Mena Ethopian Restaurant

I visited Mena, 3680 Clairmont Rd. near Buford Highway, on the spur of the moment. I had been shooting in a Cuban place and someone mentioned that there was an Ethiopian restaurant across the street. I went over to check it out and it took a little time to realize it was in the back of the Bethlehem Food Store through an unmarked door on the side. Not a terribly auspicious start, but once inside I was greeted with wonderful smells. There's a large dining room with a full bar in the center and the walls are a riot of bright colors.

Fuji X-E1, 18-55mm lens, ISO 1600, 1/45 @ f/3.2

There's a dimly lit back room with a hookah bar.

Fuji X-E1, 18-55mm lens, ISO 3200, 1/2 @ f/3.2

And off to one side, a woman was crouched on the floor roasting coffee beans.

Munu Wasse roasting coffee, Fuji X-E1, 18-55mm lens, ISO 2000, 1/17

 @ f/2.8

 

This, I learned, is a traditional Ethiopian ceremony and ritual. I sat and asked my waitress what she recommended. She liked the gored gored, she told me, so that's what I had. I was a little surprised when she brought a plate of cubed and spiced raw beef.

Fuji X-E1, 18-55mm, ISO 200, 1/30 @ f/6.4

After getting over my initial hesitance, I was delighted. It was very tender and delicate. I used the slightly sour injera bread as a scoop and dipped it in mitmita  and other spices. I later learned it is very popular in both Ethiopia and Eritrea and is considered a national dish. I finished it completely satisfied. I plan to return and try other (cooked!) dishes, but I'm not sorry I tried the gored gored.

Miheret Bekele, Fuji X-E1, 18-55mm, ISO 1600, 1/25 @ f/3.2

#19 from Out on Buford Highway

Way back in September, the third post I put up from this project was shot early in the morning at La Chiquita Cafe. A couple of weeks ago, I finally went back and shot inside. The owner, Jose Lopez was nice enough to let me shoot a portrait.

Jose Lopez, Fuji X-E1, 18-55mm lens, ISO 800, 1/140 @ f/3.2

Fuji X-E1, 18-55mm lens, ISO 800, 1/220 @ f/2.8

#18 from Out on Buford Highway

Contigo Peru at 3567 Chamblee Dunwoody Road is a little off Buford Highway, but it was good enough that I thought I should include it here. It's a Peruvian seafood restaurant. The day I was there it was virtually empty when my friend and I arrived around 1:30 in the afternoon. We both had the pescado sudado, a fish stew common in northern Peru. It came as a decent sized piece of white fish swimming in a broth of tomato, onions, peppers, garlic, and a melange of herbs and spices. It was truly delicious! It came with a side of rice that I slowly added to the stew to soak up the broth. The price is reasonable at around $15.

By the way, make sure you look at all the pictures, because my favorite is the last one.

Pentax K-3, 16-50mm, ISO 200, 1/1000 @ f/8

Pentax K-3, 16-50mm, ISO 800, 1/125 @ f/5.6

Lis Ramires, Pentax K-3, 16-50mm, ISO 1600, 1/60 @ f/4.5

Hector Esquivel, Fuji X-E1, 18-55mm, ISO 1600, 1/100 @ f/4

Maria Ordonet, Fuji X-E1, 18-55mm, ISO 1600, 1/180 @ f/3.2

Maria Ordonet, Fuji X-E1, 18-55mm, ISO 1600, 1/100 @ f/3.2

Number 17 from Out on Buford Highway

I met Dener Zacarias when I was photographing in a Peruvian restaurant. He was curious about what I was doing and we talked for a few minutes. He told me about the store he owns and he invited me to come visit.

La Bendicion Market is on the second level of a plaza at 5090 Buford Highway next door to El Taco Veloz. When you walk in you're immediately hit with an explosion of color. Brilliant oranges and greens are everywhere, on the walls, on the merchandise racks. There's tons of stuff that caters to Guatemalans- fresh and packaged foods, phone cards, clothing, even toys for kids. Dener is warm and friendly and very proud of his store and how he's managed to make it grow. Not long ago he added freshly prepared food to the mix. Magy Gomez works in the kitchen and when I was there, Dener fed me a dish that was kind of a Guatemalan beef stew. I don't remember what it was called (sorry Dener), but it was delicious! Rich with meat and potatoes and a savory sauce based in tomatoes and herbs.

Thank you Dener for welcoming me into your fine establishment! And to those of you reading this, take the time to stop in and try the food.

Dener Zacarias, Fuji X-E1, 18-55mm, ISO 1600, 1/180 @ f/4

Fuji X-E1, 18-55mm, ISO 1600, 1/160 @ f/4

Pentax K-3, 16-50mm, ISO 1600, 1/250 @ f/3.2

Magy Gomez, Fuji X-E1, 18-55mm, ISO 1600, 1/320 @ f/4

Dener Zacarias, Pentax K-3, 16-50mm, ISO 1600, 1/200 @ f/3.2

unidentified boy, Pentax K-3, 16-50mm, ISO 1600, 1/160 @ f/3.2

#16 from Out on Buford Highway

Back in November, I posted about Pollo Norteno. I hadn't eaten there yet, but now I have. I'm happy to report that it's very good. I got a whole grilled chicken and beans and rice take out. I don't think the flavors of the chicken are earth-shatteringly original, but it was delicious, moist, and a lot of food for the money. For about $20, there was enough for Andrea and me to eat two dinners and a lunch- excellent value. The refried beans and rice were also very good. I recommend it.

