An African Experience at Berlin's Massai

A while back we were craving Ethopian food and were looking for such a restaurant here in Berlin. One of the most known African restaurants in Berlin's Prenzlauer Berg district is the restaurant Massai. It offers regional specialties from Ethopia and Eritrea. It is a little pricy, but it also is a nice experience with the cute decoration of the interior, little things like African style napkins, menus, candle holder and also, the African style costumes of the staff.

We went all in, having a little nice dinner in honor of my friend's belated birthday. They had cute alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails. We also ordered a huge starter plate. And while my friends ordered the regional main dishes (Mafé Poulet from Mali and Abessinia from Ethopia and Eritrea), I had to go with the Cous Cous dish. If you know me, you know how much I like my Cous Cous (of course, my Mom's Cous Cous is unbeatable).

It was a very nice evening and defenitely a fun experience. However, if you judge the food, it did not taste very authentic. Don't get me wrong, the food tasted good, but it was nothing special, rather German like. I believe at this place you pay for the entire experience and not just the food. It is a nice place to show friends that are visiting.

What we ordered:

• Jambo Africa Vegetarian Starter Plate: Mango salad, lentils, fried plantain, Kenyan green bean salad, sweet potato skewers with berbere sauce, dumblings in coconut-pepper sauce
• Cous Cous Milboga: Cous Cous with vegetables, chickpeas, figs in safran sauce with a Harira Soup
• Abessinia: Lamb cubes, black-eyed peas and lentils in tomato-coconut sauce, wild spinach with peanut sauce
• Mafé Poulet: Chicken and lamb in peanut sauce with Kenyan beans and black-eyed peas