Clean—and Eat—Your Plate

Dar es Salaam may mean "haven of peace," but it's hard to find respite in this frenetic Tanzanian port. It's not impossible, though. Down a dusty dirt track in the Mikocheni district, a 10-minute taxi ride from the center, is Addis in Dar, an Ethiopian restaurant that serves calm—and culture—with its cuisine. On the upper floor in an old colonial house, soulful African music plays to a backdrop of traditional handicrafts and jewelry for sale, and de rigueur pictures of the "Lion of Judah," Emperor Haile Selassie, in his safari suit. The mesop—Ethiopian tables woven from colored straw—are outside under the palm trees. Soft light is diffused through red and orange velvet umbrellas, and the air is filled with an exotic mix of frankincense, mosquito coils, popcorn and coffee. The dark brew is part of the spiritual and social life in Ethiopia, and patrons can order the coffee ceremony, a half-hour ritual where the beans are ground and roasted in front of you. "We make coffee to satisfy all the senses," says manager Foster Sanga. "You can see, smell, hear, touch and taste it." But it's the food that truly satisfies. Subtle spicy chicken, lentil, lamb and chickpea sauces, are served, as is customary, on a giant communal injera (pancake) and washed down with honey wine. "It's difficult to know how strong it is," says Sanga. "Every bottle is homemade—each one is unique." A bit like Addis in Dar. tel: (255) 746 888 488.