A large round platter covered with soft injera is a fine way to begin a meal at Queen of Sheba. Instead of individual entrées arriving in separate dishes, beef, chicken, lentils, greens and other preparations can gather together on the bread, ready to be scooped up by hand.
For Oklahoma City diners new to Ethiopian food, the restaurant offers a comfortable first encounter with a cuisine built around seasoning, communal eating and plenty of choices. The dining room is relaxed and traditional in character, and staff members are known for walking newcomers through the menu without making the process feel complicated.
That guidance is useful because the menu has more to explore than a single signature dish. There are robust meat preparations, vegetable sides, sambusas, tea and combination plates designed for a table that would rather sample widely than commit to just one thing.
Start with a messob
The Queen of Sheba Messob is the broadest introduction on the table. This combination platter brings together two beef dishes, chicken and numerous vegetable preparations, giving a group a chance to move from one flavor to the next without ordering an imposing list of separate plates.
A messob works particularly well for two or more people, though it also suits the curious diner who wants the meal to become a tasting tour. One bite may be savory and beefy, the next earthy with lentils or greens, followed by a warmer, more assertively spiced spoonful tucked into the next section of injera.
Portions on the combination platters are substantial, so the meal has an unhurried quality. You can return to a favorite preparation after trying the full spread, rather than racing through a small sampler.
Injera does more than hold the meal
Injera is central to the table. The soft Ethiopian flatbread has a fluffy texture and a fermented tang, and it functions as plate, utensil and a key flavor in its own right.
Tear off a piece, gather up a bite of stew or vegetables, and the bread becomes part of every mouthful. The tang can be unfamiliar at first, especially for diners expecting an ordinary flatbread, but it is a distinctive counterpoint to the deeply seasoned dishes served over it.
Rice may be available as a substitute for diners who do not care for injera's fermented flavor. Still, trying the bread with a combination platter gives the meal its intended rhythm: pick, share, compare, and go back for another bite.
A vegetarian table with real range
Queen of Sheba has a substantial vegetarian selection, with dishes clearly identified on the menu and a vegetarian combination platter that is one of the restaurant's standout orders. It is also a strong option for vegan-friendly dining, rather than an afterthought added to a meat-centered menu.
The vegetarian platter gathers a wide range of vegetable dishes in one place, making it easy to see how varied an Ethiopian meal can be without beef or chicken. Lentil and vegetable preparations bring different textures and degrees of spice, and the generous format gives everyone at the table plenty to taste.
Gomen Watt, a collard-green dish, is worth seeking out. Greens can be modestly treated on many restaurant menus; here, they have enough seasoning and presence to hold their own among the richer dishes.
Meats, sambusas and the spice question
Meat eaters have plenty of territory to cover, from the beef and chicken on the Messob to dishes such as kitfo. Ordering a meat dish alongside the vegetarian combination is an especially practical way for a mixed group to share the table without splitting into separate meals.
The food is richly seasoned, and some dishes bring a definite level of heat. That is a pleasure for diners who like their food lively, but there are milder choices as well, so a first visit does not have to become a test of endurance.
Sambusas make a good opening move while deciding on the larger order. Available in chicken and other versions, these crisp savory pastries bring spice and flavor in a compact form, useful for a table that wants something to nibble before the platters arrive.
Tea, dessert and a room made for lingering
Koranti, Ethiopian spiced tea, gives the meal a fitting warm finish or a pleasant pause between bites. Regular hot tea is also available for diners who want something simpler.
There is a moist chocolate cake served with ice cream for dessert. It is an easy, familiar landing point after a dinner full of new flavors and a good choice to put in the middle of the table with a few forks.
The room has a bar, several televisions and ample indoor seating, but the overall mood remains warm and easygoing. African and Ethiopian music adds another layer to the setting without turning dinner into a performance.
Small tables can settle in for an intimate meal, while larger parties have room to make a shared platter into a group occasion. Menus also include background on Ethiopian cuisine and the country's history, giving interested diners something to read while deciding where to begin.
An easygoing first visit
Queen of Sheba is primarily a dine-in dinner destination, and shared combination plates are the most natural way to approach the menu. Ask a few questions, let the server point out the range of flavors, and order enough variety to make the injera earn its keep.
A free parking lot is available, with plenty of spaces commonly available. Service can move quickly, including on combination-plate orders, though the pace naturally varies with the evening.
The best approach is not to overthink the etiquette. Tear the injera, reach for the dish that looks most interesting, and let the next bite introduce itself.