'Just try it’

A quick internet search for local Ethiopian cuisine leads to less than a handful of options in the entire state of Alabama.

Just over a year ago, there wasn’t even a single option in the greater Birmingham area, but now Homewood is home to the second purveyor of the unique cultural experience: Red Sea Ethiopian and Mediterranean Restaurant.

Owned and operated by Gini Mohammed and Kedija Teyeb, the restaurant first opened in fall 2017, and in the last few months it has celebrated a ribbon cutting with the Homewood Chamber of Commerce, participated in Taste of Homewood and looked to add new experiences for the greater Birmingham community.

From the traditional sour flatbread, known as injura, to the distinct palate of spices, Mohammed said that many in Homewood and beyond are completely unfamiliar with Ethiopian cuisine.

“Our food is definitely different,” she said, adding that once people try it, nearly everyone becomes a fan.

Mohammed, who was born in Ethiopia, moved with her family to Birmingham in 2001, but due to the lack of authentic Ethiopian food would travel to Atlanta with friends to get a taste of home.

That is, unless she was the one cooking it for her friends and neighbors.

“I always love to cook and entertain,” she said. “That’s how I grew up.”

She said she was often told she should open a restaurant, but since she had no experience or even knew someone who owned a restaurant, the idea never seemed to be one of much consequence.

Then, she and Teyeb were invited to cook for Taste of Bessemer, an event that is held in April and draws from around the area.

“Most of the people there were afraid,” she said, but that she could usually coax them into a taste.

“Just try, it’s not going to hurt you,” she said. “And they loved it.”

Mohammed said everyone from construction workers to the mayor came to her table and asked where they could find her food, so she and Teyeb decided to try catering.

Eventually, after going to a few events, she said her husband found out about Halal Market planning to open on Green Springs.

Once they saw the space, she said, they were sold and got to work making it into an inviting atmosphere.

The name “Red Sea” came mostly out of necessity, she said, because the sign left by the previous restaurant said “Red Bowl” and changing the sign completely would have been too expensive. The Red Sea connects the areas where she and Teyeb are from, so it also fits the theme.

She said they also started working on how to make their own injura, the flatbread traditionally made with teff grain, sorghum and water, which is used both as plate, utensiland accompaniment.

Red Sea’s injura is currently not gluten free, Mohammed said, because they are still working on finding a way to make it with Alabama’s humidity and mineral-filled water, but she said they hope to figure it out soon.

“That is our next step,” she said.

Mohammed takes care of the Ethiopian food and Teyeb, who is from Saudi Arabia, specializes in traditional Mediterranean fare. The most popular dishes are the vegetable combination and the lamb tips, which Mohammed said show the range of flavors and spices, but are not too hot and spicy.

Overall, Mohammed said the restaurant has been well-received by the community.

“We are so so happy and so lucky,” she said. “People, they are very supportive.”

Red Sea Ethiopian is located at 22 Green Springs Highway. For more information visit redseaethiomediterranean.com.