Zoma Ethiopian Restaurant

Zoma Ethiopian Restaurant opened on Lee Road in Cleveland Heights in 2016. Back then Empress Taytu had my heart, but I was willing to give Zoma a try. It didn’t disappoint. Ethiopian cuisine is characterized both by its unique flavors and known for its communal presentation, a family-style approach with multiple items arriving on a large platter. Ethiopian food centers around vegetable, meat and fish-based stews, some of which are spicy, that are scooped up and eaten with small pieces of injera, a spongy flatbread made from fermented teff batter. It is eaten with your hands.

We went as a large group right in January 2017 after it opened and had a great time. They do not take reservations, but appreciate the heads up if there is going to be a big party. The dining room isn’t as homey as Empress Taytu, but it is still decorated nicely and has plenty of seating. They serve lunch from 11:45 to 2 and dinner from 4 to 9 (3 to 8 on Sundays). The lunch special is quite a good deal – two vegetarian entrees (not including the tibs) for $10.99, and you can add an extra veggie entree for $4. Extra injera is $2. The spicy beef stew and one veggie entree is $12.99.

I ordered the mild chicken stew, which is made with chunks of chicken breast simmered in a tumeric sauce and seasoned with ginger, garlic, onion and an herb butter. It is also served with a hard-boiled egg. It was quite tasty. It could have used a touch more heat, but I am not a spicy fan. The spicy chicken stew (dorowat) is simmered in a red pepper sauce and seasoned with the ginger, garlic, onion and herb butter. Dorowat is the signature dish of Ethiopian cuisine.

They have a wide variety of tib dishes, which are meat (chicken, beef or lamb), mushroom or tofu marinated with a special sauce and fried with onion, rosemary, jalapeno pepper and fresh garlic served in a sizzling pan. My favorite Ethiopian dish is without a doubt the chicken tibs. Their tibs are quite tasty. Unfortunately I can’t order it with a side of tikil gomen. The meat and veggie combo features only beef stew. I haven’t gotten the nerve to ask if I can sub it out. The meat combo features the stew and your choice of 2 veggie entrees.

They have a large variety of options for vegetarians and vegans. One of my friends couldn’t decide which vegetarian option she wanted, so she ordered the veggie combo. There are two veggie combo options available – 3 or 4 entrees. The Zoma Special Combo features beef tibs, spicy beef stew, home made cottage cheese and all 6 of the veggie dishes.

The fun part about Ethiopian food is they often serve the food on communal platters, which allows everyone to share several options. Ethiopian portions may look small at first, but the injera will fill you up. You will never leave hungry.

I met a vegetarian friend for lunch there a little while later, and we sat at one of the basket tables. We enjoyed the samosas (small vegetarian pastries filled with sauteed whole lentils, onions, and jalapeno pepper and served with a sweet chili dipping sauce) as well as the tim-tim fit fit, which is made with pieces of injera bread mixed with chopped fresh tomato, onion, jalapeno and Ethiopian herbs. The fit fit is obviously quite spicy, but it was really tasty. We both ordered vegetarian combos that day. I ordered my beloved tikil gomen (on the menu as simply “cabbage”), the collard greens and green beans and carrots, while she ordered the cabbage, green beans and carrots and split red lentils. The split red lentils are simmered in a medium hot berbere garlic and onion sauce, while the split yellow lentils are milder and simmered with onions, garlic, and turmeric.

Ethiopian offers a little something for everyone. They serve a wide variety of wine, including honey wine (Tej). The honey wine is light and refreshing, but also not overly sweet. I like the tea because it has a nice spice note. You can also get amped up on their coffee service. They roast the beans right in front of you and it is quite an experience for the senses.

Contact info:

Zoma Ethiopian RestaurantZoma Ethiopian Restaurant
2240 Lee Road
Cleveland Heights, OH 44118
(216) 465-3239