Rendez-vous Ethiopian

Rendezvous Restaurant is my favorite place to be.I Enjoy the food and the Ethiopian coffee is extremely tasty and you will most certainly have more then one. Its a place I would recommend to anyone and if its your first time it won't be your last! A family atmosphere with tasty food! You cant stop even when your full! The flavours are intense in every bite

Step 1: Don't be intimidated by Ethiopian food. Step 2: Invite this highly delicious cuisine into your life! Named #1 Best Ethiopian Restaurant by blogTO, I had to find out what all of their wats and tibs were about.

You'll find this restaurant located in the East Danforth area of the city and I happily paid them a visit on a Sunday evening. I had made a reservation, which isn't a bad idea because every table in the place was full by the time that we left. The first thing that I noticed upon entering is that the space is small and dimly-lit with a very enticing vibe. The second thing that I noticed is the giant Italian flag on the floor made out of tile in the shape of Italy - clearly this had once been an Italian restaurant.

We were seated at a table and I took in the alluring surroundings. The walls are painted a rust colour and are covered in gorgeous photography of Africa. There are some very cozy booths near the back that are covered with appropriately-themed thatched roofs. But it was the dim lighting that added a certain mystique that I enjoyed very much. Our servers were friendly and helpful with any questions that we had.

I love seeing authentic beverages in restaurants like this, as opposed to the basic selection that you find everywhere. Their Special Spiced Tea sounded very good and I will definitely try it on a future visit. They also do traditional coffee ceremonies that serve four to six people. I decided to try a glass of Tej (Brewed and consumed in Ethiopia and Eritrea. It is flavoured with the powdered leaves and twigs of Gesho (Rhamnus prinoides) - $7.50), an Ethiopian Honey Wine. I loved this! The Gesho plant is a type of shiny-leaf buckthorn and the flavour reminded me a lot of ice wine, with it's syrupy-sweetness. This is exactly the type of wine (or mead) that I enjoy. Candy in a glass!

Onto the array of foods! Ethiopian food is similar to Indian food in the sense that forks are not meant to be used and instead bread is used to pick up the various items. This bread is called injera and it's very much like a crêpe made of sourdough. The dishes themselves are largely prepared as curries, some quite stew-like in nature. As with anything, you should try everything and you'll soon figure out which ones are your favourites. We tried to order some Sambusas as an appetizer (similar to a samosa) but were told that they didn't have any. That was a bit disappointing. However, we were happy to find versions of many of the other dishes that we have enjoyed in the past on Rendez-Vous' menu; Ye'beg Tibs ($13.99), Tikilgomen ($10.99), and Doro Wat ($13.99). Our platter arrived after a short wait, with folds of injera along side. There's always injera laid out flat (a huge circle) on the bottom of the plate with all of the various dishes served on top of it (this injera is the most delicious because it soaks up all of the juices!). There's also always some salad served with the meal. There was a little bit of table-side preparation involved as our server emptied some of our wats and tibs onto the platter. Everyone at the table eats off of the same big plate and we were so excited to dig in!

As previously mentioned, there is no cutlery in sight. Instead, you tear off pieces of injera to pick your food up with. I loved their spongy, porous injera full of amazing sourdough flavour.

Ye'beg Tibs is a good standby; cubes of tender lamb sauteed with onions, garlic, green pepper and awaze. Awaze is a spicy sauce made with chili peppers. I liked that they didn't hold back on the spice - the dishes were as firey as they were intended to be and I enjoyed that. This dish was a full mouth-blast of flavour. The pieces of lamb were tender as promised and tasted great with the vegetables and spicy sauce.

Tikilgoman is one of our very favourites; cabbage, carrot, and potatoes in mild sauce. Yes, a vegetarian dish. In fact, Ethiopian cuisine usually entails quite a lot of vegetarian dishes, making it a wonderful place for vegetarians to dine easily. This version of Tikilgoman was the best dish of the night! The vegetables were stewed to a tender perfection and the sauce that they're served in was a buttery, delicious dream. The strips of cabbage are just the best.

Lastly, we tried the Doro Wat, Ethiopia's national dish; spicy chicken sauce cooked with butter, onion, chili, garlic and other spices; often served with a boiled egg. This one was also quite spicy. The chicken involved was one solitary chicken leg, which seemed a little sparse. On the other hand, leg meat is the best and it was fall-off-the-bone delicious. I enjoyed the inclusion of a hard-boiled egg, because really, eggs and chicken make sense together.

