I got a huge variety of containers from Jambo (including some that I'm sure I didn't order). Most were injera so it wasn't great value but was still large amounts of food. Good lamb and chicken, not too spicy but with unique spicing. Worth a look and probably better value than Alem.
Does My Bomb Look Big In This
+4
If there’s a cuisine that should be in your regular dining repertoire that probably isn’t, it’s Ethiopian. Ever since discovering Blacktown’s cluster of Ethiopian restaurants, I’ve been a confirmed fan of eating wot (onion-based stews) over stretchy, sour injera (bubbly, crepe-like bread). Along with Alem’s House, who have brought a vegetarian (vegan) rendition of the cuisine to Camperdown, Jambo Jambo Africa offers you an atmospheric introduction to Ethiopian food, without the need to leave the Inner West. Ethiopian-born Joseph...
HUNGRY SUMMARY - Great place to get a taste of what Ethiopian food is like.
FOOD - Ordered the combination meal which included 1) Mixed Entree w/chapati and sambusa and 2) Mains: Doro Wot, Zilzil Tibs and Shiro Wot and 3) Lemon & Chocolate Ice Cream. Mains served with injera bread (which tastes sour on its own, but definitely a tasty and unique bread)
The standout for me was the Shiro Wot (the vegetarian dish), as it was light and creamy. I would also recommend trying the famed Doro Wot, but people who can't take spice, be wary!
PRICE - $75 for 2, good price considering the amount of food we got.
EXPERIENCE - Service was great, they even gave us an extra helping of chicken and they offer injera bread refills. I think the uniqueness of eating with injera bread as the 'utensil' was what stood out.
The menu is filled with meat and vegetarian options, meat such as lamb, beef, goat and chicken. There’s actually quite a bit of items that are spicy or hot, which I think really makes their dishes come alive. We ordered the Jambo Course, which allowed us to choose up to 3 dishes...
Read: purplecuriosity.wordpress.com/2019/08/07/jambo-jambo-african-restaurant/
We’d read the mixed reviews but wanted to decide for ourselves and we loved it. The team was warm and welcoming from the minute we arrived. We ordered the set menu and I think that’s the best approach. The starter of Berber tartare was a flavour bomb and then the main which was generous and delicious. Yes the chicken was one drumstick but in the context of the whole experience, was just right. Our host was very attentive and checked on us regularly offering more bread to mop up the wonderful sauces. 100% glad we went and are eager to come again.
Ethiopian food is not easily found in Sydney. In other cities I’ve lived in or passed through, there is usually an Ethiopian restaurant or two. I last ate at one in Paris and was reminded of the magical combination of the injera, a flatbread pancake made of fermented teff flour and the various curries and vegetable dishes.
Shared the Veggie Platter between two people. Everything was really wholesome and flavourful, however, as everything is eaten with bread, it is a really dense meal and it can become sickening after a while. I would only recommend the all you can eat platter for a larger group and opt for choosing one or two mains if your dining for two. My fave was the curry option on the veggie menu. Don’t skip out on the entree!
My fiance and I ate here last week. It is a cute and small restaurant with a nice atmosphere. The service was friendly and personable, food was delicious and would definitely come back here again. The lentil samosa and inhouse roasted ethiopian coffee were my favourites. Enjoyed it immensely.
I was thrilled when Jambo Jambo re-opened in Glebe. We used to go here all the time when it was in Crows Nest (one of the rare times I would cross the bridge) and it was always worth the experience. Now it's much closer to my neighbourhood.
I can't recommend this place highly enough. The food is great - have loved everything I've eaten here, but generally focus more on the Wotts (spicier version). You can either eat with picking up food with the bread (injera) or cutlery is available in need.
As good as the food is, it's really the owner that brings this to life. Joseph is a force of nature. He greets every customer like a long lost friend. And he always looks after us excellently - we don't even need to order any more because he knows what we like.
Great location, great food, great atmosphere, give this a go. You won't be disappointed.
The service was welcoming, warm and attentive. The food was absolutely delicious! The combination of spices & flavours was a wonderful delight for the palate & I will definitely be going back!
