By Charlotte Askew
The enchanting Lula’s Ethiopian and Eritrean Cuisine has recently opened on Park End Street in Oxford and is an unmissable experience for any student lacking flavoursome meals! Gone are the days when central Oxford was remembered for their lack of cultural cuisine (something more usually associated with Oxford’s neighbour, Cowley) which is now far from the truth!
Lula and her welcoming staff have brought both African food and culture to the forefront of this city and her wide selection of dishes cater to all diets and preferences. With gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian options, there really is no reason as to why anyone would pass at the chance to dine here.
The family-owned business lovingly offered some TOG girls and me a complimentary lunch, where we chose the £20 platter option that included every vegetarian option on the menu. This included a mix of red lentils, yellow split peas, Gomen, Fosolia and Shiro – all of which was handmade and were served in hearty portions. You could tell how delicious this meal was from the wiped plates that were left! Accompanying this was an authentic Eritrean spiced tea that was served with an Eritrean designed saucer. The meal and presentation were equally gorgeous and traditional.
Not only did this meal taste incredible, but on the reverse of the menu, there was an easy-to-follow history of how Eritrean and Ethiopian food is traditionally prepared. As well as this were paragraphs detailing the ethnic and religious make-up of Ethiopia. All this information made the experience of sharing this cultural dish more special and memorable for us.
I have nothing but praise for this restaurant and would highly recommend it to anyone in the area. The full belly, good company, brilliant staff, and all-natural food cooked with love and care have most definitely brightened up my day and I intend to revisit Lula’s Ethiopian cuisine as soon as possible!
I am so grateful to @ThatOxfordGirl for offering this experience and do encourage those who are thinking of joining the team to do so, to ensure that you too can become involved with these fulfilling opportunities.