Tobia

Ok, Firstly let start by saying i know this place quite well, my friend’s mum owns it but we don’t talk much except on facailbook, and I can smell the pickled onions from my bedroom
I have weird thing about not wanting to go to friends houses to meet their parents when I was a kid, and this sort of follows on. Its a plan but very social place where local Ethiopians meet up. We sat around a cross between an over-​sized basket and basket and table. my friend start reading the menu and told not bother. Considering myself to be a «worldly» man I rejected his advice and soon saw why. The whole format is different. so I gave up and proceeded to let my mate order from his mum, she kept telling him the he couldn’t have it or he could make it himself. after about 10 – 15 minutes I realised I was in for a treat. The hostess walked out of the back room I assumed was the kitchen with giant spherical tray with a pancake-​esque… thingy in it. then came everything else, imagine tapas gone wild… it was just bowls and bowls of amazing things ranging from salads to meats to just spices and powders, these were all emptied on to the giant pancake. The premise was to dip a wrapped bit pancake containing a treat in loads of things and experience some kind of taste coma where your not sure if they used lemon on the pancake or some kind Ethiopian spirit.
In all honesty, I wasn’t expecting much and those were surpassed, so much I took my mum in.

Now here is a novel restaurant. Firstly it has a spiritual feel to it combined with a rather earthy décor. Also there are no utensils so you really feel like you are getting in the spirit of the place if you know what I mean.
Me and three friends chose Tobia for its sheer uniqueness. We wanted somewhere different and this truly fit the bill.
It is a bit hidden as it is situated above the Ethiopian Community Centre (look for the centre which lies just off Finchley road) so you could easily miss it.
So you get this kind of bread which is called an Injera which we all shared. You basically then share the food together as it comes on a large platter for all to tuck in to.
The menu includes a lot of fish and meat so not that great for vegetarians on the day that we went but we was told a Wednesday is a better day for vegans who do not eat fish.
I personally found the dishes really tasty but was most taken back by the style of dining which we all had lots of fun with.
If you want something a little unusual and novel give Africa a try, you wont be disappointed.