Up for a culinary adventure on Thanksgiving? A few Redding area restaurants say they will open on Nov. 27.
For starters, check out Lalibela Ethiopian Cuisine at its new location in Redding.
The restaurant celebrated its grand opening on Nov. 8 after moving from its Placer Street location where it had limited hours at a commercial kitchen.
Owners Adino Tarekgen and his wife, Chuchu Fati, plan to serve lamb soup on Thanksgiving Day during its regular Thursday hours of 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. The soup also will be available Friday of the holiday week.
The soup comes with injera, a thin, house-made bread that’s a staple with Ethiopian meals.
Lalibela’s new menu that’s coming out this week also will feature a raw beef dish.
“Saturday we serve kitfo, raw meat,” Tarekgen said.
Kitfo has been described as the ultimate raw meat delicacy.
Lalibela’s regular menu offers the unique tastes of Ethiopia complemented by native spices.
“Everything is organic. Everything is made fresh,” Tarekgen said.
There’s the beef tibs plate ($18.99) consisting of cubed beef sauteed with tomatoes, onions and jalapenos with a side of salad and injera.
The chicken tibs meal ($18.99) has cubed and sauteed chicken with onions, berbere (a spicy mix of dried spices), bell peppers and tomatoes, also with salad and injera.
“We also have a meat combo ($18.99) and a veggie combo ($16.99) for vegan people,” Tarekgen said.
He said doro wot ($18.99) is a customer favorite, which is a rich, mildly spicy chicken stew that’s slow cooked with berbere. It comes with caramelized onions, ayib (a homemade, traditional Ethiopian cheese similar in consistency to cottage cheese), a hard-boiled egg and injera.
“Doro wot is very nice. It’s popular,” Tarekgen said.
Beef sambussa and veggie sambussa are pastry-like, triangular-shaped appetizers (two for $5.99) that are served with a jalapeno dip made with basil, ginger, garlic, cilantro, rue seed, olive oil, vinegar and a pinch of pink salt.
To celebrate Thanksgiving Day, Tarekgen will serve free Ethiopian-style coffee for customers. The beverage, brewed from medium-roasted beans, is served in small, ornate cups as part of a coffee ceremony.
Read on for other Redding area restaurants to try out if you are looking for a different holiday experience surrounded by your loved ones.
Lalibela Ethiopian Cuisine
Mulligan’s at Club Tucker Golf
Mulligan’s will open its bar and coffee bar, and serve snacks from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. The bar will serve a special called Bucket of Beer — enough suds for six people — for $25 to $30; choose from the pub’s menu of domestic and micro-brew beers.
Becca’s Café in Anderson
Becca’s Café in Anderson will be open from 5 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. Patrons can order from the restaurant’s regular menu, which includes a wide variety of items.
There will also be traditional turkey or ham dinners for $24.95.
Punjabi Indian Food
Punjabi Indian Food is a food truck serving Indian cuisine from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. The truck offers many vegetarian and gluten-free options for those with dietary restrictions, and outdoor seating and waiter service for those looking to dine-in. They recommend ordering tawa rotis and dal to emulate the experience of a home-cooked Indian meal.
Record Searchlight journalists Drew Askeland, Michele Chandler and Jessica Skropanic contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Have Thanksgiving, skip the turkey at 5 Redding area eateries
Reporting by Mike Chapman, Redding Record Searchlight / Redding Record Searchlight
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