Gojo Ethiopian Cuisine

Hours:

Tuesday-Saturday:
Lunch Buffet 11:30-2:00pm,
Dinner 5:00-9:00pm

Closed Sunday and Monday.

• 421 Norwood SE
• Grand Rapids, MI 49506
• 616-459-3383

"Come Enjoy Ethiopian Goodness!"

A combination of educational pursuits and employment opportunities brought Sam and Sharon Terfa to the Eastown community. For the last two years, Gojo Ethiopian Cuisine has been a welcome addition to the ethnic and cultural diversity of this neighborhood. Sam and Sharon do their best to educate their new community about the variety and nuance that abounds in Ethiopian cuisine, and always make their customers feel like family. Check out our website (at right) for more information!

Gojo’s is a wonderful place to explore: from seasoned meats and collard greens, to braised lentils and guava juice, there is something for everyone. Meals are always served with the traditional injerra (Ethiopian flat-bread), but can be ordered with white or brown rice as well. Vegetarian and vegan friendly!

A brief introduction to Ethiopian cuisine and dining customs:

The concept of sharing food (eating from the same plate) among Ethiopians is believed to give the sharers a sense of brotherhood and build a sense of loyalty, and can even be used to resolve conflicts. Diners eat from the same plate, taking samples of different items using injerra (traditional Ethiopian flat-bread) instead of forks and knives.

Simply tear off a piece of the injerra that comes with your meal. Holding it in the fingers, use the bread to scoop up portions of the meal, bringing the food and bread together into your mouth. If you’ve used that piece before the meal is over, feel free to use the injerra on your plate, underneath the food. (For those not ready to use the injerra, we will provide silverware!)

All of the entrees in the Non-Traditional section of the menu are served with brown rice or our special house rice, instead of injerra. Not sure about spicy food? Look for the word “Alicha” which literally means, “without cayenne.” You’ll get all of the flavor with less of the heat!

We have many ways for you to experience our authentic Ethiopian cuisine. If you have never eaten Ethiopian food before, a good place to start is with the Sample Combo. This has small portions of almost everything on our menu. If you are very hungry, try any other of our Combos. All combo platters come with the main entree and your choice of two vegetables.

Injerra:
A moist traditional Ethiopian bread, made with teff, wheat flour, water, and yeast. This combination gives the bread a distinctive taste and texture. Teff is the smallest grain in the world, native to Ethiopia. Teff is full of protein, calcium, and fiber.

Watt:
Watts are spicy stews made rich and tasty with Berbere, a blend of eleven different peppers and spices. Comes with chicken (doro), beef (siga), or lamb (yebeg).

Tibs:
Tibs dishes are sauteed with onions, tomatoes, and peppers, and come with chicken, beef, or lamb. Unlike the Watt, they do not have the same stew-like sauce, but are still flavorful and deliciously spiced.

Misir:
A vegetarian dish made with stewed lentils simmered in spices. This is mild in heat, but rich in flavor.

Atkilt Alicha:
A combination of cabbage, potatoes, and carrots, with peppers and mild spices.

Gomen:
Collard greens cooked to perfection with just the right amount of spice and flavor.

Bakela, Firfir, and Shiro (Kik):
These three side dishes are new here at Gojo. Bakela is a stew made with fava beans and spices. Firfir is shredded and spiced injerra in chicken sauce. Shiro is a smooth spicy paste made out of chickpeas.