I had dinner with a friend here tonight and everything was amazing! We shared a vegetarian platter for 2 (it was all vegan which is great) and had coffee at the end. Every single thing on the plate was incredible, and so much food! The staff were also super attentive and all really lovely. Can't recommend it enough!
Fantastic food and amazing service. We have always enjoyed coming here. The owner personally visits each table to make sure guests are enjoying the food.
Jambo Jambo is a little Ethiopian restaurant in Crows nest with good service and great food. I went there with my Mother to celebrate her birthday by trying something totally new to us. When I told them I'm a vegan the staff offered us a "injera" (a slightly sour light purple ethiopian flat bread made of teff flour) with diffrent vegetable curries and stews on it so we could taste a vareity of diffrent things, all of which were delicioucy and very filling. We ate the food by tearing pieces of the bread off and scooping up the curries in it, and we had damp towels to clean our hand. I'm very happy with the service, food and it's definetly a worth while experience.
One word, outstanding!! Myself and a few friends went to Jambo Jambo and felt very welcomed, thoroughly enjoyed the food and had a jolly good time! Having never eating here before I was excited to try it and found the food extremely flavourful and great value. I can tell the guys working here have a real passion for what they are creating, so this and the reasons above I'm happy to give them 5 stars.
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Jambo Jambo is incredibly welcoming, it feels like eating at home. Especially if you grew up in a northern Sydney mall shopfront decorated with African knick knacks.
The Service:
Jambo Jambo patriarch Joseph is the host with the most - halfway through your meal he will come out with coffee beans roasting in a hot pan and move them under your nostrils to letcha know the hot post-meal coffee is on its way.
I can't tell you what's on the menus. Every time I've frequented this establishment they have been handed out and then collected by Joseph who takes care of everything anyway. They might be blank. Leave it up to him.
The Food
Leave as much room as possible.
There's a party in your mouth and about to 9 Ethiopian curries are invited. You'll eat it with a fermented bread that can only be described as a sourdough-y pancake or a food towel. Don't be the dingo that used cutlery. Also they refill the bread so stop rationing. Also! Forget that time that vegan ruined lentils for you. The lentils are a taste sensation. Particularly with the chicken.
Went to this quirky little hide away restaurant after reading great reviews about it and glad we went and tried something different!cute traditional decor that makes you feel like your in a part of Africa with a friendly helpful chef that is bubbly and explains the food and how to traditionaly eat it.As a professional chef myself I understand good food and don't give out good reviews often will definitely be back with more friends and house roasted coffee that they toast off in a pan as you watch thanks guys see you soon!!
I loved it! Went for dinner last night. Servings were generous and the chef explained the menu to us in detail. The service was wonderful and very attentive. We felt as though we had been welcomed in to their home. Will definitely be back soon.
Nice place to have fun with your friends. You share your food and eat it with your hands. It's BYO, the service is good, the owner is friendly and the food is tasty.
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Jambo Jambo, which means Hello Hello in Swahili, is an authentic Ethiopian restaurant located in a questionable plaza along the busy Willoughby Road of Crows Nest.
We dined as a group of four and opted for a platter of 6 varying dishes, so we can sample what they had to offer. We ordered their combination platter aka Gebeta which refers to a large wood cup or bowl, or a table made of bamboo. But it’s also used more generally to mean the platter on which the communal meal is served.
To enjoy the dish, we were given fluffy, brown bread rolled up like it was a hot towel. It actually came out cold and had a sharp taste of vinegar. The bread is know as Injera. Injera is a yeast risen flatbread with a unique spongy texture. It is a national dish in Ethiopia.
The dishes we chose were Doro Wot, Doro Alicha, Goden Tibs, Alicha Wot, Key Wot and Gomen. Unfortunately they had no Alicha Wot and the chef replaced it with two other dishes (Chilli Beef and a salad) as an apology. Wot is an Ethiopian stew or curry that may be prepared with chicken, beef, lamb, a variety of vegetables and a mixture of spices. Alicha is essentially a wot without berbere. Berbere is a spicy red pepper powder that gives heat to Ethiopian dishes. I hope that wasn't too confusing. I really enjoyed learning more about the cuisine and what I was actually eating.
