The former location of Ethio Express Grill at 952 Sligo Ave. will open tomorrow, Feb. 8, as Debab Restaurant under new owners.

Ash Edossa and his wife Abebech “Emu” Taddese took over the business in January.

With the name change, “we just want to give a sense of what kind of service we provide,” Edossa said, an indication of the type of atmosphere customers can expect in the newly remodeled restaurant.

“We want to provide the real Ethiopian atmosphere in terms of the way we provide the food and the contents and the taste of the food,” he added.

The restaurant will still offer the fast-casual type of service that Ethio Express provided. The couple also will also give customers table service, with an emphasis on the concept of “gursha,” which is described on Debab’s Facebook page as “Ethiopia’s traditional ceremony of feeding one another. It’s a way of showing friendship, love and care. Food isn’t only about physical nutrition but also a way of socialization.”

“We’re going to have two types of menus,” Edossa said. One will offer what he termed the conventional Ethiopian style and the other will be the express menu.

Debab will be open from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. daily to start, but plans to offer breakfast service in the near future, Edossa said.

The restaurant’s website is under construction but customers will soon be able to view the menu and other information about Debab.

Top photo by David Lay. Photo below courtesy Debab Restaurant.