Ada’s Gojjo is a product of hard work, determination and the importance of family customs.
An expertly prepared (if not unlikely) menu of Ethiopian and Dominican cuisines lives under one roof, stashed at Asbury Park’s less bustling north end. Since its 2018 opening, Ada’s Gojjo has been so well received that a second restaurant will open downtown on Cookman Avenue this summer, serving vegan Ethiopian food.
Owner Adanech Asghedom’s love for cooking stems from growing up in a small village in Ethiopia. The third oldest of 12 children, she recalls watching her mother prepare meals for her family.
“Since I was very little, I was always behind my mom,” Asghedom told NJ Advance Media. “Everyone would go play, but I always loved to cook. I was the one helping the people in the kitchen.”
A doro wot platter with vegetables served on top of injera, Ethiopian bread, at Ada's Gojjo, an Ethiopian and Dominican cuisine restaurant, in Asbury Park. Julian Leshay | For NJ Advance Media
Everybody has their “eureka” moment, and Asghedom experienced hers when she turned 14. Her mother got sick, and her father, who was in the Air Force, was preparing to throw their monthly party where families in the service would get together. At that point, Asghedom’s father asked if she could take over food duties, and she passed the test with flying colors.
“My older siblings weren’t there, so my father asked me,” Asghedom said.“ ”I said, ‘Yes, I can do that,’ and I started cooking a big table full of food. My father’s friends came, and they ate. They couldn’t believe it."
As some of Asghedom’s family members owned restaurants in Ethiopia, she’d always wanted a place of her own. However, her father told her to finish school and become an engineer or a doctor.
In February 1991, Asghedom immigrated to America with four of her siblings, hoping for a better life. However, adjusting to a different way of life wasn’t easy.
“I was around 20 at the time, and none of us knew how to speak English,” Asghedom said. “I graduated from San Diego University with an accounting degree during the same time. We worked and went to language school to improve our family’s life back home.”
Adanech Asghedon, left, Owner and Chef, poses with two dishes in the kitchen at Ada's Gojjo, an Ethiopian and Dominican cuisine restaurant, in Asbury Park.Julian Leshay | For NJ Advance Media
She briefly moved to North Carolina and worked at a bank, also running a hair and T-shirt printing boutique on the side. After moving to Pennsylvania, Asghedom met her now-husband, who had also emigrated from Ethiopia. They married and moved to the Asbury Park area.
Once they settled, Asghedom’s first restaurant, Ada’s Latin Flavor, was born in 2009 in Long Branch. She knew that she wanted to create a restaurant with Ethiopian food. But the area wasn’t familiar with it.
Forever the student, Asghedom realized the best way to introduce the food she grew up with was to tap into Long Branch’s diverse demographic and start with a Dominican-based menu.
One small problem: The food appeared so authentic, customers were surprised she didn’t speak Spanish.
“They would eat the food and ask who made it,” she said. “They couldn’t believe it.”
After the great success of Latin Flavor’s first year, Asghedom introduced Ethiopian food, like doro tibs (sautéed chicken with onion, pepper, tomato, garlic, and ginger) and atakilt wot (potatoes, carrots, and green beans with garlic).
At first, it was once a week, then twice a week. Now, Ada’s Gojjo serves Dominican mofongo and empanadas beside authentic Ethiopian dishes like goulash — lean beef with onions, peppers, garlic, ginger, and rosemary.
While the Jersey Shore is awash with Italian restaurants and breakfast spots, Asghedom’s eatery encourages you to open your mind.
Interior decoration of Ada's Gojjo, an Ethiopian and Dominican cuisine restaurant, in Asbury Park.Julian Leshay | For NJ Advance Media
“In African culture, you use your fingers as utensils while eating the bread,” said Asghedom, referencing the spongy injera on which several dishes are served. ”When you come to my restaurant, I want to present that food experience.”
The interior is big and bright, filled with East African art. When Asghedom comes to greet you, she’s warm and full of gratitude. She still has fire in her eyes, as you can see from somebody starting something new.
With more than 16 years in the restaurant business — and Ada’s Gojjo having been a pillar of Asbury Park’s dining scene for seven — Asghedom is still there every day, greeting customers, serving food, and cooking the ingredients she personally gets from Ethiopia twice a year.
Interior of Ada's Gojjo, an Ethiopian and Dominican cuisine restaurant, in Asbury Park.Julian Leshay | For NJ Advance Media
Even as Asghedom is overcome with gratitude and the community continues to show up for her, she leaves us with these words of advice.
“If you work hard and do something you love 100%, it will be successful.”
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Murjani Rawls may be reached at mrawls@njadvancemedia.com