A Tasteful Experience and Mesob Ethiopian Restaurant



A Tasteful Experience, at the Pleasantdale Chateau in West Orange, NJ, 2009

 Mesob is proud to be a featured restaurant in the signature fall event, A Tasteful Experience, to benefit the Clara Maass Medical Center Foundation.  The event will take place on November 8, 2010, at Pleasantdale Chateau in West Orange, NJ.

Mesob Ethiopian Restaurant will specially prepare and donate food and staff time for the evening, alongside 40 of the area’s finest restaurants, caterers and purveyors of spirits.  The event will raise funds to benefit Clara Maass Medical Center programs and services.

The evening of exotic culinary delights and wine will allow guests to sample Ethiopian, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Irish, Mexican, seafood, and continental cuisines as well as gourmet desserts.

 “We are delighted that so many outstanding chefs will be participating in this year’s event,” said Jane Newman Kessler, CFRE, vice president, Clara Maass Medical Center Foundation. “Michael Carrino, owner of Restaurant Passioné and winner of Food Network’s “Chopped” will be participating for the fifth year, as well as owner of CulinAriane and Bravo’s “Top Chef” participant Ariane Duarte, and NBC Today Show featured chef Ryan DePersio of Montclair’s Fascino, and Berekti Mengistu, Owner of Mesob Ethiopian Restaurant of Montclair, NJ, featured on ABCNews Neighborhood Eats.”

“I am proud to be part of ‘A Tasteful Experience’ once again” says Mengistu, owner of Mesob Ethiopian Restaurant.  “This is a very worthwhile cause, and we strongly believe that eating food should make you feel good.  We hope that people join us for a charitable event that does just that – make you feel good.”

Food and wine aficionados can attend the Main Event, beginning at 7 p.m. for $95.  For the VIP Experience, guests can purchase a ticket for $150, which offers early admission at 6 p.m. and a luxury swag bag.  To purchase tickets, visit www.claramaassfoundation.org or call 973.450.2277 for more information.

Live and Become - A Poignant Movie with Ethiopian Culture & History

If you want to see a glimpse into the history of Ethiopia, we highly recommend you check out "Live and Become."  We hope that it will make your Mesob Ethiopian Dining experience much more heightened (ex.  Ethiopian coffee pots (jebenas) and injera (Ethiopian bread.)

Ths movie is based on real events, this epic story of a Christian Ethiopian boy who is airlifted from a Sudanese refugee camp to Israel in 1984 during Operation Moses.

You can read a New York Times review by Stephen Holden.

You can also rent this film on Netflix.

An uplifting but tragic story at the same time.  Have you seen this film?  What did you think?

Mesob Ethiopian Restaurant Launches “7 Words for 7 Years” Contest

Happy 7th Birthday Mesob Ethiopian Restaurant!

Our first-ever creative contest for Mesob Ethiopian Restaurant of Montclair, NJ's 7^th year in business.     

How much can you express about your Ethiopian food experience in just 7 words?  Mesob Ethiopian Restaurant wants to know how much the Ethiopian food and experience inspires you.

Mesob is seeking entrants who want to share their experience with the rest of us.  Seven words.  No more, no less.

Entries can be in a creative sentence, or in a 2-3-2 catchy 7 word sequence (Much like the 5-7-5 Haiku non-rhymed verse genre).  An example of this might be “Eat meat. Or go vegan. Eat Ethiopian.”

Entrants are encouraged to dispense sentiment and wisdom.  But please no profanity.  Entries can be submitted in person at Mesob Ethiopian Restaurant, or by e-mail to Mesob@saywowmarketing.com.

The “7 words for 7 years” contest coincides with the 7^th birthday of the Montclair, NJ restaurant, which opened its doors October 28, 2003. 

A sharing of Ethiopian culture is part of the charm of this eclectic restaurant.  Berekti Mengistu, one of the two Ethiopian sisters who own Mesob, says, “We want to share just more than Ethiopian food with our community, but also our culture.  Our recent Ehiopian music and dance event opened up more culture to our community.    We would love to know what people think not just about Ethiopian food, but also the experience you can find at Mesob.”

