fine job of soaking up all the delicious sauces. In the middle, there’s some doro wat, that most famous of Ethiopian dishes – a spicy stew of chicken and boiled eggs.
There were two different lamb stews and a mild vegetable stew.
Lentils! I adore Ethiopian and Eritrean lentil dishes – they’re so flavourful. The yellow stuff was what I affectionately called the delicious yellow mush. The spiced rice was a nod to the Yemeni cuisine also served by the restaurant.
More lentils – those red ones in the front were cooked in a rich tomato sauce. All delicious and we couldn’t stop shovelling it all in.
There was easily enough food for three people; we didn’t make a dent into the accompanying basket of injera. Oh, did I not mention the basket of injera on the side? We really tried our best but we just couldn’t finish everything on the platter. And by the way, those aren’t teaspoons (well, we used spoons but traditionally, one would eat with one’s right hand). A very good deal, I say!
If that’s just too much food for you, the dishes are mostly available separately on the Abyssinian part of the menu (all served with injera).
On another visit, we ordered off what we think was the Yemeni side of the menu (not clearly listed but going through the Wikipedia entry for Yemeni cuisine prior to the visit helped a bit. I wasn’t at all acquainted with this cuisine previously). This was my Baby Chicken Filets marinated in a Saffron Sauce, served with the same spiced rice we had the first time (£5.50). That rice is outstanding – perfectly cooked and infused with spice and caramelised onions and dotted with the occasional sultana.
Blai’s Bamia Billahmi was okra with lamb cubes cooked with tomato, coriander and garlic and was served with rice, though injera was also offered (£6.00). Everything had been stewed to tenderness and was supremely comforting.
The fresh chilli sauce brought to our table (is this zhoug – the famous Yemeni chilli sauce?) was bright and zingy with tomatoes and herbs and I added it liberally to my rice. Such a cheap meal that was!
We returned again recently and almost ordered the giant platter but as it was just lunch time, we went the sensible route and split two of the Yemeni dishes again.
Blai ordered the Lamb Mandi with rice (£7.00). This was described as steamed lamb on the menu but what came out was much more delicious than the description led us to expect. The tender meat had obviously been marinated in goodness.
I went with the Grilled Sea Bass with rice (£9.00), wanting something a little lighter than meat; I wasn’t expecting my “light” lunch to come on two separate plates!
This was a whole butterflied, perfectly cooked, charcoal grilled fish. It was gorgeous – the fish too had been marinated and the skin had taken on that flavour you only get from cooking over charcoal. Blai had to help me with it and together, we picked it clean.
We got to try their Lemon shake (£2.00) this time (their machine was broken on our last visit). It was fresh, refreshing and tasty – definitely recommended. Nothing wrong with ordering tap water here too – they’ll bring a whole jug of it out for the table.
Like Bonda Cafe, this is a simple place serving good food – definitely recommended. I haven’t yet figured out which of the dishes on the menu are from Somalia though… If Wikipedia is anything to go by, perhaps the spaghetti bolognese on the menu is a Somali version. Something tells me though that we’re going to be getting the big platter again next time…
Red Sea Restaurant
382 Uxbridge Road
Shepherd’s Bush
London W12 7LL
Tue, 1 Mar, 2011 at 18:42
Ace review- will definitely try this place! Cheers
Tue, 1 Mar, 2011 at 22:00
Woohoo! What a spread. Was mesmerised by Abyssinian platter and stared a the photo that you’ve taken for quite a bit. Was thinking those will go fabulous with some naan. Hmm, wrong region but still!
Tue, 12 Mar, 2013 at 19:24
trust me, naan won’t do the ethiopian sauces justice, the injeera is the best thing to have with those sauces (delicious combo)
Tue, 1 Mar, 2011 at 23:17
This is exactly the kind of food I sit there fantasising about. Shame its in a place I rarely ever get to because I wouldn’t hesitate tracking it down for a good bit of tucker. Maybe if I find myself around the shepherds bush way for a gig or something I’ll recommend it as a place to go beforehand. I have found myself easily disappointed by middle-eastern-cum-African cuisine in the past, I usually have such high expectations. The Sea bass looks simply quite fantastic, you pretty much described a perfect piece of fish IMO.
Wed, 2 Mar, 2011 at 03:06
everything you tried looked nice!
Wed, 2 Mar, 2011 at 07:05
The rice! The rice! It looks so amazing. Another top find and a great option when I make my very occasional visits to Westfield.
Wed, 2 Mar, 2011 at 07:16
That sounds fantastic! Along with Cafe Bonda – I have two must try restaurants. You are a genius for finding things that are great but yet affordable. Thanks.
Wed, 2 Mar, 2011 at 15:30
Yum, yum, yum… so glad to see such a good review of a Shepherd’s Bush restaurant… Could eat the pictures! x
Thu, 3 Mar, 2011 at 07:14
This is good to see, because that’s a part of the world which few people would, ordinarily, visit, and this resto seems to showcase their cuisine beautifully.
Thu, 3 Mar, 2011 at 11:04
looks like you found a little gem again! I don’t know much about food from these regions but it looks absolutely heavenly! note to myself – do not read tamarindandthyme before lunch. Starving!
Thu, 3 Mar, 2011 at 15:47
Carlito11: I hope you like it! Thanks for dropping by!
London Chow: How about some more injera?
Keith: Perhaps it was Yemeni food that you desired all along? I wonder what it is in Middle Eastern/African food that usually disappointed you? I found that most of the dishes here had flavours that were much better than their looks suggested!
kat: It all was!