The salad was also very fresh, crisp and well-dressed. It's nice to have that added bright component on the plate to balance out all of the heaviness.

At one point a server came through the restaurant with a smoking pan of Ethiopian coffee beans. When this happens you are supposed to wave the steam toward yourself and inhale the aroma as the coffee passes by. I love seeing little details like this that truly enhance the authenticity of the experience.

The one issue was that after asking for our bill it took an exceedingly long amount of time for it to arrive. We felt a bit forgotten when all that we wanted to do was pay for our meal. Aside from this, the food and atmosphere at Rendez-Vous was wonderful. Next time I would like to try the Lega Tibs, which is supposed to be Rendez-Vous' special. They also serve breakfast which I would love to check out! If you're a fan of Ethiopian food then this is the place for you... And if you've never tried it before then this is where you should start!

Vegetarian platter is the amazing with yeast tortilla specially imported from Africa. The lentils tastes amazing and food overall was worth it.

I had a friend in town visiting from London England and the one cuisine she was craving was Ethiopian. Based on reviews of this place, we thought this would be a good spot to check out amongst the other Ethiopian restaurants in the stretch. We were not disappointed!

My friend and I shared the meat and vegetable combo and although we were super full with half the plate left, we kept eating because it was so good. The meat and vegetable were very fresh and the server was very attentive and kind.

Highly recommend this spot!

This isnt typically the type of place I would walk into on a random day, however I would recommend you gives this place a try.
When you first walk in it has a smoky smell to it, but its their traditional scent.
We orderd the veggie platter for two and added Lamp to it. FOR A COUPLE THATS A LOT OF FOOD!

:)

What a great hidden find!. This stretch of the Danforth seems to be developing into Little Ethiopia. Rendez-vous has been there for ages and I always walked by as it didn't look overly inviting. What a mistake!

We finally decided to go in and it was fabulous. A warm welcoming setting and amazing food. Much to our surprise, it was really busy too!

Highly recommended

I was taught growing up that going out for dinner was a treat, a special occasion that was a rarity. Born in a small border city, this was understandable, as the restaurants weren’t the best- chain business’ that mastered the art of deep-frying and over-boiling. Now that I live in Toronto (with the exception of veg restaurants, of course), it is still uncommon that you’ll find me out for dinner…until recently, anyways.

It was a chilly evening, and I was craving something ethnic. Ordering in pad Thai (and not changing out of my pajamas) would have worked, but that life isn’t cute and fun anymore, especially when you can’t zip your pants up the next day. I needed somewhere chill, cheap and guilt-free. And you won’t believe it folks, but I found it- Ethiopian cuisine.

We live in one of the most diverse cities in North America, a nirvana for the cultured foodie. The craft of Ethiopian food is a beautiful thing: you eat with your hands, it’s naturally gluten-free, the vegetarian option is also vegan. And—best part—popcorn is served for dessert. Yes. Popcorn.

Between Greenwood and Monarch Park Ave.’s along the Danforth is where one would find the best of Toronto’s Ethiopian culture. The ambience of Ethiopian restaurants that I’ve been to is very much the same- small, warm and cozy- as if you’ve just entered someone’s home. Although I’ve only been to few, Rendez-Vous, an authentic restaurant in the east end, is my favourite thus far. Well known for its simple plates, waitresses coat the dimly lighted air with incenses as you indulge in their homemade delicacies. A section of their menu is dedicated to vegans, you can’t go wrong with ordering the vegetarian platter. The platter will please even the pickiest of eaters, this sample-like tray cost is minimal and will satisfy up to 3-4 people.

The vegetarian platter is served on a big round plate with injera (a sourdough flatbread) at the base. Made out of teff, this whole grain is ground and then made into a thin, spongy-like pita that has optimal health benefits. Celiac friendly, high in fibre and a good source of protein, the list goes on, and that’s not to mention what sits on it—heaping piles of lentils, cabbage, salad, potatoes, and any other vegan options on the menu are proportioned in piles atop the injera. You use the bread as a utensil to pick up whatever steaming aroma catches your nose first.

Unlike other restaurant foods that can leave you feeling weighted and regretful, Ethiopian is light, delicious, vegan, and a crowd pleaser. Whether you’ve got an itch for that ethnic flavour, or want something easy and simple- take it from me, you need it in your life.

Tip- If heading to Rendez-Vous, be sure to check out their coffee ceremony post-meal. Served with a basket of popcorn, it’s a little pricey, but being as this ritual is one of the most recognizable parts of Ethiopian culture, it won’t disappoint!