Dahlak owner talks cuisine at 3rd Thursdays

The owner of the noted University City Ethiopian restaurant spoke at a Civic House lecture. Amare Solomon, a chef well-known for his cuisine both on and off campus, discussed finger food, the business environment of the area and his own ingredients for success with an audience at Civic House yesterday. Solomon, famous for his Ethiopian fare at his Dahlak restaurant as well as his culinary creations made on the Class of 1920 Commons grill, spoke as part of the house's participation in the University City-wide Go West! Go International! 3rd Thursdays program. The lecture was attended by nearly a dozen students who gathered in Civic House, the newly renovated, three-story Victorian at 3914 Locust Walk that housed Penn's Division of Public Safety until earlier this year. It serves as a center for University community-service programs in its new incarnation. "The secret of business is to be friendly and to make people happy," Solomon said. Solomon is the owner and manager of Dahlak, located at 47th Street and Baltimore Avenue. Several local publications, including Philadelphia Magazine, have recognized Dahlak for its excellent Ethiopian cuisine and unique dining atmosphere. Since Dahlak opened in 1983, Solomon has turned his dream into a thriving business. Solomon tries to maintain a cultural dining experience at his restaurant. To this end, customers are requested to eat with their fingers rather than conventional utensils. The Baltimore Avenue Business Association, of which Solomon is president, has worked hard to make the neighborhood a safer working and shopping environment. Area business owners have found that the key to success is cooperation rather than competition. "It doesn't help anyone if five competing businesses open and then five shut down," said Solomon, explaining his professional philosophy with the group. Solomon is originally from the African state of Eritrea; he moved to the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa as a child. Later, following brief stays in Switzerland and Washington, D.C., Solomon found himself amid a 2,000-member Ethiopian community in West Philadelphia, he explained. Solomon added that he especially enjoys the international flavor of the University City area. Students from around the world who attend Penn, Villanova University, Swarthmore College and Drexel University make up much of his diverse customer base. "My restaurant is a mode of communication for me," he said. "It helps me maintain and teach my ethnic background." College senior Michelle Weinberg said she was fascinated by Solomon's speech. "He has a great perspective on America as the 'land of opportunity'," Weinberg said. "To hear from an immigrant that America still lives up to its name is a great feeling."

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