Bati Ethiopian Kitchen
UPDATE: This business location has changed.
Heads up, Massive: New York African Restaurant Week is happening now through Oct. 21! Don’t miss out on special deals at participating restaurants, including Bati Ethiopian Kitchen in Fort Greene. Following a dream to bring her culture to New York with her touch, owner Hibist Legesse opened Bati nearly 10 years ago. But first, she had to master the recipes.
“My sister and I were so young when we left home,” says Hibist, who was born in Addis Ababa, and went to boarding school in Kenya, before her family settled in Upstate New York during her high school years. “We never had a chance to learn how to cook. My dad used to say, ‘These girls don't even know how to boil an egg!’” ⠀
Determined to break into the hospitality industry, after college Hibist returned to Ethiopia for culinary training from the best cooks she knows: her aunties. Working alongside family members, Hibist peppered them with questions about what makes each dish sing.
“Certain dishes take seven hours to make,” she says. “I’d ask, ‘Isn’t there a shortcut?’ And they’re like, ‘No.’ But when you cook like that for someone, it’s a very loving performance. It’s really nice.”
“Ethiopian food has a warm, deep spice that gives you a depth of flavor: notes of cardamom, African basil, cumin, turmeric.”
Serving up the classics, Bati Ethiopian Kitchen offers slowly simmered stews with injera (a sourdough flatbread) for scooping. We ordered the platters to explore a variety of flavors: masterfully stewed collard greens, cabbage with a subtle sweetness, spiced lentils and split peas, a refreshing beet salad, simmered beef sirloin, and lamb in a smoky paprika sauce.
“Ethiopian food is spicy, but it doesn’t burn your throat,” says Hibist. “It’s a warm, deep spice that gives you a depth of flavor: notes of cardamom, African basil, cumin, turmeric.” We also tried the delicious doro wett, a traditional stew served with chicken thigh, topped with a hard-boiled egg. “A man or woman who knows how to make a really good doro wett is considered — wow,” says Hibist. “So when people come here and tell me, ‘Oh, your collard greens are good or your cabbage is good,’ I'm like, ‘No, I don't care about that.’ I want to be known for doro wett. And I'm good.”
In addition to perfecting recipes in Ethiopia, Hibist has collected art from home — paintings, woven baskets, wooden headrests — showcased throughout Bati’s relaxed and refined space. The modern art contrasted with artifacts shows Hibist’s knack for merging tradition and her distinct aesthetic. In January, the restaurant will celebrate 10 years in Fort Greene.
“It's been a lot of hard work, a lot of sweat, but it's so rewarding. The neighborhood is wonderful. We've created a family for ourselves that has enriched our lives beyond belief,” says Hibist. “My dad’s coming to visit, and I don’t think he will believe what this is!
This business has relocated to 1057 Fulton Street, 718-797-9696, batikitchen.com
