Mulu Reda, Owner of Barcote Ethiopian Restaurant was born and raised in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia where she began her love and passion for cooking as a young girl watching her mother and aunts cook a variety of traditional Ethiopian dishes. As she grew older she began helping her mom prepare most of these same dishes and even learned how to make enjera, Ethiopian flat bread. Mulu moved to America with her husband and two daughters in 1996. As the Ethiopian population in the Bay area began to rise she became more involved in the community.
Spending most of her time at the local Ethiopian Medhalam Church where she would prepare meals for the priest and the congregation. She initiated monthly fundraising where she and a group of volunteers would prepare meat and veggie dishes to sell to the members to raise funds for the church. This passion of serving people and cooking eventually led Mulu take a risk and open a restaurant of her own.
MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View
The competition may be stiff on Oakland’s Ethiopian restaurant row, but thanks to a warm and welcoming team of chef/owners as well as a menu that excels in weaving together the spices and seasonings, the cuisine at Barcote stands out and sparkles like no other. Whether you opt for a meaty plate of kitfo (spiced minced beef cooked in clarified butter); a sampler of vegetarian stews like spicy misir wot (lentils simmered in berbere sauce); or hearty atakilt wot (cabbage, potato, and carrot stew with turmeric); you’ll be captivated by the layers of flavor.
The space is clean and simple, but friendly service and a tree-shaded front patio ensure that it’s homey, not ho-hum. Don’t come in a rush—this is a place to kick back and enjoy a leisurely meal.
