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3939 NE Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, Portland, Oregon, 503.331.9844, open Tuesday-Saturday
Despite what you may have read elsewhere, this is not an Ethiopian restaurant. Somalia, Kenya, and Djibouti share the eponymous geography of Africa's east coast with the former kingdom of Abyssinia, and the food served at this outpost of a little-known culture reflects flavors from the entire region. While Ethiopian food carries flavor notes of cumin and coriander, Somalians prefer nutmeg, bay leaf, and dried lemon, and that's what comprises the beguiling aroma of lukkuu akhaawi. Chunks of boned chicken are rubbed with spice, grilled, and served with stewed red lentils, curried vegetables, and saffron rice; the rice itself is a Somali touch, but you can go cross-cultural with an order of the Ethiopian spongy flatbread (commonly known as injira, but here called biddeena) for only a dollar. Beef and lamb undergo similar, but subtly different flavoring. Several vegetarian options are available, including fasouliya, a bean dish from Djibouti combining white beans with olive oil, onion, cilantro, lemon, curry, cumin, and coriander. Unlike most of the Ethiopian food served in Portland, these dishes are not particularly fiery. If you like it hot, ask for a bit of chutney, in this case a thin blend of cilantro, jalapeno, garlic, vinegar, and spices.