Muqdisho

I stopped by at eleven on a Monday for lunch. There was no signage outside, other than the hanging marquee, and the windows were filled with curtains, so I couldn't tell if they were open yet. Inside, I learned that although the room was open, the kitchen didn't serve lunch until 12:30. When I returned, the restaurant had a few other customers, mainly cab drivers on their lunch break, watching ESPN on a big screen television behind the counter.  

The server explained that there was no menu yet but listed items that they could prepare.  On that day they were offering spaghetti, t-bone steak, and injera, which could be served with lamb, chicken or beef stew.  I ordered the injera with lamb, served with salad and a relish of carrots and peas.  The lamb was moderately spicy, cooked with onions and peppers, and although it was a little tougher than I would have preferred, it tasted great.  A lot of food for $10, and I would definitely return for lunch if I lived in Chicago.

This is a no-frills Somali (?) restaurant in Lincoln Park. My date and I walked in, and surprised the two African employees. Apparently, they do not have menus and offer three dishes - beef, tilapia and chicken.
I ordered the the chicken - which was sauteed in African spices and bell pepper and ever so slightly hot. The tilipia had a more subtle spice. Both dishes came with a simple salad of lettuce and onions and a generous side of rice along with lots of lemon wedges. Apparently the chef was to arrive in 4 days and they would offer more dishes on the menu. About a month later, however, a friend of mine randomly stopped in and was told that the chef was coming in 4 days.