I love how it was served on a massive communal platter. It made for great photos and you would notice everyone stopping to admire in awe as it was placed on the table. The base layer is Injera sitting on possibly some chilli oil to prevent it from sticking. It was great to eat the Injera at the end because it soaked up all the sauces from all the dishes. My favourite had to be the chilli beef, which I'm sure everyone there that night can bear witness to, as I nearly polished it all off by myself, even all the Injera sitting below it.
For me I have to say you come here for the experience of eating Ethiopian food. The quality is nothing to write home about but the experience was fantastic. People on every table looked like they were having a blast, eating with their hands and catching up with friends.
The walls were lined with Ethiopian posters and pictures of people and the whole colour scheme of yellow, green and red was an explosion of Ethiopian pride. The asian lady they hired seemed quite new and inexperienced and her English wasn't the best which made it hard to order. The cooks at the back were more than happy to come out and help out as well as explain the dishes that were served. There was a sense of pride in their food which was nice to see.
Be prepared to dine with your hands. Yes they will provide cutlery but half the fun is dipping the bread straight in. They will provide you towels to help cleanse yourself if it all gets a bit messy.
I recommend browsing the web for coupons as I notice a historical trace of deals from coupon sites for this place. You could find yourself saving a nice chunk of change.
I had fun eating this meal... sure it's not going to blow your taste buds away... but just for the experience I'd definitely recommend to come for that.
Helen | Grab Your Fork
+4.5
Our favourite dish of the night is the kitffo - lean beef that’s chopped finely and cooked in spiced butter. Ignore the rare or medium options and eat it how Ethiopians traditionally do it – raw. It’s the African version of steak tartare or Korean yukke, the raw beef macerated in a spiced clarified butter (Bekele makes his own). Do it. It’s amazing.
Great food with ambience, the owner is enthusiastic and passionate about his Ethiopian food! We had a awesome meal !
Jambo Jambo - Interesting experience and cuisine.. Totally enjoyed the experience. The restaurant is small, casual and unassuming but decorated in all things "Ethiopian" from beads, bowls and baskets adding to the ambience. The owner, chef - came out to greet us, and to explain the dishes. We left the choices to him and he served, explaining the ingredients, and about "Teff" and how to eat with same...if you want to know about this, you can either google "teff" or go to the restaurant to find out first hand. No need for cutlery, fingers are all that is required. It was a feel good experience, from the friendly staff and owner, to the different, but delicious portions. Totally recommend this restaurant if you are looking for a new and reasonably priced dining experience.
If you can get past the odd location (ie shopping centre) the food is awesome and the service was great. Such a friendly man who owns the place. We loved it.
What a different night out! We throughly enjoyed our food and found it extremely filling! For all the people who said there wasn't enough food, they bring you more at no charge, this was explained to us when the food came out... But we were so full it wasn't required at all. And my partner and I are big eaters! Totally great night out and would highly recommend the experience! The owner was very lovely and helpful and explained everything to us!
We had passed this place a couple of times before and decided to give it a go since we both had never had Ethiopian cuisine before. It was a surprisingly wonderful experience and will definitely be back. The host knew it was our first time and made the effort to explain what injera was and how to best eat it. He even gave us a freebie chickpea curry! Another positive point was that everything on the menu was gluten free. In response to previous reviewers who wrote that the food was expensive for small servings - the owner explained that they serve small to make sure everything gets eaten but they are more than happy to top it up if we still wanted more. Considering we live in a society based on over consumption I appreciate this kind of ethical eating habits. And to the most recent reviewer, Angela, the platter was $40 and it's an extra $15 for every extra person...it isn't trickery and if you think you can go out for a meal for 4 for $40 you are deluding yourself.
Highly recommended. The food was extremely flavoursome and the traditional Ethiopian coffee was also really enjoyable. The mains were served on a pancake-style bread which included the Kitffo (lean beef), a lemon chicken dish, a lamb dish and a green portion was thrown in for free - all were delicious. We didn't order the entree based on feedback from this website. The dessert was fine but not memorable like the mains (I'm not sure how we managed to actually squeeze it in!). The location seems impersonal but the service was warm and inviting (I'd try for a table inside).
