Someone gave me this address some time ago:
"Marathon" Weststraße 192, 8003 Zürich

Apparently the service and atmosphere are not that great, but food is!

However, I have read that Ethiopian food is REALLY spicy and I usually don't like that, so I have never been to this restaurant myself. Can anyone confirm whether it still exists?

I was at mama africa one evening about a month ago with a large group. We sat upstairs and had good service as our menu had been pre-booked. We just chose the wine & the food kept coming ....& coming. The flavours were interesting. Something different for a change.

We went to Mama Africa last night and really enjoyed it.

I had the Cape Malays Giema Curry Bobotie, and the wife
had the Cape Malay Chicken. Both were very good and
interesting.

Although I really don't know what South African cuisine is like,
I enjoyed it thoroughly.

Can you post a link to Mama Africa?

http://www.mamaafrica.ch

Is the food similar to anything served in Mama Tembo in Zürich?

I die for pap en fleisch with chakalaka

That sounds odd. All in all we dined at Mama Africa about 8 times, in the 4 months or so we have been here in Winterthur. Never had bad service,,food is excellent,,I am South African after all, and the music is so nice, reminds me of SA. They will be opening a shop soon where they will sell South African specialities, or maybe they are open for business already, not sure.

Greetings,

Just to comment on Mama Africa: never eaten in the more formal section but have been in the informal section quite a few times. Whilst I enjoy the food (platter of wings usually), I have to say the service is pretty poor - not rude or surly, but forgetful and disorganized such that it's a bit of a lottery how much of your cutlery, drinks, food etc will actually turn up.

Regards.

PitBull.

But it adds again to the traditional vibe doesn't it? Take it lekker easy slow, yet the meal is coming now now

Aaaahhhhh yes! Pap en fleisch! ...... most especially Boerewors! ... and a realy hot spicy gravy (sauce)....!!!!!!!!!

I have eaten at Ethiopian restaurants in London, Amsterdam and New York. So hopefully that should give some idea of the cuisine even though I haven't eaten actually in Ethiopia! I tried lots of different dishes, and none have been spicey at all really.
I think I would choose an Ethiopian meal above any other. The food is delicious. The main staple is injera which is a big spongey pancake that you use to scoop up tasty stews with. You eat it with your hands, which makes it fun I think!

There's an Ethiopian restaurant at Huried (tram line 9 or 14) now. I plan to go scheck it out.

Very nice indeed. But Moroccans (just like Algerians, Tunisians and Egyptians do not regard themselves as Africans and whenever on that continent, these countries are not "in Africa". Except by strict geography of course. Maghrebi cuisine is almost the same as the one in the Arab Mashreek (Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, etc) whenever of course, there are regional differences, like the one that the Maghreb has Couscous and Merguez and Mechouiya while the Mashreek does not and the Mashreek has Shawarma Kebab which the Maghreb has not.


The Jawhara has finally disappeared and given way to a sexshop. Already some time ago they no longer served meals. Before, they had good meals and excellent Moroccan wines. Don't know what really happened ... .. Whatever, really a pity



The "Sultan" is Moroccan/Tunisian/Jordanian and so is an Arab and not an African Restaurant

here the details of the
ABYSSINIA
Austrasse 19 <
8045 Zürich
Betriebsferien:
15. Sept. - 1. Okt. 2009
Annual closing:
15th Sept. - 1st Oct. 2009
T: 043 333 00 85
Mo: 11:00 - 24:00
Di: geschlossen
Mi, Do: 11:00 - 24:00
Fr: 11:00 - open end
Sa: 14:00 - open end
So: 14:00 - 24:00

and here the
Meskerem Restaurant Café Riedhus
Birmensdorferstrasse 364
8055 Zürich
Telefon
044 451 38 27
079 390 09 61
E-Mail meskerem-restaurant@hotmail.com

and here the
Marathon
Weststr. 192
8003 Zürich
Telefon und Fax 044 463 59 24
Mobile 076 390 74 50

It's brilliant! We were there last Wednesday night.

The food doesn't seem quite as spicy as I remembered (from an Ethiopian restaurant back home) but was still delicious, reasonably priced, and great service. Definitely going back.

(Restaurant Meskerem, Birmensdorferstr. 364)

It would seem that the service at Mama Africa has not improved since 2008.

Our party of 4 were there on Saturday night for me to enjoy a birthday treat of a bit of "home food" and my 3 companions to try out some South African delights. Well the evening started out pretty well with the chef coming out to assist us with our wine selection but then things on the service side deteriorated to non-existent. As the restaurant filled up the 4 waiters just couldn't cope. Now I know that labour is expensive here in Switzerland but to be understaffed on your busiest night of the week, especially with the prices they are charging. Well lets just say I will not be going back. We had to wait 40 minutes, no exaggeration, for desert menus only to have the waiter complain to us because he didn't like the way he was called/gestured over to the table. In the same breath he says how if he is a paying customer he finds slow (nonexistent) service unacceptable. I have served my time in the hospitality industry and waited on more tables than I care to remember so this made my blood boil. When paying I actually asked him if he had been waiting tables a long time. He replied yes. I nearly choked. I politely (quietly away for everybody else) told him that if he wants to be any good at his job he should probably adjust his attitude and he may find people would be a bit more understanding that they are very busy. I said thank you and walked off. As I was walking away he started to say something so I asked him what his excuse was to which he replied he had no excuse. I said I didn't think so and walked off.

I am embarrassed if anybody else has had a similar experience to this. South Africa and South Africans pride themselves on their friendliness and this type of service would not be tolerated back home. I'm shocked. This treatment put a serious damper on our spirits that only many, many pints of Kilkenny could wash away later in the evening. The Kilkenny by the way was served fast and furiously by the owner at a little dive of a bar in Oerlikon. Maybe Simon should offer the Mama Africa staff some lessons in customer service.

I must in fairness give credit where it is due though. The food at Mama Africa's was quite good. But certainly not good enough to get me back to that service.

This pretty much sums it up...

Last time I was there about two years ago for my birthday treat with group of friends who were not familar with South African food, we had exactly same impression i.e. great food but lousy service. Shame that wrong attitude can spoil it all. No goer!

All this talk of African food is making me mighty hungry for some good ole Nigerian (no scammo ) nosh again . . .

Recently went to the Ethiopian restaurant, Abyssinia. Liked everything I had except the spongey, pancake style bread. Too sour for my taste buds. The waitress was friendly and humourously cajoled me to continue eating with the hands even when the going got tough as in I didn't want to embarrass myself big time due to being incompetent at it and making a huge mess down my blouse . A bib would've done nicely I guess . . . The company (other EFers) was excellent and we had a lot of fun there and afterwards . (X and X remember our stroll down the Bahnofstrasse on the way to the station!? Hehehe! ).

Yep, I seriously will never go back. I have never been treated so rudely at a restaurant in my whole life... I would have gladly walked out on the bill and not felt bad about it, and I never ever ever thought I would feel that way (especially since I have been in food service for over 10 years). It was really disappointing.

Ive been to Mama Afrikas a few times now and havent had a bad experience yet. Food is great and I had friendly service.

Must admit though the last time I was there is probably 8 months ago, so perhaps they have some new staff that dont gel very well with paying customers....

Yesterday we were in the Frieden Restaurant and Gasthof in Bassersdorf ZH. They have a South African menu until April 21, with all sorts of things... the menu is here.

Kudu, biltong, springbok, impala, gnu, bobotie ... and there are a few South African wines as well.

It's a Swiss place, but the food was good. I had a springbok steak.

It's at Dorfstrasse 4, 8303 Bassersdorf.