A Labor of Love

I have a very tactile relationship to food. I love fluttering my fingers through rosemary branches when I walk in the morning, using my fingers to sop up the last bit of sauce in a container, tearing pieces of bread off a loaf. There's nothing I like more than sitting down with a bowl of popcorn, eating the kernels one by one or picking up single Hot Tamales to devour. Something about the action of feeling food with my fingers and placing it directly in my mouth feels right to me. And when I've encountered places, restaurants, cuisines that allow me to have direct contact with food, I've instantly felt at ease and happy. In my opinion, those feelings should always be in place when we eat. Eating should be pleasurable and comfortable, as much a labor of love as cooking.

Fresno has a new Ethiopian restaurant, Lucy's Lair. Or perhaps I should say, Fresno finally has an Ethiopian restaurant. Tegest and Petros opened up Lucy's Lair two months ago in north Fresno. When we arrived last night at about 6:30, there was a line of people ahead of us. Petros suggested we return in an hour, which we did. At that time, there were just a few people left in the restaurant. We were so glad we returned, as the food is flavorful, well prepared, and savory. We decided on three dishes: one a combination of four vegetarian plates and two chicken dishes. We loved everything we ordered.

If you haven't eaten Ethiopian food before, it's usually served in sections on an expansive piece of spongy bread called injera which you use to scoop up the food. At Lucy's Lair, they bring a basket of rolled up injera to get started, but I've also eaten at places where you use the injera the food is served on to eat.

At the right, you'll see Shiro Wot, made with chickpeas and spices. Tegest said that was the dish that her kids like the least, but we all enjoyed it. The next dish is Fosolia, sauteed green beans and carrots that were quite tasty. The Kosta, collard greens and spinach, tasted healthful. To the back is my favorite dish, the Misir Kik Wot, delicious split red lentils. A salad and fresh cheese complete the dishes around the perimeter. In the middle of the picture is Doro Wat which the menu labels as a premier Ethiopian ceremonial dish. It includes chicken in a rich, spicy sauce and a boiled egg. I'd never eaten chicken off the bone using injera, and the process proved to be messy but infinitely pleasurable.

After we'd eaten awhile, our waitress also brought out Tibs, a divine chicken and rosemary dish, and added it to our platter. We really enjoyed our meal. Part of our happiness at the end was due to how delicious the food was. But I like to think that part of our enjoyment of the meal grew out of unmediated contact with what nourishes our bodies.

This restaurant is a labor of love. Tegest dreamed of opening a restaurant while working as a doctor, and she and Petros seem a little surprised at how quickly Fresno has embraced their establishment. Still, go to Lucy's Lair soon and often. Like all restaurant owners, they are worried about making a go of it. Fresno needs more restaurants like this--quality food that represents the ethnic diversity of the Central Valley, a comfortable environment, great food, and restaurant owners who got into the business because they love food.