Moya A taste of Ethiopia in SOMA

The sight of stony grey, spongy, aerated, injera bread rolled on a plate is motivation to plot a course on GOOGLE maps and head outside.  If it's a few blocks away, I'll just do a YELPY and see what the vibe is....I know, not exactly road less traveled, throw caution to the wind, stuff that adventures are made of but..when I am salivating over menus on the web and my tummy needs filling...I don't like to take too many risks.  I know, got to live on the 'food' edge more.

VEGANSAURUS rated MOYA as ^swear word^ delicious, 'Moya rules' .  Enough said.  My coat was flying behind me as I attempted to get dressed and walk down the street at the same time.  Skill.

I walked down Folsom to 7th, past some rather 'interesting' bars.  I'd railroaded my foodie pal into eating an early dinner (for Glen it was a late lunch/early dinner...a linner?  Well..we accepted the word brunch didn't we?!)  The restaurant only had one couple tucking in when we arrived.  More arrived whilst we scoffed.

We ordered the vegetarian combo (yes, 'tis vegan), a buffet/taster plate.  Five dishes  spooned on Teff - a nutritious Ethiopian grain..Wiki tells it. gluten-free, injera bread.  The salad was simply chopped toms and lettuce but dusted with white pepper - usually pet hate of mine, but..it worked, I was converted; a stew of carrots kale; slow cooked collard greens; yellow split peas in garlic & spices and split red lentils in Berbere sauce.  I also called ahead (obsessive planning!..but they ask for 30mins notice) to get them whipping up some Shuro (ground garbanzos cooked in garlic & Berbere sauce).  Vegansaurus said to order it and slather it on everything as it was like liquid butter... 

The injera was good..perfect in fact.  A texture like nothing else.  The palate of dishes in the veggie combo?  I enjoyed the salad..actually I enjoyed EVERYTHING.  The red split lentils were worthy of a trumpeted fanfare and mini indoor sparklers..yey!  The other dishes were good but my socks were not blown off, tic-a-tape did not rain from the sky and I did not  take to the floor to perform three somersaults, air straddle splits and a triple salto in celebration.  Hmm, I'd go again.. but I'd gorge (and you do gorge..they are GENEROUS portions) on the spicy misir and an injera or two.  I'd save my dosh for spending on a sweet vegan goodie from Rainbow Grocery on the way home and give the Shuro a miss too ..it didn't rock my boat..more of a gentle nudge from the wake of a passing ship., ok, ok, you knew what I meant.

Plus points; the food was brought out in minutes, the cooks seemed (quietly) proud of their food.
Minus; they currently only take cash BUT they do have an ATM