Nile Ethiopian Restaurant opens in Rochester

Rochester, New York – Nile Restaurant has been on the sign for a few months, but a more important sign went up just last week: Now Open.

Owner Halefom “Rico” Dorry is happy to be serving dishes from his native Ethiopia at last.

“People always enjoyed our food when they came over for meals, and several of them said we should consider opening a restaurant,” says Dorry, who grew up in Rochester, of what made him want to open the Nile. “More than anything, I wanted to introduce the culture of Ethiopia to Rochester, to somehow give back, to pay Rochester back.”

The food

In Ethiopian cuisine, two elements are almost always present: Berbere spice mix and injera.

Berbere is a chili pepper-based spice mix that includes ingredients native to Ethiopia, and it flavors many of the dishes served there. One of the most popular is wot (also known as wat), a stewed mixture of onions, tomatoes, garlic, ginger and meat. Another popular dish is tibs, which is made-to-order with marinated meats and vegetables.

Injera is Ethiopian flatbread. Its texture is spongy, like a thick crepe, but the fermenting process creates a sour, tangy flavor more similar to sourdough bread, which compliments the spicy berbere stew. Read More