In Ethiopia, gursha is a traditional gesture of friendship: One diner wraps a morsel of food in a small piece of injera (the stretchy sourdough flatbread that accompanies almost every meal) and feeds it to a companion. (Gursha literally means “mouthful” in Amharic.)
When Kasahun Beharselase opened his restaurant in 2013, he chose the name Gursha to represent community and hospitality. And sure enough, Gursha Ethiopian Restaurant is both home to world-class Ethiopian food and a hub of activity for Grand Rapids’ East African immigrant communities — and anyone who wants the best doro wat in West Michigan!
While you don’t have to feed each other if you don’t want, Gursha offers an authentic Ethiopian dining experience. That means no silverware; your selection of meat and vegetable dishes is served on top of a big round of injera made from Ethiopian teff flour the Horn of Africa. “Without the barrier of a piece of steel,” as Gursha’s menu puts it, you tear off small strips of the bread to eat your meal in neat pinches. (Think savory African origami.)
Wat’s on the menu
Beharselase recently redid Gursha’s menu to include some new appetizers and add a breakfast service, but it still includes all the classics perfectly prepared to delight carnivores and vegans alike. A few standout selections:
Doro wat. The flagship dish of Ethiopia, this hearty, spicy chicken and egg stew is seasoned with red berbere seasoning Gursha buys direct from the old country. (Berbere is an unmistakable flavor of Ethiopia and neighboring Eritrea, and includes herbs exclusive to the region.) Gursha also offers sega wat (made with beef) and misser wat (from puréed red lentils).
Yebeg tibs. While wat is stewed, tibs is sautéed, and this lamb dish is a lively combination of onions, green peppers and more of those special Ethiopian spices. (If you’d prefer rosemary and garlic, try the yebeg dereq tibs.) Other tibs dishes feature cuts of beef, and asa tibs includes tilapia filet pan seared with ginger, black pepper and fresh vegetables.
Gursha also offers a roster of outstanding vegetarian and vegan options, including:
Gomen. Mild, slow-cooked greens.
Qosta. Spinach slow-cooked with onions, garlic and spices.
Kik alicha: Yellow split peas blended with onions, garlic, ginger and green peppers.
Tikil gomen alicha. A mild but tasty stew that combines cabbage, potatoes and carrots.
Iybe. Pronounced “ibe,” this mild, soft cheese is made daily from cultured buttermilk.
Dinner prices range from $12 for a veggie combo platter big enough for two to $18 for the lamb dishes. Additional sides are $5 each.
If the generous combination platters aren’t enough for you, Gursha offers appetizers and salads. Try the sambusa, flaky dough with a spicy filling of vegetables, jalapeños and berbere spices.
And now for something completely different: Chef Kasahun recently rolled out a thoroughly Ethiopian breakfast menu — the first of its kind in Kent County. Start your day in a whole new way with gento (wheat porridge with cardamom, berbere and Ethiopian spiced butter); enqulal ferfer (scrambled eggs with spiced butter, jalapeños, and fresh tomatoes and onion); or chechebsa (shredded flatbread with berbere and spiced butter, topped with honey or sour cream. Gursha’s breakfasts cost $14 each.
Coffee is served!
Gursha’s coffee service deserves a special section of its own — it’s a delicious cultural experience based on Ethiopia’s traditional buna coffee ceremony. (Check out the thatched coffee hut set up inside the restaurant that’s used for special occasions!)
At Gursha, coffee is served in several stages. First, the chef roasts coffee beans in a pan that he carries out to the dining area so guests can breathe in their order. Continuing the flight of smells: a tray bearing small cups, sugar and a fragrant chunk of smoking frankincense. (Many Christian traditions connect the Three Kings’ gifts of frankincense and myrhh to Ethiopia.)
Finally, the host brings out the jebena, a graceful black clay coffee pot in which the coffee has been brewing. Drink it black, or sweeten it with sugar.
A pillar of the community
Gursha is more than just a restaurant; it’s also a hangout for immigrants from countries across the Horn of Africa (including Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia, Sudan and Kenya), many of whom arrived in Grand Rapids as refugees. It seems like every East African immigrant in town has some connection to Gursha.
The restaurant is home to events organized by the local Ethiopian Orthodox Church and Ethiopian Protestant Church. It also buffets to celebrate three major holidays on the Gregorian calendar the Ethiopian Orthodox Church shares with other Eastern Orthodox churches: New Year (Sept. 11); Christmas (Jan. 7); and Easter (April 20).
Inibla! Let’s eat!
Facebook Comments