East African and Ethiopian restaurant Buraka has returned to Madison with the same dishes that have charmed its strong base of customers from the beginning. And though it’s further from its original downtown spot, the new home will certainly satisfy diners hungry for old favorites.
Buraka served downtown Madison at its State Street location until October 2013, when it closed in light of upcoming developments, along with the Hub.
Now at 1210 Williamson St. on the east side, Buraka reopened during the first weekend of March to a public eager to see the local favorite back in business.
In light of their grand opening, Buraka offered an all-day buffet from Friday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. The buffet featured nearly all of the dishes offered on the restaurant’s menu, allowing diners to sample each and find their favorites for future visits.
Dishes consist of primarily stews and curries, which feature a multitude of spices and unique aromas. Buraka offers vegetarian options as well, and the intense flavors used in East African cooking make these dishes just as hearty as the dishes featuring meat.
The doro wot, a chicken and carrot stew, is seasoned with a zesty berbere spice blend, which provides its dark red appearance. The carrots remain in large pieces and are cooked down to a respectable softness that still maintains some crunch.
The chicken is tender and soaks up the berbere sauce for a dish that offers a lot in terms of warming, savory flavors of chili pepper, garlic, ginger and basil.
The misir wot, the vegetarian counterpart to the doro wot, includes lentils, split peas and potatoes. Bearing the same sauce, the potatoes take place of the chicken as they grip onto the spices of the berebere. The lentils and split peas add a satisfying texture that makes the dish filling, yet in a healthy sense.
Buraka also offers coconut curry chicken, a traditional Kenyan dish with chicken, yams and a coconut milk curry sauce, as well as a peanut stew that is served either with chicken or vegetables for a vegetarian option.
Alongside their entrees, Buraka offers a hearty lentil salad, and either rice or Ethiopian sourdough flatbread called injera. The sourdough flavor is pronounced in the injera, and the chewy, almost gummy texture of the paper thin bread is enticing. The injera pairs well with the sauce-heavy entrees and is the perfect mop for the flavors left on the plate.
With the opening of the restaurant, the status of Buraka’s former food cart on Library Mall remains unknown. Though further from its original downtown location, the restaurant’s resurfacing is enough to please Buraka fans, for now.
