009: Seattleites You Should Know - Muna Tadesse of Kebena Ethiopian Restaurant

009: I’m sitting on a plane while writing this. The wifi is testing my ability to efficiently get this done, but since you received it and are reading, it must have worked. Amanda and I are spending the weekend at an undisclosed place to relax and disconnect for a bit. While you’re reading this, I’ll either be sleeping or sitting on the beach drinking a piña colada. 🙂 

Last week I talked about the weather and acceptance. I had a few people message me that it really impacted them. That inspired me to turn it into a video. I posted it on Wednesday across socials. It was a new format for me. The script felt more like poetry than the usual business focused stories I post every week. I don’t think it’s a video that will go viral or drive future business, but it did make me happy.

— Conner Cayson

Muna Tadesse
^{Owner & Chef, Kebena Ethiopian Restaurant}

I wrote so much on my draft of this week’s newsletter. I wanted to tell a story about driving down Rainier Ave S, and how it’s a highly neglected part of Seattle. I wanted to talk about Ethiopian food in the city and how there are seriously dozens of Ethiopian restaurants, coffee shops and markets on this two mile stretch between Columbia City and Rainier Beach. I did research about the history of Ethiopian immigration to Seattle between 1980 - 2000. All of it just didn’t fit into how I was feeling. 

This newsletter really just comes down to one thing. I admire these business owners who chase their dreams. I spent a few hours at Kebena a few weeks ago and I left feeling so good. There was a magical energy in Muna’s restaurant. Of course, the food was awesome, but her spirit filled me with happiness.

Welcome to Kebena

^{7636 Rainier Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118}

Muna greeted me that day with a hug and a bright smile. From the start, I felt like I had entered her home for lunch. It was about 1:30pm, so the place was quiet. There was one customer finishing up her lunch. I was surprised because she was an older white woman. I had been there for 2 minutes and she was raving to me about the food. She had driven from Issaquah to have lunch there by herself. And she was encouraging Muna to open a restaurant on the east side. While we were eating, another customer started up a conversation. His name was Mohammed, and he said he goes there EVERYDAY. Well, almost everyday, because Kebena is closed on Tuesdays. For those of you who live in Seattle know, striking up conversations with strangers is not the norm. But that has to mean something in a place like this. That gravity to talk and share is refreshing.

Muna gave me a quick tour of her restaurant. She’s designed and decorated it herself. There are about a dozen tables inside. The walls are painted white and lime green. They are decorated with hand woven baskets and art. There’s a spot in the center with chairs and a hand-woven mossob. A coffee table sits in the corner near the front door, with a large Ethiopian jebena and a ton of cups. In the back is a decent sized kitchen and prep area. First thing she did was start roasting coffee beans.

A Love for Cooking and Making People Happy

Muna opened Kebena in July 2023. She told me it had been her wish and dream for her entire life to own a restaurant like this. A few years prior, she had opened Kebena Market, which was store, but also served food to go. That was the stepping stone for this business. She still honors her market with a few shelves of Ethiopian coffee and other goods. She told me she had worked at one other restaurant before. She was a waitress. It wasn’t for her. She loves to cook. She loves to experiment and try new recipes of food from around the world. Her joy comes from seeing other eat her food and share in that happiness. This story was surprising to me. She was so generous and welcoming. Although, she might not love the front of house, she absolutely has a talent for it. But her heart is in the kitchen, and her passion is infused into her cooking.

What to Order at Kebena

Plate of Nations is a good time to visit Kebena, but if you show up after, I think you’ll be ordering a very similar set of items. Muna was smart about her PoN menu. She’s offering the same dish she would recommend to you if it was your first time visiting.

Vegetarian Combo is a huge sampler plate on top of Injera with 9 vegetarian items including: veggie Yemiser Wot (spicy split lentils), Kik Alicha (split-peas), Defin Miser (mild lentils), Gomen Wot (collard greens), Shiro Wot (ground split peas), Key-Sir (beets and potatoes), Tikile Gomen, and Fosolia Bekarot.

Meat Combo has Kitfo with Ayeb (steak tartar), Key Wot (spicy beef stew), Alicha Wot, and Gomen Besiga (boiled beef cubes)

If you visit Kebena, please say hi to Muna. Even if she is hiding back in the kitchen, I know she would love to see and meet you. I’ll be back soon.