Second time customer, first time reviewer. You can tell the chef (and I presume, owner) really had a passion for the food. He stopped by every table to have a chat and tell us about the special way the bread was cooked and all about the foods. We ordered the combination platter (on recommendation from the waitress) and it was Jambo Jambo! More food than we can manage to eat.
Definitely would recommend.
The injera tastes so good here because the owner apparently imports teff from ethiopia and doesn't use wheat in his injera (a cheaper substitute). the flavours are authentic and whilst it might not be everyone's cup of tea, those accustomed to real ethiopian food will like the food here.
I love this place!! The food is super nice and so is the host. He gave us extra dishes just for us to try. Such a nice guy. Everyone should try!
Unique experience, tasty dishes and very friendly staff... so full! Went on Sunday as a group of 4, the owner explained each dish and even roasted fresh coffee beans in front of us. A very good night out!
Delicious but expensive.
I developed a taste for Ethiopian food on trips to the US where it's a popular option and was excited to find somewhere in Sydney that served my favorites.
While the food was delicious, I didn't care for the location in a rundown mall. I also thought the pricing was a bit steep for what it was. $20 for some collard greens for example. A mixed platter for one is $40 which doesn't compare well with a similar concept of an Indian thali of various curries for $18
Plenty of vegetarian options and very tasty.
Tasty & Extremely Filling!. Have to agree with all the reviews - this is a fantastic place with authentic African cuisine. Staff are friendly and helpful. Food is tasty and extremely filling (something to do with the sorghum flour I think?) It also came out pretty fast, although there was a bit of a lull after the main course as the coffee was taking some time to brew but well worth the wait! A very filling and satisfying dinner - we'll be back!
Jambo Jambo is relaxed and friendly and the food is absolutely delicious and well priced. Joe is a warm, generous and personable host. We love it and eat here once a week.
Went for lunch. Wonderful place, warm atmosphere, friendly service, and great food. Enjoyed every moment. Loved the Ethiopian coffee. Will be back.
Really enjoyed this place. Nice cozy interior that really gives you a feel for Ethiopian cuisine and how it’s meant to be enjoyed.
We went with the combination platter with 6 mains and they were delicious and flavourful. Each different serving had it’s own unique blend of herbs and spices and a different hit on the palate.
Don’t be scared to use your hands, the Injera a great substitute for the cutlery and the coffee at the end is just 👌
Really excellent Ethiopian food experience. The decor fit well and the service was great. We went for the 3 choice of mains split by 2 meat and 1 vegan dish. It came with entrees which were excellent (especially the sambusa).
Never been to a place that is like this. Wasn't sure what to expect of the flavours. Being a foodie you gota try! Am here at least once a week! Tried both the meat platter and the vegan platter and it is both amazing. Love the entree's, especially the raw meat. Mmmmm !! Highly recommend this place!
Absolutely delicious and fast friendly service! Great vegan options. All the curries were super tasty and the enjera completed them perfectly. The lemon sorbet was a perfect way to finish the meal. Highly recommend this place.
It was our first time trying African food and we were blown away! The flavours were amazing, we tried foods we never thought we'd even want to try and the service throughout the night was impeccable. From start to finish we felt like family - welcomed and well-fed! Definitely will be coming back as I've had constant cravings for more ever since.
We had the platter for 2 which included 3 entree items, 4 curries for mains with injer bread and finished off by coffee at the end.
All the items were delicious and injer was soft and slightly sour due to fermentation which I am told how it should be. They also gave us extra injer free of cost to finish our curries.
Staff was very friendly. Overall highly recommended.
Delicious food with very friendly staff. We ordered the combination platter for two ($95) which includes 6 meat/veg dishes, a mixed entree and ice cream and coffee. They also gave us an extra seventh dish and extra coffee ☺️
Jambo Jambo is an incredible place to eat at, I couldn’t recommend it enough. I went with my friend and it was the first time we had ever eaten Ethiopian food before - the owner was so kind and accommodating and helped us pick what to eat. The food was delicious and the atmosphere was lovely. We demolished a very generously portioned meal between just the two of us. The photos don’t do it justice. If you have the chance to go to this restaurant please do!
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