March 8, 2023
Chef-owner Kimbrom Milash is a 2023 James Beard semi-finalist for top chef in the mountain region (CO, ID, MT, UT, and WY). When you enjoy a meal at Kibrom’s you quickly learn why.
James Beard recognizes 23 categories of culinary excellence, including the best regional chef. The western top chef winner has yet to be selected from the 20 semi-finalists. Milash has my vote!
Shimelba to Boise: 7,201 Miles
Ten years ago, Milash and his family lived in the Shimelba refugee camp, where they ran a restaurant. “Everyone loved the restaurant. Even the UN workers used to come to our restaurant, and they were eating in our restaurant, so it was good,” Milash shared in a recent Idaho 6 News report.
The Shimelba camp is located in the northern Tigray region of Ethiopia, about 30 miles from the Eritrean border. Being a restaurateur at the Camp was challenging. For example, a lack of electricity. Milash’s solution—cook with fresh ingredients.
Travel 7,200 miles to a corner of northwest Boise and, as you enter Kibrom’s Ethiopean & Eritrean Food restaurant, you experience the gentle tones of Ethiopian music and colorful images of Ethiopian art and artifacts. The aroma of exotic spices fills the air.
Hot Date
My hubby and I headed to Kibrom’s after dropping our puppy at daycare for the afternoon. Compared with other James Beard restaurants, the atmosphere of Kibrom’s is understated. The comfortable casualness felt very Idaho.
The menu includes both individual entrées and family plates. A much-needed glossary helped us navigate the options.
We ordered the Mesob Gebeta. Mesob means traditional table and Gebeta means family meal plate. We ordered two meat dishes—spicy beef and chicken, and three vegetables—yellow split peas, kale, and cabbage.
The food arrived in a colorful, woven basket. A metal platter sat in the basket. It was covered by a soft, spongy flatbread called injera. Fermented bread with a tangy flavor, injera is made from teff, a grain grown both in Ethiopia and Idaho. On top of the injera, foods were artistically positioned with a simple salad in the center.
Recommendation
The food is flavorful—spicy, sour, earthy, and delicious. Kibrom’s has options for meat lovers, vegetarians, and vegans. Eating from a communal plate with your hands adds intimacy to the meal. A great meal, reasonably priced and prepared by a James Beard semi-finalist. What more can I say? Get yourself there today and enjoy!
Kibrom’s Ethiopean & Eritrean Food
3506 W State St, Boise, ID
kibromsfood.com
Menu * Order Online * Directions
Digesting Diaspora 