Excellent Food and Service

I've dined at many Ethiopian restaurants throughout the years. Most of which were Toronto, Montreal and Winnipeg. This is my first time dining at an Ethiopian restaurant in Vancouver.

I've heard of Abyssinia recently and decided to give it a try. Most of my restaurant experiences lately have been dismal and I've been waiting to experience something new and exciting. Abyssinia did not disappoint.

I didn't make reservations as there were only two of us but we were seated right away. Our server was very friendly, as you would find in practically all Ethiopian restaurants. The décor was beautiful and the dining area was very clean. One thing I did notice is that the layout was made to maximize the number of patrons in the area, which leads to very little room between your table and the next. While this does not always bother me so much, being a larger person this is sometimes a problem when restaurants are busy.

While I'm more than familiar with the cuisine and a little bit about the culture, I must say Abyssinia is unique. Some of their dishes I have never had before, anywhere. While most Ethiopian restaurants have certain staple courses, what stood out the most were courses that I never heard of before. Having have skipped lunch that day, I was ravenous and ordered numerous dishes. All of my previous experiences with Ethiopian restaurants was that the portion size is generally smaller than what a large adult would order to feel satisfied, so I knew that multiple orders would be the smart move. Upon receiving our orders, I was amazed how large they were compared to my previous experiences at other Ethiopian restaurants. I knew right away that my partner and I would not be able to finish everything. There was absolutely nothing that we didn't like, everything from start to finish, at least what we were able to finish, was fantastic. The server kept coming back to make sure we were happy with our orders. If there is a restaurant where you can feel an aura of friendliness, then this is It.

The servers were genuinely friendly, the atmosphere was vibrant with great food and a great experience. I highly recommend Abyssinia, which easily surprised me to be one of my best dining experiences in some time.