It's hard enough to find the 405, let alone the small corridor of restaurants in Los Angeles known as Little Ethiopia. Try taking a drive up South Fairfax, between Pico and Wilshire.

Never tried Ethiopian food? Well, go with people you like and get ready to get messy. Utensils are not often used and it is very common to eat from the same big dish in the center of the table with a group. Most Ethiopian cuisine consists of various vegetable or meat side dishes and entrees, usually a wat or thick stew, served atop injera, a large sourdough flatbread used to scoop and soak up the food. Craving bacon or better yet, bacon wrapped shrimp? Try again. Pork and shellfish are banned from traditional Ethiopian chow for religious reasons.

Spots to start out:

Messob Ethiopian Restaurant
1041 S. Fairfax Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90019
323-938-8827
http://www.messob.com/

Rosalind's Ethiopian Restaurant
1044 S. Fairfax Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90019
323-936-2486
http://www.rosalindsrestaurant.com

Meals by Genet
1053 S. Fairfax Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90019
323-938-9304
http://www.mealsbygenet.com/

NEXT WEEK: OFF TO KOREATOWN! 

By Alyssa Lloyd