Hatter opens downtown cafe to share late grandmother’s recipes

By MO CRANKER on February 18, 2020.

mcranker@medicinehatnews.com@MHNmocranker

Lula Abduljabar is one month into her latest adventure and she is excited to be a business owner.

One month ago, Abduljabar opened Fatumas Ethiopian Cafe downtown to share her late grandmother’s recipes and to carry on her legacy.

“She raised me and taught me how to cook,” said Abduljabar. “I wanted her name to live so I named the cafe after her.

“She made the best food, she was the best – I just try to make mine as good as hers.”

Abduljabar, a mother of two, opened on Jan. 15 and says things are getting busier as time goes on.

“It’s getting better,” she said. “We have a lot of people who see us on Facebook. A lot of people walk by and say they didn’t know I was here.”

The cafe sells frozen and warm meals. Abduljabar says there is something for everyone.

“We have vegan meals and meals with meat – chicken and beef,” she said. “Ethiopians eat lots of meat, but there’s also lentils, chickpeas, cabbage, carrots, beats, potatoes.

“I make an open sandwich with all of that on it.”

A vegan meal costs $4 and a one with meat costs $5. Abduljabar makes her own naan bread from scratch and prepares her food on Monday and Thursday.

Abduljabar grew up in Ethiopia before moving to Calgary years ago. She spent eight years there and has spent the last seven as a Hatter. She says she has always wanted to open a cafe.

“I had a deliver service and people tried the food and encouraged me,” she said. “I found this place downtown and hope I can keep doing this.”

The cafe is located at 102, 401 Third Street SE and is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Abduljabar says she hopes to get enough business so she can stay open through dinner.

“If it gets busy I can hire help and stay open,” she said.

The cafe can be found by searching ‘Fatumas Ethiopian Cafe/Frozen Meals’ on Facebook.

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