Saba Ethiopian Cuisine
110 12th Ave, 328-2290
Description: A charming Ethiopian restaurant located in the Central District.
Saba namesake happenings: It's a popular woman's name in Ethiopia, it refers to the biblical superstar Queen of Sheba, and it's an ancient African kingdom. Less commonly, it's the seven grains of rice that Zen monks ceremonially offer to hungry ghosts.
About those hungry ghosts: These particular spirits have long, thin throats, which prevent them from filling their massive bellies. Thus, they are always starved and miserable.
Modern-day comparisons: Prader-Willi syndrome, the rare genetic disorder whose symptoms include a permanently unsated appetite. In an interview with the mother of a food-obsessed toddler, ABC News' Dan Childs describes a little girl who was rifling through trash, "eating everything, even raw meat... lick[ing] empty cups... eating butter... anything she could find." Be glad you don't have it.
Happy hours: Daily 5–9 pm, closed Wednesday.
Happy-hour drink specials: $3 pints (Heineken, Stella), $2 bottles (Corona, Beck's).
Happy-hour food specials: There are no official discounts during happy hour, but they aren't at all necessary. The regular menu is profoundly inexpensive: $10 buys a full beef tibs dinner, large enough for you and a friend. Other tibs meat options—lamb, chicken, and more—fall within the $11 to $13 range.
