02/17/14 10:06am

Welcome to the seventh installment of C+M’s ongoing series of audio guides on how to order authentically spicy food in ethnic restaurants. As a service to C+M readers Anne Noyes Saini has been compiling a series of audio guides demonstrating phrases in several relevant languages, which can be used to navigate ordering situations fraught with tricky cultural and language barriers.

Today a primer from Kedija Sraje of Brooklyn’s Bunna Cafe on how to order authentically spicy Ethiopian food. Kedija hails from Addis Ababa. “I think Ethiopian food is the spiciest compared to other parts of Africa.” Check out today’s lesson to make sure that next time you tear into that injera bread you’re dipping it into food that brings the heat. (more…)

07/18/13 11:55am
There's no need to add extra hot sauce.

There’s no need to add extra hot sauce.

PLEASE NOTE THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED

Yesterday the high temperature in Monrovia, Liberia was 83. Queens was substantially hotter than West Africa,  the mercury hit 97. And the heat from the pepper shrimp ($12) at Maima’s Liberian Bistro was at the same constant lip-blazing level it always is, approximately Fahrenheit 451. Maima’s is my type of place. The city’s only Liberian eatery is presided over the grandmotherly Maima. Many of the restaurant’s patrons call her mama. (more…)