Dahlak & Desi: Table for 2 ... countries, that is

WHEN I FIRST heard about Dahlak and Desi Village Restaurant, I have to admit to needing a fourth grade geography refresher. The Dahlak Archipelago is a group of small islands off the coast of Eritrea, the tiny country in northern East Africa.

Politics makes for more confusion, as there were annexes and a revolution as recently as the '60s. But, for our purposes, the cuisine is basically Ethiopian.

The history of the restaurant is as confusing as the country. Owner Neghisti Ghebreheiwet closed Dahlak when her husband died several years ago.

She reopened on Germantown Avenue about a year ago, but added Indian cuisine and the name "Desi" to reflect the fusion. There is also a location on Baltimore Avenue in West Philly.

The stronger menu is the Eritrean/Ethiopian, and it is clear that the restaurant fusion stems from those roots. The decor features colorful Eritrean fabrics and common items. The tradition of dining from communal plates with the food eaten from the hands is encouraged here.

The plate is lined with injera, the staple bread of Eritrea and Ethiopia.

While it is considered bread, it looks more like a pancake and diners grab a piece of the injera with their fingers to scoop up the food. Injera can be horrible (especially if substitutions are made for the traditional flour) or it can be very good.

The injera is worth a trip to Dahlak. It is made authentically from teff, a grass indigenous to the region and a substitute for wheat. The teff is essential, as is the fermentation of the dough. At Dahlak, this is done every day and, similar to sourdough, a little starter from the previous day is the natural yeast that begins the fermentation for the next day's batch.

The theme that unites the two cuisines here is the bread. Essentially, the diner is invited to break bread and to enjoy community.

As is the custom in many Indian restaurants, the server brings papadam to the table before your food arrives, much like an American bread basket. These are essentially lentil "potato chips" and about as addictive. The accompanying sauces – a hot spicy concoction and a sublime mint and cilantro mix - were perfect.

The Chat Papri ($4.95) was our favorite appetizer. Potatoes, chick peas, yogurt and tamarind were tossed with "crisps" which, not to add to fusion confusion here, seemed more like Chinese fried wontons. The result was delicious, crunchy and refreshing.

Another appetizer getting high marks was the Fish Bombay ($7.95), a spicy marinated fish that, battered and fried, made for a grown up version of fish sticks. Eat your heart out, Mr. Gorton.

Since one of my tasters hails from Britain, I thought it appropriate to try the Mulligatawny Soup ($3.95), a dish that is often identified with British rule in India. There are about as many versions as Queen Victoria had jewels. Here, the soup is made from lentils with a little golden blush coming from tumeric.

I wish the soup had been served first before our palates had been "fired" up a bit by the spicier appetizers so we could appreciate how satisfying it can be. It is said that Mulligatawny is an Anglo-Indian creation, made from Indian ingredients to satisfy the British custom of a first-course soup. This subtle soup has always been a favorite of mine, and some of that wonderful characteristic is lost by not eating it first.

Moving on to entrees we opted for a split between the two countries.

From Eritrea, the winning dish was Doro Okra ($13.95). This chicken dish is a stew nicely seasoned and a great example of how delicious okra can be.

Also getting high marks was the Yebeg Kay Watt ($14.95), or lamb in berbere sauce. The flavor was rich and the lamb succulent and tender. That said, there were small chunks of lamb bones throughout the dish. I'm sure the bones added much of the flavor, but when you are not accustomed to tiny fragments in your food, it can make for hazardous chewing.

What truly excelled on the Indian menu were the breads. The Keema Naan ($3.50) was almost pita-like and filled with seasoned ground lamb.

Cooking in the tandoor oven made this wonderfully charred and crisp. The Paratha ($2-$2.50) is light with flaky layers.

The Indian entrees weren't as well received as the Eritrean by my tasters.

Our Boti Kabab, chunks of lamb ($14.95), was a little tough and the Salmon Fish Bhima ($17.95) seemed more a dish to appease our American desire for salmon.

There are some desserts on the menu, mostly Indian inspired, but for some strange reason there is also baklava. With such spicy cuisine you may want to just opt for lassi, a traditional fruit drink that is light and refreshing.

Dahlak and Desi Village has a liquor license. Wine is available, but I'd recommend the beer list, which is more suited to this cuisine.

Don't expect perfect service. Personally, I'm willing to give up a few of my expectations when in an ethnic restaurant. Or, when in Eritrea, do as the Eritreans do. *