Altu’s Eithiopian restaurant expands

Altu’s restaurant is in the process of expanding. The new dining area will be opened officially in January, but the new stage has already been built. Jen Sygit recently inaugurated the new performance space. The video below shows her performing with Drew Howard on dobro and Lynn Hefferan of the Fabulous Heftones singing in celebration of her birthday that night.

 

Owner Altu Tadesse offers a menu of Ethiopian food that is typically served family style on a platter. You can use the traditional Ethiopian bread as the vehicle to eat the food with your hands, or you can ask for regular utensils. (You can also substitute rice for the bread, if you prefer. And you can order single-platter portions.)

Popular dinner items include the spicy chicken or sirloin stew with a dark berbere spice. The menu also features numerous vegetarian selections. During Jen’s performance, diners raved about the spicy lentils and spicy ground peas. The vegetarian combo platter allows you to pick four items to try.

Altu’s receives uniformly high marks on Yelp (click here to read the reviews)

Altu’s Ethiopian Restaurant
1312 Michigan Avenue
East Lansing

Dinner entres range from $7.99 to $11.50. Altu’s hosts live music every Saturday night from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. with no cover charge.