It could be argued that Lalibela represents the pinnacle of Ethiopia’s architectural tradition with the newly built Ben Abeba restaurant’s ‘space age’ design adding a distinctive contemporary dimension to the architectural landscape. Situated on the outskirts of the town, Ben Abeba is owned by a Scot named Susan and her Ethiopian business partner and attended by a project to train young Ethiopian men and women the skills of cooking and restaurant management. It is an ambitious project that is reflected in the post-modern design of the restaurant but there is every indication that it will be a success. The food is good, the ambience welcoming and the relationship between the management and staff is evidently one of mutual respect. Following the meal, we enjoyed a lively evening listening and dancing to traditional Ethiopian music with a few renditions of the ‘Gay Gordons’ thrown in for good measure; the Scottish influence coming to fore as the evening progressed. However, as memorable as our evening at Ben Abeba may have been, it was the churches that will live long in the memory. That’s not to say we won’t be recommending Ben Abeba as an excellent venue for food, entertainment and spectacular views.
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