In Pinehurst, Steve Scher finds a slice of Ethiopia and Eritrea.
By: Steve ScherPhoto by: Ben Lindbloom
On a recent late-morning stroll, I stopped at Jebena Cafe, one of a
handful of East African businesses that dot the southern edge of North Seattle’s Pinehurst neighborhood, and ordered the foul for breakfast: a bowl of fava beans, onions, serrano chiles, feta cheese, tomatoes and eggs served with warm French bread for dipping. The only other customer, Mulugeta G. Deso, assured me
I wouldn’t go wrong with this dish. He was right; it was delicious.
“America has a reputation for being generous and welcoming,” he said, speaking without irony, despite the immigrant discussions happening in the other Washington.”
Like many of the Ethiopians who have settled in the Pacific Northwest, Deso, a onetime aircraft mechanic and current parking lot attendant who settled in this country 19 years ago, found opportunity here.
“America has a reputation for being generous and welcoming,” he said, speaking without irony, despite the immigrant discussions happening in the other Washington. We were both welcomed by owner Martha Seyoum, who left Ethiopia 26 years ago. She stood at the rear of her café, in front of the outline of a large jebena, the long-necked East African coffee pot. She greeted us with arms wide, happy to be alive.
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