Optimist Hall is thrilled to announce the grand opening of its newest tenant, Enat Ethiopian, on Sunday, May 22. Bringing their East African flare to the diverse food landscape at Optimist Hall, Enat Ethiopian will be the 27th tenant to open within the popular Charlotte food hall and marks the final addition to the food stall corridor.
“We’re thrilled Enat is joining the culinary lineup at Optimist Hall,” said Merritt Lancaster, Optimist Hall Partner. “With this addition, we hope to further Tina Tedla’s mission of bringing awareness to Ethiopian cuisine while continuing our mission to provide a wide array of choices from the best talent in Charlotte.”
A Charlotte mainstay since 2017, Enat Ethiopian specializes in cooking up authentic East African fare with a modern twist. Through their mission to share the rich culture and cuisine of Ethiopia, Enat hopes to bring even more meals and memories to patrons of Optimist Hall. The stall at Optimist Hall will serve as the establishment’s second location beyond their flagship restaurant at The Plaza in Shannon Park.
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“This grand opening will be extra special for me because I get to honor my mom by opening a second location of Enat. The word ‘enat’ means ‘mother’ in Amharic–one of the many languages spoken in Ethiopia, and my native tongue,” said Tina Tedla, owner of Enat Ethiopian. “Although I’ve always been inspired by my mother’s tasty recipes, some of which we use in Enat’s cooking, the reason I named it ‘Enat’ was because of her ceaseless encouragement and support in pushing me to open my own business. We didn’t invent Ethiopian food; we just perfected it.”
Optimist Hall guests will be transported to East Africa through Enat Ethiopian’s menu, which will feature an array of traditional Ethiopian dishes. Menu offerings will include three styles of their specialty dish, Tibs (stir fried meat and vegetables): Classic Tibs (stew-like), Derek Tibs (crispy), and Awaze Tibs (served with a spicy sauce). A selection of traditional sides will also be available to order, such as Miser (red lentil stew), Tikel Gomen (cabbage and carrots), Ater (yellow split stew), and Shiro (chickpea stew). No Ethiopian meal is complete without the signature Injera (spongy bread), which is a starchy vessel paired with entrées. For a quick snack, guests can also order a trio of crispy Sambusa (fried dumplings). In addition, vegan and vegetarian options will be available, as well as sandwiches and family style platters.
Enat Ethiopian is located between Boxcar Betty’s and Ava Pizzeria. Their hours of operation are 11am – 9pm Sunday – Thursday, and 11am – 10pm Friday – Saturday.