The contest runs for over two weeks starting Thursday, October 14, 2010 through Friday, October 29, 2010.

The winner will receive a $25 gift certificate for Mesob Ethiopian Restaurant. The winner will also gain notoriety as the first-ever and only Mesob “7 Words for 7 Years” contest winner.

Start writing.  Send your comments.  And win!

Mesob Ethiopian Restaurant is located at 515 Bloomfield Avenue, in Montclair, NJ.  For reservations or more information, call 973-655-9000 or visit Mesob online at http://www.mesobrestaurant.com.

History of Ethiopian Coffee

The earliest historic records of coffee were between 575 and 850 A.D.

Legend has it that a young Ethiopian goat herder, Kaldi, saw his goats jumping around and acting frisky after eating some red berries from a bush.

Kaldi tried some of the berries himself. He amazingly felt awakened and began to dance around with his goats.

So coffee was discovered in Ethiopia...by a goat!

So, next time you enjoy an Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony, think of the dancing goats who we must be be thankful for!

As Seen on TV - Ethiopian Beef Stew Recipe (Tibs Wet)

Here is the recipe for Tibs Wet prepared daily at Mesob Ethiopian Restaurant of Montclair, NJ. This recipe was shared on a recent appearance on WABC7 Eyewitness News Neighborhood Eats.

TIBS WET/ZIGNEE RECIPE

Utensils:
Heavy-bottomed medium-sized saucepan
Wooden spoon

Ingredients:
3 cups chopped shallots or red onions
2 cups vegetable oil
1 medium tomato minced (optional)
1 cup Ethiopian hot pepper
1 tsp ground nigella seeds
1 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp ginger
1 tbsp Ethiopian spiced butter
1 lb beef cut in cubes
2 cups boiled water
1/2 tsp false cardamom
Instructions: Sauté onions over low heat, stirring until translucent and soft. Add oil to the onions, stirring gently to mix well. If you choose to use tomato, add into the mixture at this point. Add Ethiopian hot pepper and salt (to taste) and mix together. Add garlic, ginger, and nigella seeds, mixing well. Stir occasionally. Cook for 15 minutes or when oil starts to rise to the surface and the mixture is a deep, rich, reddish color add the meat. Cook for 10 minutes and add boiling water. Add butter and false cardamom, cook for 5 minutes and remove from heat.
(Copyright ©2010 WABC-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)

Traditional Ethiopian Music and Dance Will Kick Off Vegetarian Awareness Month at Montclair Restaurant

   

Mesob Ethiopian Restaurant to feature Ethiopian Music and Dance group on U.S. tour to Celebrate Global Vegetarian Awareness Day

Mesob Ethiopian Restaurant, a family-owned restaurant in Montclair,  NJ specializing in Ethiopian cuisine, will kick off Vegetarian Awareness Month with traditional Ethiopian music and dance on October 1, 2010.

The restaurant will also feature a completely vegan menu for the occasion, and introduce 2 new vegan specials to celebrate the start of Vegetarian Awareness Month. A new pumpkin stew, Duba Quanta, and Portobello Mushroom Stew, Ingudai Quanta will be featured on the menu for the first time.  Ethiopian jerky is traditionally made with beef, but patrons can enjoy these dishes prepared vegan style.

The one night only performance at Mesob will feature Zena Bel Band, based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and two Ethiopian dancers. True to the tradition of the wandering azmari musicians from the Ethiopian countryside, the colorful performers will dance and play their instruments as they move throughout the restaurant.

The evening of Ethiopian music will feature the traditional drum "kebero" played by Asrat Ayalew, five-string acoustic violin, played by Kaethe Hostetter, evoking the "masinqo," a one-string bowed instrument, and vocalist, Selamnesh Zemene, specializing in the “azmari” style.

Joining Zena Bel Band will be two top Ethiopian dancers, Melaku Belay and Zinash Tsgegaye, of the Ethiopian dance troop, Fendika.  Mesob Ethiopian Restaurant was able to book the group for this Vegetarian Awareness month kick off, as the musicians and dancers are on their first North American tour with the well-known Boston- based Debo Band.