One more addition- I ate lunch here recently and it was an incredible bargain. For $5.99 I got a drink, chips and salsa, two pieces of chicken, and refried beans and rice. That's a meal deal!

Pentax K-3, 16-50mm, ISO 400, 1/60 @ f/5.0

Fuji X-E1, 18-55mm, ISO 200, 1/20 @ f/4

Back to Buford Highway (#15)

It's been exactly one month since I last posted, but I think most will forgive me if I plead "The Holidays". It's been a blur with all three of my kids and two of their significant others in Atlanta to spend Christmas with Andrea and me. Eating, drinking, and great good cheer were the order of the day(s).

But, I'm back with more pictures from Out on Buford Highway. I'm going to start with additional pictures from two of the restaurants I've already posted about and then add more new ones. Please check back here often or sign up to follow it via e-mail to stay current.

First, is a return to Ming's BBQ. They call themselves a "Peking Duck house". They serve a range of food, but duck is their specialty and it deserves to be. If you go for dinner, remember that they don't have a liquor license.

Wole Doherty, Nikon D600, 20-35mm, ISO 1600, 1/125 @ f/5.6

Juan Qin, Nikon D600, 20-35mm, ISO 1600, 1/125 @ f/4

Number 14 from Out on Buford Highway

Lee's Bakery is at 4005 Buford Highway. It's one of the most popular banh mi and pho places on Buford Highway and that reputation is mostly deserved. It can be tough to find a table during lunch hours, so consider take-out if that's the only time you can get there. The food is very good, but I like some of the places that are a little further off the beaten track. Maybe I'll write about those in the future.

Fuji X-E1, 18-55mm lens, ISO 200, 1/400 @ f/5.6

Fuji X-E1, 18-55mm lens, ISO 200, 1/60 @ f/5.6

Number 13 from Out on Buford Highway

Cho Sun OK Korean Restaurant is at 5865 Buford Highway. I ate there with a group early on a Saturday afternoon last February. I'm not terribly familiar with Korean food, so I just sat back and tried a little of everything. The myriad of kimchi was a revelation to me. I've never been fond of things pickled, but the flavors, textures, and spiciness of what was served was astonishing. The dumplings and fish egg soup were most excellent. And the staff was warm and helpful. I'm told the restaurant has changed hands since I was there, so I hope the quality has been maintained.

Dumplings surrounded by kimchi, Pentax K-5IIs, 16-50mm lens, ISO 1600, 1/60 @ f/2.8

Fish egg soup, Pentax K-5IIs, 16-50mm lens, ISO 1600, 1/50 @ f/2.8

Barbeque, Pentax K-5IIs, 16-50mm lens, ISO 3200, 1/60 @ f/2.8

Owner Hu Bok Chong, Nikon D600, 20-35mm lens, ISO 1600, 1/40 @ f/2.8

Waitress Jeong So (Miss Park), Pentax K-5IIs, 16-50mm lens, ISO 1600, 1/50 @ f/2.8

Waitress Kyung Sook Han, Nikon D600, 20-35mm lens, ISO 1600, 1/100 @ f/2.8

Number 12 from Out on Buford Highway

Pollo Norteno is at 2501 Chamblee-Tucker Rd. just east of Buford Highway. I haven't eaten there yet, but I'm told it's very good. I love the way it was glowing this night, just before the sun went down.

Nikon D600, 20-35mm lens, ISO 100, 1/200 @ f/5.6

Number 11 from Out on Buford Highway

Taqueria El Ray Del Taco, 5288 Buford Highway, is a fun Mexican joint. The outside is covered with colorful designs and the inside is a garish explosion of greens and blues. It will definitely wake you up if you need it. The staff is friendly and most speak English pretty well if you need a menu item explained. The house Margarita is good, but the real stand outs to me are their shrimp enchiladas. It's a big portion (not that I really care about that) and the green sauce is truly outstanding. It's quite spicy hot, but it's a slow burn that I wasn't aware of until the third or fourth bite. There was plenty of time to enjoy the great flavors before the heat set in. Very nice!

Nikon D600, 20-35mm lens, ISO 100, 1/640 @ f/5.6

Nikon D600, 20-35mm lens, ISO 100, 1/60 @ f/8

Fuji X-E1, 18mm f/2 lens, ISO 800, 1/105 @ f/2.8

Fuji X-E1, 18mm f/2 lens, ISO 800, 1/40 @ f/2.8

Week 10 from Out on Buford Highway

I posted two pictures from El Taco Veloz a few weeks ago, but I decided these were worth showing, too. It looks fantastic at night.

Leo Roque, Pentax K-5 IIs, 16-55mm, ISO 1600, 1/100 @ f/2.8

Fuji X-E1, 18-55mm, ISO 1600, 1/80 @ f/3.6

Week 8 from Out on Buford Highway

Taco Market, 3304 Buford Highway, is a combination convenience store and Mexican specialty market owned by Koreans. I don't know why Koreans own a Mexican food store, but judging by the number of people there who appeared to be Hispanic, I guess they're doing something right. I just loved the simplicity of the color and geometry.

Nikon D600 20-35mm f/2.8 lens, ISO 100, 1/320 @ f/5.6

Nikon D600 20-35mm f/2.8 lens, ISO 200 1/15 @ f/5.6