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Fassil Ethiopian Restaurant
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- No
9 reviews for Fassil Ethiopian Restaurant
9 reviews in English
-
Review from Nyssa R.
3/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
The moment I leave this place, I already crave more! I LOVE everything here. The vegetarian sampler is a MUST-HAVE. If you are scared of uncooked beef, the Doro Wot is a very safe and delicious option. For the more adventurous the Keye Wot is amazing (it's raw cubed beef). No cutlery, just your hands. Use the enjera bread (it's like a wheat pancake with a slightly sour taste) to dip and pick everything up, then stuff it in your mouth.
I believe that it's small and family owned. I haven't had a chance to talk to the owner (I think she's the owner) because she's always busy. Once, she was the only staff working (manning the kitchen, front door, serving, and cleaning). So... come and expect to take your time and relax, but it's an awesome experience.
You have to try the mango juice, it's extremely good here and then it's nice to finish with the spiced tea :) I will keep on coming back... and the price is unbeatable... you can have a full meal for under $10 if you're sharing, with all natural and delicious ingredients. You can taste the goodness of the ingredients, honestly. Love it!
It can be a bit chilly in here. Bring a jacket! -
Review from Terrence L.
Calgary, AB
4/26/2012
The place doesn't look like much on the inside. It's a resto that interior decorators forgot. Hell, the owners look more stunned than I do everytime I dine there. But damn, they really honestly make some of the best ethiopian stews I've ever had in this city.
THey know how to make the Keye Wot (basically steak tartare) well, and the chicken and vegetarian dishes are masterfully done. Served in the classic way, no cutlery, and only the pancake like bread to scoop and eat the stews with, it's a wonderful place to be to explore ethiopian cuisine. Well worth the time and trouble to get there. -
Review from Alana K.
4/26/2012
3.5 stars. Not the best Ethiopian food I've ever had (Meskel in Seattle truly has my heart here), but the best I've had in Calgary, and it's actually very, very good. Sparse inside and out, but what the restaurant lacks in decor it makes up for in deliciousness. I ordered the veggie combo, and though the flavors were all there it was evident that it had been waiting while meatier things were being prepared as it arrived a little cold. That did not stop me from devouring pretty much the entire thing. On my own. Which, if you've ever had Ethiopian before, you know is a great (gross) feat. My fellow diners were quite impressed with their selections.
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Review from Catherine S.
Calgary, AB
6/26/2011
This is my favourite Ethiopian restaurant in town. The dining experience makes up for the simple ambiance and I've never been dissapointed with the quality.
If you love fish, make sure to order THE fish and it may too become your favourite.
Good for both an intimate date, but best for a group sharing a meal. I recomend the mango drink and I unerstand they will soon serve mead. -
Review from Mike M.
12/16/2010
Our Ethiopian selection in Calgary, although thin, is pretty solid. The best of those options though is Fassil. Ive been going to Fassil steadily for 3 years and have had the exact same experience each time.
The parking is weak and the trolling hookers after dark are enough to make one lose one's appetite.
with that said...
Forest Lawn is THE SPOT to go for food selection.
You dont go to Fassil for the speed in which they're gonna serve you. I mean, maybe we all need to learn to take life a little bit slower anyways. Take a breath...have an Ethiopian beer and have some good conversation while some funky East African tracks bump in the backround.
The food is great and as anybody who has eaten Eritrean/Ethiopian before knows...can get messy. Its fun, Go on a first date here. In fact go on a 50th date here. With all the leftover injera you should make some peanut butter and banana sandwiches the next day.
Also, the people (family?) who run it are always very friendly and accommodating
The espresso is great too.
4 Mulatu Astatke's out of 5 -
Review from Sarah T.
5/20/2009
As in most Ethiopian restaurants Fassil presents their food so that it is meant to be shared. You have a large plate with their bread (injera) and the dishes you ordered all together on top of the bread on a platter. You are served injera on the side, and use it to scoop your food into your mouth, as no forks are really used.
