APRIL 29 • 2021 | 61

W

hen people speak about various 
ventures in ethnic dining, the 
usual ones seem to pop up all 
the time because of their popularity.
When Seifu Lessanework, an Ethiopian 
Jew, and wife Fetle, opened 
their Blue Nile Ethiopian 
restaurant on Nine Mile Road, 
west of Woodward, Ferndale, 
it was mainly through curios-
ity that many diners ventured 
there … It is one of the very 
few true Ethiopian restaurants 
in Michigan. 
The food and style of today’s consuming 
at Blue Nile is the revelation of much gastro-
nomic knowledge on a centuries-old dining 
custom.
Although the food at Blue Nile is a dis-
tinct standout because of its extreme good 
health factors, probably the most interesting 
appearance of Ethiopian dining is its manner 
of service.

Prior to and after eating, diners are given 
hot towels … Home-made injera, a flat, light, 
spongy and porous bread, serves as both plate 
and utensil … Foods are mounted on injera, 
which is spread out on a messob, a hard 
woven wicker that has traditionally served as 
a table, with wicker cover to keep food warm 
if people get up for any reason … Diners 
break off small pieces of the unleavened injera 
to take food into his or her mouth.
Guests sit on little chairs with small 
glass-top tables on the side for the excellent 
Ethiopian wine and/or wonderful Ethiopian 
tea … Blue Nile is the only one I know of 
that serves authentic Ethiopian honey wine 
and Ethiopian tea.
Only lean beef is served at Blue Nile from 
red USDA choice cuts that have been thor-
oughly trimmed of fat … The menu includes 
beef, spicy chicken, mild chicken and lamb. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
If you are a coffee drinker, you may know 
that it was first grown in Ethiopia thousands 
of years ago … Blue Nile grinds and brews 
its coffee from Ethiopian beans. 
Seifu has been a head cook in Ethiopia 
and a sous chef … The latter was with Hilton 
International from 1969 through 1982, plus 
being its food and beverage manager.
There is a certain charm about Ethiopian 
dining … Not only does it offer folks a rare 

opportunity to enjoy one of civilization’s 
oldest cultures, but the health and taste 
aspects have made regular customers out 
of many whose curiosity and desire to try 
something different turned into a come-
back discovery.
Blue Nile is currently open for carryout 
only due to the pandemic … Tuesday-
Sunday, 4-9 p.m. … closed Mondays.
A COTTAGE INN pizza franchise, not 
easy to get, is now open in a small shop-
ping center in Warren that had been built 
by Jeffrey and Andrew Margulies and their 
late dad, Morris Margulies … It is at 14 
Mile and Van Dyke… And will also have 
a Grand Opening Thursday, May 6 … A 
third son of Morris, Adam, is a partner with 
them in Margulies Investment Company.
OPENING OF BIRMINGHAM PUB,
formerly Triple Nickel, by Joe Vicari in 
these hectic dining times is great news … 
Dinner only for now 4-11 p.m., Monday-
Sunday, but maybe lunch also soon.
CONGRATS … To Dharlene Norris 
on her birthday … To Leslie Pardo on her 
birthday … To Andrew Blum on his 75th 
birthday … To Lester Elias on his 47th 
birthday. 

Email Danny at dannyraskin2132@gmail.com.

RASKIN
THE BEST OF EVERYTHING

Danny 
Raskin
Senior Columnist

A Taste
of Ethiopia

BLUE NILE FACEBOOK

Fetle and Seifu
Lessanework

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