Berekti Mengistu, one of the two Ethiopian sisters who own Mesob, says, “We want to share just more than Ethiopian food with our community, but also our culture.  Many of our patrons are vegetarians and may not be aware that all of our vegetarian dishes are prepared vegan style.  This is because our Ethiopian vegetarian dishes evolved as Ethiopian Orthodox Christian fasting days restrict us from eating animal products.  Vegetarian Awareness Month is a perfect time to share our rich culture – not only with a special menu, but with our special music as well.”

A sharing of Ethiopian culture is part of the charm of this eclectic restaurant.  In Ethiopian culture, an "azmari bet," is a place where people come to listen and enjoy traditional Ethiopian music.  For this evening, Mesob Ethiopian Restaurant will become a vegan “azmari bet” something rarely seen in the U.S.

The Global Vegetarian Awareness Celebration music and dance event will have seatings at 7 and 9 pm.  Reservations are required.

Mesob Ethiopian Restaurant is located at 515 Bloomfield Avenue, in Montclair, NJ.  For reservations or more information, call 973-655-9000 or visit Mesob online at http://www.mesobrestaurant.com.

Ethiopian All You Can Eat Buffet and New Year Celebration

Catering at Mesob Ethiopian Restaurant of Montclair NJ

NEWS RELEASE – for Immediate Release                              September 2, 2010


All You Can Eat Ethiopian Buffet to be Hosted by Montclair, NJ Restaurant

Mesob Restaurant to ring in the Ethiopian New Year with its annual New Year Celebration September 11, 2010. 

September 2, 2010 –  Mesob Ethiopian Restaurant, a family-owned restaurant in Northern NJ specializing in Ethiopian cuisine, will host its annual all you can eat buffet on Saturday, September 11, 2010.
Mesob created the annual buffet event to celebrate Enkutatash, an important New Year festival for Ethiopian Orthodox Christians, which include many of the restaurant’s regular customers, as well as the owner’s family and restaurant staff.

The restaurant will feature a fully catered spread including vegan dishes, meat and seafood dishes, and the 2 popular salad dishes the restaurant offers.


The all you can eat meat and seafood menu will include shrimp tibs, doro wat (chicken), doro tibs (chicken),  yebeg aletcha (lamb), tibs wat (beef), minchet aletcha (beef).  The two popular Mesob salad creations to be served include Ye’Mesob selata and Ye’Dinch selata. 

All vegetarian (vegan) dishes served at the restaurant will be offered at the buffet, including gomen (collard greens), tikile gomen (cabbage and potatoes), atkilt wat (green beans and carrots), miser wat (split lentils), buticha (pureed chickpeas), ingudai tibs (portobellos)and kik aletcha (yellow split peas).Because Mesob Ethiopian Restaurant offers vegan dining,

Enkutatash is an important festival in the lives of Ethiopians. After three months of heavy rains the sun comes out creating a beautiful clear fresh atmosphere. The highland fields turn to gold as the Meskal daisies burst into flower. For this reason, Mesob Ethiopian Restaurant will line its floors with grasses and yellow flower petals.

Berekti Mengistu, one of the two Ethiopian sisters who own Mesob, is very excited to celebrate the Ethiopian New Year with family, friends and restaurant patrons. “We want to share just more than Ethiopian food with our community, but also our culture.  That is why one of the happiest festivals is the perfect opportunity to open not only our doors but our menu.”  A sharing of the Ethiopian culture is part of the charm of this eclectic restaurant, located at 515 Bloomfield Avenue in Montclair, NJ.

David Corcoran, in his New York Times restaurant review says, “There is one thing you will certainly not want, and that is to leave.”

The New Year Celebration event and all you can eat buffet event will have seatings at 5, 7 and 9 pm and reservations are required.

Mesob Restaurant is located at 515 Bloomfield Avenue, in Montclair, NJ.  For reservations or more information, call 973-655-9000 or visit Mesob online at http://www.mesobrestaurant.com.