We had about an hour to find a restaurant and eat last night before Shaun's band was going on. It was 7 PM and a mad scramble since everything had already closed near Pike Place Market. I was getting edgy from hunger and not wanting to miss the performance when we rounded the corner onto 1st from Pike. Bingo.. An open restaurant! We would have eaten anything at that point, but this seemed interesting, at least.

The menu has a few Ethiopian style things and a bunch of other good sounding choices from all around West Africa, including a fish of the day that was in a coconut milk-cilantro sauce for $8. There are also a few vegetarian entrees available.

My friend had the Chicken Groundnut stew ($7.50) & I went for the fish, which was served with sauteed shrimp as well.

In a word.. This place is GREAT. The quality of the food is something you would easily pay quite a bit more for at most restaurants. Each dinner was served with a mixed green salad and a vinaigrette dressing that is almost as good as mine. Both came with a cool rice mound. Mine was covered with the coconut milk sauce, while the other seemed like it was saffron flavored. We were both blown away at how good everything was and how reasonably priced. They served us a nice tasting complimentary clove-cardamom tea too.

Its at 1521 First Ave, kind of diagonally across from the Deja Vu, whose flashing billbord has great entertainment value.