Mr Noodles: You’d love the rice – soooo good. And when mixed with the sauce… mmmmmmm!
Robert: No, no, not a genius at all. I just read A LOT and love eating out but I’ve got to watch the pennies!
Bird: Yay for Shepherd’s Bush! There are so many other restaurants to try too!
travelrat: True – Yemen isn’t a place I would have thought of going… but their food is fantastic! And Eritrea! And Ethiopian! Have you been to any of those?
Ute: They certainly present it beautifully (and in large quantities) here!
Thu, 3 Mar, 2011 at 19:06
I’ve only had Ethiopian food once, but I love the hearty stews, and those lentil dishes sound heavenly. I’ll have to keep my eyes open for an Abyssinian place in Paris!
Fri, 4 Mar, 2011 at 00:17
This looks amazing, your posts never fail to make me hungry!!!
Now to find an good North African restaurant in Tokyo…..
Fri, 4 Mar, 2011 at 09:10
(Have you been to any of those?)
No but I read about injera and wat in Wilbur Smith’s ‘The Seventh Scroll’
Fri, 4 Mar, 2011 at 15:17
croquecamille: There’s some magic in those lentils – they are just beautifully cooked. Good luck with your search in Paris!
niamh: I guess these would be more east African? Looking forward to hearing whether you’re able to find it in Tokyo!
Sat, 5 Mar, 2011 at 08:32
Can’t wait to try this restaurant next time I am in London. Looks like something I would love, and impressive dent on that platter. Really!
Sat, 5 Mar, 2011 at 14:58
Sounds really interesting and great value for money as well (still getting over the size of that platter of food!)
Sun, 6 Mar, 2011 at 22:19
Oh I really miss Uxbridge Road in Shepherds Bush, when I lived there we barely ate out in town as there was such variety at the end of the road. The stuff here looks fantastic. I don’t remember the name of this restaurant so presumably it’s opened since I left but I’m dying to know what it’s replaced!
Mon, 7 Mar, 2011 at 09:47
Lovely find! I’ve had Ethiopean once only in NYC, and loved it. Happy to have a good lead in London now.
Wen
Tue, 8 Mar, 2011 at 18:53
Gosh. That’s a mountain of food! Love the look of the charred fish.
Sat, 12 Mar, 2011 at 11:00
Food Jihadist: It’s platters like that are now causing us to watch what we eat (amount-wise)! When are you coming to London?
Gourmet Chick: It was BIG.
Sarah: It’s relatively new… maybe a few years old?
Going With My Gut: I just got the heads up on another Ethiopian place near us… think there are a few elsewhere too. Tried Zigni House years ago (Eritrean/Ethiopian) and a few reviews that came out late last year confirm that it’s still good.
Jonathan: It was some damn fine eating!
Fri, 18 Mar, 2011 at 00:43
Went here today for dinner on your recommendation Su-Lin. Had the big platter and a dish of aubergines and meat (tasted like brinjal bhaji you get in Indian restaurants). Everything was really tasty, came to £33 for 3 people, with 3 cokes and a banana shake.
Miles better than the afternoon tea we had at The Dorchester earlier today (a gift) which was quite frankly rubbish and stupidly overpriced at £36. I’ve had better sandwiches from supermarkets.
Fri, 18 Mar, 2011 at 14:51
Stephen: I’m so glad that you enjoyed it! I’ve gotta get Blai to try a banana shake next time – he loves them. I’ve not tried the aubergine and will definitely get to it in the future.
Shame about your tea experience though. I’m looking for a good one that I can take my MIL to in the spring.
Sat, 19 Mar, 2011 at 01:40
The banana shake tasted (to me) like a banana and honey pancake blended up. Whether or not that’s a good thing, I don’t know. I don’t have a particularly sweet tooth, but my friend seemed to enjoy it.
It was full of people celebrating their Birthdays and anniversaries etc, they all seemed to be quite enjoying the occasion. I’m not one for decor, give me a big plate of flavoursome food and I’m happy. Insipid sandwiches made with slightly stale bread really isn’t acceptable. The pastries were ok, but you’d get better in Patisserie Valerie.
I read your post about Su La. I’ve never been there, but I have been to Hamgipak, You Me, Yami and some other one which did all you can eat which I’ve forgotten the name of. I recommend Hamgipak, it’s a tiny place on the high street but the food is good. If you want BBQ then Yami is good. I also like Assa (near Tottenham Court Road) if I find myself wanting Korean in central London, they charge New Malden prices too, which is very useful.
This H Mart opening is news to me. I usually do my asian shopping at Korea Foods.
Sun, 20 Mar, 2011 at 17:14
I walked past it a couple of weeks ago on my way to Sipsmith – now I wish I had stopped to eat there!
Thu, 28 Apr, 2011 at 16:20
[…] had read about doro wat on Sulin’s blog when she visited an Ethiopian restaurant and it was so well described and photographed I was most […]
Mon, 13 Jun, 2011 at 17:55
Greetings. I see you did a post about Ethiopian food on your blog. Here on WordPress, I have an entire Ethiopian Food blog, and I’ve written a book about the cuisine. I thought you and your visitors might be interested in looking at it: ethiopianfood.wordpress.com
Cheers,
Harry
Fri, 19 Jul, 2013 at 11:26
Thank you for your fantastic description! I’ve been looking for Yemeni cuisine all over London. I previously lived there and I have to say Yemeni food is probably the best I have tasted in my life – a fusion of Indian spices and traditional Arab food that you are used to! Apart from Queen Sheba, this seems to be the only place with at least a few Yemeni dishes…