Doro Bet is a winner on Philly’s international fried chicken scene
A fast-casual Ethiopian chicken house brings berbere spice to its crisply fried birds, which also happen to be gluten-free.
Philly’s fried chicken scene has gone global over the past few years, from the Korean fried chicken boom (Cafe Soho; SouthGate) to Jamaican jerk-fried chicken (Kingston 11), Thai-fried chicken (Cily Chicken Rice), and the much-celebrated recent arrival of the Filipino fried chicken chain, Jollibee.
Now comes a cheerful new fast casual concept on Baltimore Avenue called Doro Bet, an Ethiopian chicken house serving crispy birds inspired by that country’s signature spice blend, berbere. And since they’re fried in a batter made of teff flour, the same traditionally used for injera, this chicken has the bonus of being gluten-free.
Fried chicken is actually not a traditional food in Ethiopia, says co-owner and chef Mebruka Kane, 41, unlike the stewed doro wot, sautéed chicken tibs and the Ethiopian variation on shawarma the restaurant also serves. This fried chicken was a fusion whim invented by the Ethiopian-born Kane and her American-born husband, chef Brian, whom she met while she was working as a server at Davio’s: “We were just cooking fried chicken at home, playing around with different spices, and our two kids (8 and 6) really loved it.”
The fried chicken comes in two flavors, a milder lemon and turmeric version called “Alicha,” and the spicier option infused with multiple levels of berbere, both in its awaze paste marinade and the spice blend used to finish the chicken. It’s infused with cardamom, ginger, cumin, rue seeds, and the long red cayenne chilies that are sun dried on a tarp at her sister Nejat Ali’s house in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capitol where Kane grew up. The spice level is quite manageable, more fragrant than fiery, with a soft and fruity smokiness from the sun-dried peppers and a touch of sugar added to the final blend that rounds it all out.
The teff flour batter has a wonderfully nutty back note and staying power for its crisp that easily endured the 20-minute ride home. Not only is teff itself gluten-free, Doro Bet’s fryers are dedicated gluten-free to avoid cross-contamination, and its injera is also pure teff, compared to many other versions that often blend in less expensive wheat flour.
Despite its departure from tradition, Kane says the fried chicken has been well-received by West Philadelphia’s long-established Ethiopian community. A handful of other relatively new Ethiopian food businesses, from Buna Cafe to Alif Brew owned by Kane’s sister Hayat Ali, 44, who’s also a partner in Doro Bet and owns Salam Cafe in Germantown, have been broadening the variety of concepts here after 30-plus years with very little change in the neighborhood’s standbys, except, perhaps, for the Ethiopian cheesesteak spiced with berbere at Gojjo.
“(The Ethiopian food scene) is changing here,” says Kane. “The kids are taking over and we are trying to make Ethiopian food accessible to everyone, which is why this food is fusion. This is an example of the younger generation taking ownership to become a greater part of the community.”
Teff flour-fried fried chicken, $9.50 (3 pieces), $18 (6 pieces), Doro Bet Ethiopian Chicken House, 4533 Baltimore Ave. 215-921-6558; alifamilyrestaurants.com/doro-bet