Trendy ethnic cuisine comes a dime a dozen in the city of Los Angeles: There’s Korean BBQ on the westside. Great sushi downtown in Little Toyko. Thai food in Hollywood’s Thai Town. Indian food over in West Hollywood, etc. etc.

Little Ethiopia, located on Fairfax Avenue between Olympic and Pico boulevards, is no different than the many other ethnic neighborhoods listed above, but it’s still deserving of a closer look, and taste.

Meals by Genet is one of the cluster of restaurants located in the area but is by far one of the nicest, as it advertises itself as Los Angeles’ only authentic gourmet Ethiopian restaurant.

The restaurant is surprisingly small for a place so highly recommended on user-generated sites such as Yelp. But considering that the establishment is only open for dinner, the intimate setting is perfect to serve as an end to another crazy day in Los Angeles. Each table is spotless with votive candles for extra effect. In addition to the restaurant itself, the service is excellent with attentive waiters who are quick and eager to answer any questions about Meals by Genet’s specialities and – most importantly – about how exactly to eat the food.

The only downside of the great ambiance was the lack of traces of Ethiopian culture found in the restaurant. It might just be a personal preference, but the cultural decorations of an ethnic restaurant (such as Electric Karma on Third Street in West Hollywood) make exploring that exotic food all the more interesting and exciting. However, like with any restaurant, whether it be a hole-in-the-wall or a five-star bistro, it’s all about the food. On that note, Meals by Genet did not disappoint ... well, almost.

My friend and I ordered the vegetarian platter ($14) to mix with the chicken tibs ($14) on the recommendation of our waiter.

Right before our platter came the spongey-in-texture injera bread that comes standard with almost all of the traditional Ethiopian dishes at Meals by Genet. The bread is folded many times over and is meant to serve as a way to protect dirty, bare hands from the food’s juices while also encouraging patrons to try the rubs and lentils with the chicken. For those wondering, utensils are nowhere to be found in the restaurant because the food is intended solely to be eaten by hand.

Although a tad bit on the pricey side in my personal opinion, the vegetarian platter was well worth it. The platter was literally a huge serving platter filled with items ranging widely in color and texture. The items that made up the vegetarian platter ranged from Ethiopian salad to two different kinds of lentils to roasted potatos to spicy rubs intended to be used sparingly with the chicken tibs. The chiken tibs were placed in the middle of the platter to encourage mixing between the protein and the veggies, a definite must.

The chicken tibs were delicious when consumed in the same mouthful as the supplied injera bread and the mixed items of the platter. However, the portion of the chicken tibs was surprisingly small considering most people in the restaurant were encouraged to split one protein order between two people.

As boasted by Meals by Genet, even the Ethiopian beer was authentic yet delicious, even though the Ethiopian honey wine comes highly recommended.

Overall, Meals by Genet is exactly what it advertises. The food is as authentic as any spot in Little Ethiopia (and just as delicious), but the setting makes for a great date or other small celebrations with close family and friends. The only two things I can advise after my first official foray into Ethiopian cuisine? Remember to bring your wallet and wash your hands!