Q: You are a lawyer. So why did you open a restaurant?

A: I wanted to start a business that was socially-conscious, educational, and original. The vehicle by which I was best able to do that was an Ethiopian restaurant.

A: As a biracial person of European and African descent, I always have been intrigued by the complex continent of Africa. After spending time in African countries, I desired to bring something distinctly African to Pittsburgh. Upon dining at multiple Ethiopian restaurants over the years, the uniqueness of Ethiopian food and culture inspired me to want to open the first Ethiopian restaurant in Pittsburgh.

Q: Why did you open in East Liberty?

A: I became convinced of East Liberty's potential in 2001 through my friendship with Justin Strong and the time I spent at the Shadow Lounge. I wanted to be at the forefront of this neighborhood's revitalization.

A: Since day one, we have recycled our glass, plastic, cans, and cardboard. Because very little of our food is fried (we do not have a deep fryer), we do not generate enough used cooking oil for it to be converted into bio-fuel. Where appropriate from a design standpoint, we use CFL bulbs.

Q: Have you changed any of your recipes to suit the American, as opposed to the Ethiopian, palette?

A: The idea with Abay is to introduce people to spices and combinations of flavors they may never have had before. Thus, we do not alter dishes to make them more suitable for someone unfamiliar with the food. Our objective is to make the dishes in the manner they have been made for thousands of years. To the extent something at Abay differs from another Ethiopian restaurant, that variation is unrelated to authenticity, but rather goes to our interpretation of the dish.

A: Ethiopia

A: Having Africans from a variety of countries on our kitchen staff has allowed us to create fusion dishes in addition to our staple menu. These dishes, often run as specials, are unique to Abay.

Q: Why do you charge for additional injera?

A: This Ethiopian flatbread is made from a grain called tef. Tef is expensive and the process of making injera is difficult. As a result, injera comprises a significant percentage of our food costs.

A: Yes. Our injera source is an Ethiopian bakery whose sole product is injera.

A: We offer both traditional and non-traditional desserts. The traditional items are baklava and Ethiopian coffee. Although baklava was not invented in Ethiopia, it is quite common for Ethiopians to finish a meal with this sweet treat. Coffee, which arguably was invented in Ethiopia, is also a customary way to end a nice communal dining experience.

A: With the exception of a piece painted by an Ethiopian in South Africa and one by an Ethiopian in the States, I brought all of the artwork back with me from Ethiopia.

A: I think women are the backbone of many African countries, including Ethiopia, and wanted to reflect that by displaying paintings of women from various ethnic groups.

A: Ethiopia has never been colonized. As a result, it has a continuous, written history unimpaired by colonialism.

A: The former ruler of Ethiopia was born Tafari Makonnen. Upon becoming heir to throne, he was referred to as Ras (Prince) Tafari. The Rastafari movement accepts Ras Tafari as the incarnation of God (Jah) and part of the Holy Trinity. Ras Tafari took the name Haile Selassie upon becoming emperor.

A: No. All of our food is fresh.

A: If you have a gluten allergy or a condition like celiac disease, you can eat everything on our menu except for injera and sambussas.

Gift Certificates
Abay offers gift certificates in any denomination which can be purchased in person or over the phone. If bought over the phone, we can mail the certificate to the purchaser or directly to the recipient.

130 S. Highland Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
412.661.9736 (ph)
412.661.8739 (fx)
www.abayrestaurant.com

Frequently Asked Questions

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Copyright © 2004
Abay Ethiopian Cuisine
130 S. Highland Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15206