Aster's Ethiopian Restaurant 2804 North Interstate Highway 35, Austin, TX 78705

"It's difficult for me to rate this restaurant accurately because it was my first ever experience with Ethiopian food. We were invited to meet a group of friends here, which the restaurant accommodated nicely (there were six of us). The restaurant has hole in the wall vibes, with interesting artwork throughout. My husband and I decided to share a plate, so we ordered the alicha begg watt (lamb stew). Each of the meat dishes comes with three veggie side dishes, and we ordered fasolia watt (potatoes), gomen (collard greens), and keyi miser (spicy lentils). The meal is served on top of the crepe-like flat bread with two extra flatbreads on the side. Like I said, this was our first experience with Ethiopian food, and it was definitely different. The Flatbread itself is very sour and vinegary. That vinegar flavor was also present in the collard greens, and a little bit throughout the entire meal. The lamb stew was quite good. The potatoes were spiced with many things, but among the spices was cinnamon, which resulted in a floral mix that I did not like. I honestly can't remember what the lentils tasted like. I wouldn't recommend sharing a plate if you're hungry, but if it's your first experience and you just want to try some things, it's great. To be completely frank, we did not like the food that much, but it may just be that we are not used to it. The experience was great."

"Good food, good service. We got the combination plate which was like $30. You can select from 4 veggies and 4 meats. They all were flavourful and tasty. We even mixed them and ate them, so many varieties of flavour, enjoyed every bit of it. I wasn’t a big fan of the bread… kinda sour.. But overall, nice workers and tasty food"

"My wife and I had an extra time before our flight, wanted lunch, and sought out a small adventure rather than waiting at the airport. How can I rate this special place on the same scale as fine dining? This is an amazing, almost rustic place. The setting is clean and minimalist. Some old tables. Some tables on a covered patio. A drinks cooler. An L-shaped steam table with tubs of food. Delicious food. Most of the food is vegetarian, with some chicken and beef for those who crave it. The dishes are varied it spice, ingredients, and texture. I hadn't had Ethiopian food in a very long time, but I remembered the soft crape-like bread one used by hand to pick up food, and was hoping to find that here, and I was concerned until I found a large container on individually wrapped breads on a nearby table. The bread was so perfect, so tasty, and matched the other food perfectly. Overall, this was a meal and experience worth more than the price. The restaurant is owned and operated by the same family for over 30 years."

"Do you know the fairy tale with the small shack in the middle of nowhere, where you enter and there is a palace inside? Aster's is the place and if you don't even find marble and gold, you can find the best Ethiopian food there is! Generous portions and a menu where you want to try everything!"

"Some of the best food I’ve ever tasted. So flavorful and amazing. The serving size is generous, enough for leftovers. The family is so sweet. This is such a treat. Would recommend and is now one of my personal favorites."