The food here is delicious, and consistently well prepared. They have a varied menu, but I suggest getting the vegetarian combo no matter what. Who knew lentils could taste so good!
The only con is, sometimes it can take up to 40 minutes to get your food, and the service is slow. I recommend going here early, at around 6pm on weekedays to get your food within 20 minutes. -
Review from dinah g.
Calgary, AB
11/5/2009
I decided to venture out one day from the office and try some exotic food, there are many options in my working area, Filipina, Peruvian, good East Indian but today I decide on Ethiopian.
There was a little restaurant across the street about 5 metres by 10 metres and there seemed to be around a dozen of Ethiopian customers inside so I decided to give it a try.
I had some wat stew meat, some injera which was extremely delicious and a coke. My bill came to around 6 dollars. How impressive for a new culinary sensation.
At the next table there were 6 people sitting around a big tray of what looked like ground meat and they were engrossed in lively conversation. They each tore off pieces from one very large injera and dipped it in the meat serving in the middle using the injera bread like a taco.
If I do return I would like to try this dish, I think it was around 12 dollars, so I will update this review when I get a chance, all in all, good service, quick, cheap and delicious. -
Review from Janet L.
Calgary, AB
11/1/2009
If you've never had Ethiopian before and you're a fan of trying new foods, I would definitely recommend that you give Fassil a visit. Located on the east side of 17th Ave, it's not exactly the most convenient eatery to patronize. However, when you consider that it is one of only three such restaurants in the city, I would say that it's well worth the drive. Small, and generally nondescript, the building itself isn't terribly impressive, and from what I can recall, the decor was sparse. The space was open and clean, but a little barren, and the service was only fair (and sometimes a bit lacking). In general, there's nothing to really set this restaurant apart aside from its menu, and that's why it only rates three stars. Still, I would have to say that this was probably one of the most interesting culinary experiences that I have ever had.
Admittedly, I am still undecided on the food. For one, I had never been exposed to Ethiopian cuisine before Fassil, so I don't really have a standard of comparison. On top of that, the fare is also very different from anything I've had before, and I've yet to come to a decided opinion. Ethiopian meals consist of savory meat and vegetable dishes that are served on a large, flat sourdough pancake - a form of bread called injera. Instead of eating with utensils, diners tear off sections of injera and proceed to roll (or scoop, if you're amateurs) the main course into the bread; and therein lies the dilemma. The Wat (stew) is straight up delicious - the meat is tender, the vegetables well cooked, and the sauce flavourful (ranging from mild to very spicy) - but I find injera appalling. This flat bread is spongy, moist, and incredibly sour; and because it's served as both dish and spoon you can't escape it. Also, as you are eating with your hands and Wat can be runny, you are likely to end up making a mess.
If there was some way for me to bypass the whole injera business, then I would for sure head back to Fassil whenever I'm craving something different. As it is, I can only encourage you to go and try something new; maybe you'll have more of a taste for it!
If you're interested in finding out more information on Ethiopian cuisine, check out: http://www.africa.upen...; it's even got some recipes up for you to make at home. -
Review from Melissa L.
Calgary, AB
5/25/2010
I have tried three Ethiopian restaurants in Calgary, and I have to say that Fassil is the one I would recommend others visit. It strikes the best balance of food quality, price and cleanliness (all of which can be issues at other restaurants, though none of which stand out as spectacular here). My dish of choice is the vegetarian combination, which includes some interesting stewed lentils and stewed vegetables atop a big piece of injera (spongy, crepe-like bread). I last went in late 2009 and I believe the vegetarian combination was priced at $12 or $13. If more than one person orders the dish you'll get double portions atop the injera, with an extra piece of injera on the side. Scoop up the toppings with the injera and enjoy! The atmosphere is pleasant, if a bit nondescript, and the service was acceptably attentive and timely. Frankly, I believe it is your safest choice for Ethiopian in Calgary.
