Eat Your Way Down Jackson
This column highlights the many restaurants lining Jackson Street beginning in Leschi at Jackson and 31st Ave. S. and down to Rainier Ave. Jackson Street offers a wide selection of food choices from pizza, international, barbeque, sushi, pub food, soul food, before hitting the mecca of great Asian restaurants in the ID. Join me as we take a short drive, walk, bike or hop the 14 bus to check out nearby spots.
The Wonder Ethiopian Restaurant
Wonder Coffee and Sports Bar, 1800 S. Jackson, open Mon-Thurs from 11am to 11pm, Fri and Sat 11am to 1pm, Closed Tues. Prices range for $15-22, meat combination platter is $33, vegetable platter $18. The bar features an extensive selection of cocktails, beer, and wine.
The Central Area is a hub for Ethiopian cuisine. From Cherry Street down to Jackson, there are many restaurants to try. The Wonder Coffee and Sports Bar, the location of the former Wonder Bread Bakery on Jackson, has been serving its version of Ethiopian food for over a decade. As well has Ethiopian food, it has standard bar foods such as hamburger and fries and other sandwiches.
Half of a sports car is placed in the entry sets the stage for a dining experience surrounded by screens and Seahawk banners. I questioned if a sports bar atmosphere would take away for enjoying the delightful experience of sharing a platter of Ethiopian food. Instead, the sound was off on the games and world music was playing in the background. The ample dining area has tables with fresh white table cloths and although the music is a bit loud, it’s fairly quiet given the tall ceilings.
Having traveled to Ethiopia, my husband was pleased to see the variety of authentic offerings on the menu when we had dinner on a cold, drizzly night. We were immediately greeted with a warm welcome and the smell of spicy, slow-cooked food. The next week a friend, who lived In Ethiopia for a while, joined me for lunch and she too was struck by the unique flavors of the vegetable platter we chose. She declared the food “the best Ethiopian food I’ve had in Seattle.”
Wonder’s Ethiopian offers the traditional cuisine of some spicy and mild meat and vegetable dishes served on a large platter with small mounds of meat and vegetable stews artfully placed on injera, a spongy sourdough flatbread. Traditionally, one does not eat with utensils but instead you have roll of your own injera to break apart pieces to scoop up dishes with your hand. The injera soaks up the juices making each bite flavorful. However, it is perfectly okay to ask for a spoon or fork.
Some of the meat and vegetable dishes can be very spicy but there are cooked greens, lentils, vegetables or a feta-like cheese to cut the heat. Our server Meron guided us through the restaurant’s menu which features wat which is a hearty stew, stirred fried meat called tibs, and many vegetarian options. The menu offers a variety of meat and fish entrees and many vegetarian options. You can create your own platter or eat a singular portion.
We decided to have some dessert and listen to the St. Bee’s duo who play on Friday nights. Our choice of baklava was disappointing. However, our choice of staying to listen to jazz was very enjoyable. We liked the musical journey the duo took us on from standards to rock classics with jazz arrangements.
Eating Ethiopian-style is a communal experience with brings a slowing down and sharing of tastes with your friends and family. On one of Seattle’s gray days or chilly evenings, the Wonder is a nice escape and a chance to explore a unique cultural cuisine.
It’s a warm, intimate experience with a friendly host and his chef wife, reservations recommended. I like it so much; I’ve been reluctant to write a review hoping it won’t become inaccessible.
~Mary Carter Creech