I was so embarrassed. I took a friend to Samson’s Market Bistro (4307 Camp Bowie Blvd.), Fort Worth’s only Ethiopian eatery, and he did the unthinkable: He asked for a fork and a plate. In the hierarchy of cultural faux pas, that ranks right up there with using the pointy end of a knife to eat sushi or pruning a bonsai tree with a flamethrower.
In Ethiopian cuisine, meals are typically served on a tray lined with a flat piece of a spongy sourdough flatbread called injera. The meats and veggies are mounded on the tray, along with more pieces of the bread served on the side, folded or rolled like napkins. Diners are supposed to tear off pieces of the bread to grab the meat and veggies. The whole process was just too complicated for my chicken-fried dining partner, who felt that using only his hands to eat was a betrayal of his occidental birthright. (I didn’t point out the undeniably American nature of hamburgers and hot dogs.) Also, he seemed to think it too much work.
The very accommodating owners, husband-and-wife team Samson and Jenber Yosef, grudgingly relented after a failed attempt at coaching my pal in the ways of the injera. It was like Jane Goodall trying to teach an ape how to administer first aid. I think they eventually felt sorry for him, though Jenber did warn him it was a one-time pass.
It’s not like I didn’t expect a learning curve. The first time I had Ethiopian food, I got stuck in a “Who’s On First” type of loop with my server. He asked me to choose between the lunch specials: wat — stewed meat, or fitfit — shredded injera with a sunflower dipping sauce. I asked him, “What is fitfit?” and he insisted wat wasn’t fitfit at all. Hilarity ensued.
Samson’s has been open only a couple of months in Arlington Heights. The place is the very essence of a mom-and-pop eatery: The décor in the tiny dining room is sparse but authentic, and the family works both the front and back of the house. I got the same vibe from Angie’s Bikkles Caribbean Restaurant (1704 Galveston Ave) a few weeks back.
The food was flavorful, fresh, and plentiful. The menu is separated into tibs, dishes that are sautéed to order, and the aforementioned wat, slow-cooked stews. The only appetizers are sambosas ($3), delicious lentils with spicy green peppers, onions, and garlic, stuffed in a flaky pastry, like a Greek spanakopita but with a kick.
On Samson’s suggestion, my guest and I split the beef wat ($12.95), a complex, rich, dark red stew of fork-tender beef cooked in a berbere sauce — a chef’s-pantry spice blend consisting of chile peppers, garlic, coriander, cumin, cardamom, allspice berries, and garlic. We also enjoyed the lamb tibs ($12.95), sautéed in an aromatic blend of garlic, rosemary, tomatoes, onions, and green peppers. The dish was covered by a spicy awaze sauce — a paste-like mixture of berbere, wine, lemon juice, and ginger. Aside from the meats, the edible plate was overflowing with generous portions of veggies: collard greens, a hummus-like shiro wat, and tikil gomen — a mélange of sautéed cabbage, potatoes, and carrots in a turmeric and garlic sauce.
The Yosefs, who also own the 7-Eleven store next door, were put through quite the bureaucratic meat grinder while trying to open the place, so it’s hard not to root for them. It’s still very much a work in progress. Samson told us he is developing a separate lunch menu.
I’ll be working on my injera technique in anticipation. And my friend will have to decide whether a little extra work is worth it, for all that goodness.
Contact Chow, Baby at chowbaby@fwweekly.com.
We ordered from there for lunch last week and it was my first time eating Ethiopian food. We got the vegetarian sampler for two and everything was delicious. it actually fed 6 people and I was still full at dinner time. I know I will be eating there again soon!
The Yosefs are amazing people. My daughters and I frequent the 7-11 at least three times a week. They are always friendly and accommodating. Can’t wait to try the restaurant.