Owner Of Popular Ethiopian Market Stall Opening A Restaurant In Fredericton
FREDERICTON – Hana Oqubay heard from Northside Market customers for years that they wanted a weekday spot to enjoy her traditional Ethiopian cuisine. Now she’s taking the leap and opening a new restaurant to make that request possible.
“They’re looking forward to coming and try it,” Oqubay said. “The response is amazing.”
Hana Ethiopian Cafe and Takeout will begin serving its popular dishes and coffee when it opens on February 18.
Oqubay came to Fredericton in 2006 to follow her partner who was studying at the University of New Brunswick. Seeing a void in the city’s culinary scene, she opened a stall seven years ago at the Northside Market, where she’s developed a loyal customer base.
The restaurant at 154 Main St. will be open Tuesdays to Fridays from 9:30 am – 6 pm, with the market stall still running on the weekends. Oqubay said she chose a northside location to expand food offerings in that part of the city.
“When you go downtown you have a lot of options. And you go out uptown you have a lot of options,” she said. “But when you come to the northside, there’s not a lot of options you can get.”
The menu will feature traditional injera flatbread along with stews, spiced chicken, beef and several vegetarian and vegan options. Prices range from $8 to $11. New at the restaurant location will be an espresso machine and freshly brewed Ethiopian coffee.
Oqubay said she plans to try new dishes one at a time to see how customers respond. Two employees will be joining her to help out in the kitchen.
“It takes a lot of work to cook Ethiopian food and I have to see how people react and how they like it,” she said.
Another offering will be traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremonies. For $60, up to 10 people can participate in the 45-minute experience, where coffee is made from scratch with green beans in front of the customer. The beans are roasted, ground and brewed in a clay pot.
The restaurant is opening up in a former strip mall which has been vacant for several years. The space was completely renovated and has a dining room that seats up to 12 people. Customers can also place take-out orders.
Oqubay said she has been working around the clock the past few weeks to prepare for the opening.
“You put your heart and soul in every hundred percent,” she said. “And every day there’s something to do, improve, you need to fix, you need to sit down and look at.”