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A Vegan Ethiopian Restaurant Now Open In Crown Heights
By
Scott Lynch
Published Mar 11, 2020
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By
Scott Lynch
Published Mar 11, 2020
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For several years now, Romeo and Milka Regalli have wanted to open an all vegan, all organic restaurant showcasing the food of Ethiopia. This was not some pipe dream—the couple met while working at the popular Ethiopian restaurant Awash in Cobble Hill, which was then owned by Milka's family, who also used to run the Upper West Side Awash going back 25 years or more—but even seasoned pros in this business have to jump through a lot of hoops before desires turn into reality.
Then last weekend, finally, the Regallis were in the vegan business, opening the doors to Ras Plant Based on Franklin Avenue's restaurant row in Crown Heights. It's a lovely, lively space, with seating for about 65 and lots of natural light streaming into both the front and back dining areas. A bar and a cool little thatched roof "hut" sit between the two, and there are boldly colored mural-sized portraits on almost every wall, courtesy of the Miami-based artist Ras Terms. The restaurant was not named for the artist, by the way; "ras" in Amharic translates literally to "head," and is used in Ethiopia to means chief, or prince.
Romeo grew up in Ethopia, and Milka has generations of family recipes at her disposal, and the couple here make excellent use of all that first-hand knowledge. The core of the Ras Plant Based menu are the platters, which come in two varieties and can be made for single diners or larger groups. Each feature five different spreads or prepared vegetables piled atop rounds of injera, the traditional spongy flatbread made with Teff flour. You also get a few extra injera, rolled up like little towels, and together these not only make for tasty accompaniments to your feast, they also function as your utensils. Pull off a piece of injera with your (washed) hands, and scoop up a bite or two of whatever's up next.
At a press dinner on Sunday night chef Romeo prepared the Mercato Platter for me, which the menu calls "complex and savory for the more daring palate." It is a large, terrific plate of food. The five dips here, in order of my personal preference, are the tangy Kale Kitfo, infused with chili oil; the fiery Missir, made from slow simmered red lentils; the chickpea-based, surprisingly sweet Shiro; the punchy Fasolia, starring tender green beans; and a Zucchini concoction with tomatoes and carrots.
The other platter, called the Piassa, is packed with "milder classics" like Gomen, Yater Kik, and Ksir. And then there are the four different Tibs, a stew/stir-fry hybrid also served on injera, which you can order featuring Tofu, Seitan, Pea Protein Crumble, or a whole mess of Mushrooms, juiced up with tomato, jalapeño, onions, and sprigs of rosemary.
A trio of hefty salads involve either Tomato, Cabbage, or Avocado, and there are also three dishes classified as Small Bites, including stuffed Sambusa, breaded and fried Cauliflower with some potent awaze dipping sauce, and a pureed lentil dish called Azifa that has enough wasabi hidden within to clear your sinuses. While they wait for the liquor license, the Regallis and their mixologist Hadassah "Daisy" Austin are pouring a full slate of mocktails, two of which, the Ginger Lemonade and the Guava Lemonade, I can personally recommend.
Ras Plant Based is located at 739 Franklin Avenue, between Park and Sterling Places, and is now open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., on Friday from 11 a.m. to midnight, on Saturday from 10 a.m. to midnight, and on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. (718-622-3785; rasplantbased.com)
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Crown Heights
Ras Plant Based
brooklyn
Scott Lynch
Photojournalist, food writer, preschool receptionist. Love NYC.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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