I like to consider myself a relatively adventurous eater, someone who will give most things a try once.

So it is relatively rare that the chance to try an entirely unknown cuisine presents itself, especially since here in Britain we are lucky to be able to summon all types of dishes with just the click of an app.

This made a post-theatre visit to Chingah Habesha, an unassuming little place a few minutes from the bustling heart of Canterbury, all the more exciting.

Never before had the food of the Horn of Africa passed my lips, so picking up the menu in this Ethiopian and Eritrean restaurant was the first step of a genuinely fresh culinary adventure.

Like many a modern-day traveller, I had done some pre-emptive Googling so I was clued up on the staples we could expect to encounter.

Taking our seats in the small dining room, our eyes went straight to the lunch and dinner menu and we picked out a dish each to share.

Being a sucker for small plates, which allow you to sample a broader range of tastes and textures, we did wonder if we should have opted for a third.

But it soon became clear our order was plenty big enough, especially since our meal was served with a hefty portion of injera, a fermented pancake-like flatbread which is a mainstay of any Eritrean or Ethiopian meal.

We had chosen the zigni derho (£15) and the derek tebsi (£15), the former a traditional spicy stew and the latter a dish of pan-cooked strips of dry-aged beef.

The arrival of the meal was a real piece of theatre, with the stew and accompanying injera arriving at our table in a mesob - a basket made of grass and palm leaves which is a treasured icon of Ethiopia and Eritrea.

As there were just two of us eating, we had opted for a small table against the wall.

The mesob was so large it pretty much took up all the available space, so luckily the beef came served in a smaller metal dish kept warm with a candle under the plate holding the meat.

And cutlery? Not here. This is food to be eaten communally and with the hands, using the soft, pillowy bread as an edible implement.

Tearing strips from the injera, which has a very subtle sourness to it, we tucked into the zigni derho, which featured chicken on the bone and a boiled egg.

The flavours were deep and rich, obtained from what our host described as an hours-long process of reducing the tomato-based sauce and layering in aromatic spices.

Cooked a great deal quicker than the stew, the beef had been fried in a spice mix along with peppers and onions.

While not a melt-in-the-mouth cut, this dish was a meat-lovers delight and packed full of flavour.

There was injera left over when we finally decided we couldn't eat a mouthful more, and we both agreed the meal had been fantastic.

Sometimes it pays to wander from the well-trodden path and opt for something a little more adventurous.

We definitely plan to visit Chingah Habesha again, and you should give it a try too. Just don't wear your finery, because this is food to get a bit messy with.

Out of five:

Food: Our introduction to this African cuisine was a delight, home-cooked staples packed with flavour and heart ****

Drink: We went with a Coca Cola and an orange Tango, but next time could be tempted by a tea or coffee traditional to Ethiopia and Eritrea ***

Decor: No bells and whistles here, this place is all about the cooking ***

Staff: The owner was extremely welcoming and was happy to explain his cooking methods to us ****

Price: At £34.50 for an extremely tasty and filling meal for two, you really can't go wrong ****