Corarima

From the Horn of East Africa to a quiet corner of West Yorkshire, Asamnew Asres brings award-winning vegan fare to five-star reviews from the community. Jon Dell finds out more.

There is an old English proverb, which when translated to the modern tongue, states “Leeds gets all the good food and Wakefield gets jack shit”. Wakefield is a city in its own right — in fact it became a city long before Leeds did — yet the close proximity to Leeds has meant that Wakefield tended to miss out on investment, culture, and a good bit of ‘regeneration’. Emphasis on the past tense here, because things have changed over the past few years.

Beetroot Salad

Historically, a posh meal in Wakefield would have meant you used cutlery for your flakey pastry. Even now, high streets are filled with tasteless chains, vacuous, that add nothing to the culinary culture of the UK. But then along came Corarima, an Abyssinian restaurant established in the heart of the historical quarter of Wakefield. In February 2018, Asamnew Asres set out to bring the tastes of Ethiopian food to Wakefield. 

Asamnew Asres, owner

Dear Reader, let me be honest with you and tell you that when I first visited, I did not know what Abyssinian meant. It turns out the English education system taught me plenty about oxbow lakes but not enough about countries of the world. Abyssinia was an ancient region in the Horn of Africa situated in the northern highlands of modern-day Ethiopia and Eritrea. In Abyssinia, an exclusively vegan diet was consumed on Wednesday, Friday, and during Lent, and this is what Corarima delivers on: a vegan, gluten-free, and sugar-free menu. 

Look, I know those three adjectives don't set the loins alight but it is difficult to over emphasise how sublime the food, ambience, and service is at Corarima. As they say themselves, “the beauty of Abyssinian cookery is that anyone can enjoy it.” The dishes are warm, spicy, smokey and distinctive. And it is not just the food, as you enter the restaurant the tantalizing smell of Ethiopian spices such as namesake corarima, garlic, ginger, basil, rue, ajwain, nigella, fenugreek and chilli peppers fill your senses, and confirm you are in safe hands. 

Coffee service

There is a succinct menu of starters and mains, centred around pulses and vegetables. This is not a case of hiding the vegetables so that little Kian gets his five-a-day — the vegetables are truly the star of the show here. But let me save you some time when ordering — just go for the Combination Dish. Chosen especially by the Head Chef, it is a selection of 10 dishes served atop injera, a bread/pancake hybrid, a dish in its own right. The injera is made from teff (with a little rice and millet), which is a designated superfood. Each bite is packed with flavour and joy — it almost feels medicinal. The injera can be used to scoop up the dishes, with the oil, spice and flavours soaking deeper as the meal proceeds. I can confirm that you will finish every last morsel on that platter. This is food to share and food that becomes the centre of the conversation, even long after you have left.

The thing about Corarima is that everything is so well considered. The arrangement of the food. The grain in the table top. The traditional decorations. The crockery. Every part of the restaurant is an orchestra working towards the crescendo of this taste symphony. The service is exemplary. Were Corarima in Mayfair, you would be booking months in advance and being judged for your outfit. But Asamnew welcomes you into the restaurant as if it was his home. Front of house, he was born for his role — lifting your stress and grey thoughts with his infectious smile. Filling out the roster, his wife Rahel and family member Bizunesh lead the charge in the kitchen. It is worth noting that every single item is handmade, from the chopping of the vegetables through to the creation of the injera. Together, the three of them create a menu — and experience — that is filled with love and warmth. 

Rahel at work

Recognition of this gem has not only been noted locally, but across the world. Tripadvisor has consistently placed Corarima in the top 10% of restaurants worldwide. Really let that fact sit you with — top 10% in the world. In 2022, Tripadvisor named Corarima as one of the Top 10 Hidden Gems in the UK, among numerous other awards and accolades. Google has it at a full 5.0 stars, from 430 reviews.

It can feel exclusive to talk about food as a movement or having a higher message, but Corarima makes you believe it. A family seeking asylum, moving to a neglected part of the UK, established a business and kickstarted a food revolution. Since Corarima opened, the improvement in food offerings across Wakefield has vastly improved. Where once there were chains, and downtrodden hangovers from decades past, now there is an eclectic mix of cuisines provided by local and independent establishments — this is no mean feat. And is it just coincidence that less than a year after Corarima opened its doors, Greggs launched the vegan sausage roll? That that same year, Billie Eilish went public with her veganism? Whatever you believe, Corarima is a restaurant that focuses on giving back to the local community, one designed for sharing and connection, one that sees customers as more than just cash — the food is just the start. ⚭

Jon Dell

Corarima is open Wednesday to Saturday, Wakefield WF1 (train: Wakefield Westgate)