Located on the south end of the University District, the Ethiopian restaurant offers inexpensive, scratch-made fare. Although misconceptions abound, vegan fare does not necessarily mean light fare, owner Siyum Tefera said.

In central Ohios growing ethnic dining scene, Nile Vegan will have a familiar appeal to some and be a truly adventuresome dining experience for others.

Located on the south end of the University District, the Ethiopian restaurant offers inexpensive, scratch-made fare.

Although misconceptions abound, vegan fare does not necessarily mean light fare, owner Siyum Tefera said.

"I would say our food is very filling," Tefera said.

Most entrees are served with injera, a style of unbaked flatbread made from teft flour that ferments for three days.

The coiled piece of bread is sponge-like in texture and tangy in flavor, meant to scoop up the food on the plate.

Yes, that means eating with ones hands is preferred at Nile Vegan.

The mushroom stew ($9.99) offers cremini and button mushrooms sauteed in vegan butter (coconut, avocado and grapeseed oil) with peppers, tomatoes and onions and berbere spices, a dry mixture of chile peppers, black pepper, dried ginger, dried garlic and salt, common in many dishes.

By and large, Nile Vegans dishes arent substantially spicy, according to Teferas standards.

The curry vegetable medley ($7.99) offers a broad range of textural notes with cabbage, potatoes and carrots, plus onion and garlic, and a yellow hue from turmeric plus a bite from jalapeno.

"I would say its very tolerable, he said. "We actually get quite a few requests, asking us to make it spicier."

The restaurant dips into popular territory for those on a no-meat, non-dairy diet.

Kale ($9.99), the green goddess of modern veganism, is stewed in tomatoes, onions and other seasonings, along with ground chickpeas, which cook down to a consistency smoother than hummus.

With the "specialty" tofu ($9.99), the dehydrated bean curd is cut into cubes and stewed in the rich, ubiquitous spice mixture, leaving the protein with a firm texture.

Combination platters, featuring smaller portions of up to four entrees, are available as well.

The restaurant has temporarily stopped serving breakfast but plans to resume those hours in the next few weeks, in plenty of time for incoming Ohio State University students, Tefera said.

The business took a hit from the coronavirus pandemic but has rebounded lately, he said.

"Its been pretty decent," he said. "Were starting to get things rolling again."

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Behind the Menu | From-scratch Ethiopian fare offered at Nile Vegan - The Columbus Dispatch