Era is one of those restaurants that if you fancy a good pizza or a delicious salad, then you can be sure they will consistently deliver the goods- quite literally if you download their delivery app.
With two locations, one in Blloku and one tucked away just behind the Coin Centre, you might be fooled into thinking that Era is “just another chain restaurant”- I know I was- but you would be wrong.
Whilst I have always been one to support “the little guys” rather than the big companies, Era delivers an exceptional quality of food as well as great service. For that reason, I was more than happy to meet Emin Shini to find out more.
First and foremost, Emin was really curious to find out what brought me here, and more importantly, why I decided to stay. Having been educated in England, and boasting an authentic almost-English accent, we had a lot to discuss when it came to reminiscing about the shockingly bad food and consistently questionable weather.
As with most Albanians, it seemed to give a lot of happiness to hear me speak about why I love Albania (food, weather, people, scenery, energy, vibe, culture, I could go on…) and unusually, he agreed with me on many points.
We chatted about the restaurant and its beginnings in the Bllok in 1999 and how an impressive 70% of the staff that started with him on day 1, are still with him today. For any company to have a 70% retention rate over 20 years, is pretty impressive so he must be doing something right. It turns out that ‘this something right’ is not only ensuring his staff are working in a professional and happy environment, but also providing ongoing training such as NVQs in customer service- it is little things like this that make a huge difference to the lives of the employee, as well as the level of service that is provided. With just over 300 staff based in the two restaurants, the production centre (Era caters for local hospitals, embassies, and several authorities) and the delivery team, knowing how to keep them working like a well oiled, but happy machine is the key to a smooth operation.
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One thing that I like about Era is the fact that neither of the two restaurants has WiFi. This is deliberate and is done in an attempt to encourage people to interact with each other and spend time together as family and friends, without the distraction of a screen. Emin adds that whilst people can still use their own data, if it seems appropriate, his staff will even approach people who are using their mobiles and suggest that they stop using their phone and talk instead.
I like this a lot. There is nothing worse than seeing a family or group of people out for a dinner, yet all sat engrossed in their mobile devices. I also like the fact that Emin doesn’t care if this might put people off coming- he believes it should be this way, and that is how it is.
Moving onto the subject of food, I ask what Emin’s favourite food is- he smiles and explains that this is a very difficult question, particularly when you are a restauranteur. He reels off a few classics; tave me fasule pllaqi e suxhuk Kosove (grand beans from Korca, red onions for Progrdec, salami from Kosovo) all baked in a brick pan with olive oil, melci tiganito (fresh liver with onions and vegetables baked in a pan), comlek (a traditional dish from Dibra, his hometown, which comprises of onions baked with veal chops), and fli gjakove (similar to byrek but baked in a traditional pan on a wood fire).
Of course, these are all on the 141 item strong menu and have all been formulated with great care by the 50-strong production and development team.
I asked the question “what would you say to those who believe that a small menu is the hallmark of a good restaurant?”, and his answer was that by being so inclusive, they can cater to anyone and everyone that walks through the door. Era is more aimed towards groups of diners; families, special occasions, groups of friends- and as such, offering such a wide selection of traditional and contemporary food means that even the pickiest eater will be satiated. Whilst he believes that some restaurants are competitors, he notes that there is no one else who offers such a wide range of authentic Albanian food as him- and this is their selling point.
Whilst talking and discussing, we dined on a fine selection of traditional dishes, selected by our friendly and attentive waiter. The starter included salds with lashings of cheese and yoghurt type dressing, fresh goats cheese with sweet and juicy tomato, qofte me permie (the most delicious vegetable croquettes), and corn bread soaked in something yoghurt-like.
For the main course we enjoyed fergese e Tirane- one of my new favourite dishes that contained smoked veal, a lot of cheese, and some deliciously spicy seasonings. This was paired with succulent and fresh lamb chops with roasted potatoes and salad.
Then, for dessert, I was treated to a deliciously decadent sultiash (milk and rice with cinnamon) which was the most perfect mix of creamy, sweet, and cinnamon-y (is that even a word) that one could ever wish for.
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The meal was delicious and typically Albanian in the way that so much flavour and taste is created purely by relying on quality, fresh ingredients, and a great chef, rather than overseasoning like so many other cuisines are guilty of.
I ask Emin about his plans for the future and it seems that he is brimming with ideas. Long-term he wants to bring the delight of Albanian food to other places- primarily London, and short-term he is planning to open a third restaurant.
Located in a villa at the beginning of the new boulevard, Era number 3 will hopefully be open by the end of the year- if all goes to plan.
If you are visiting Tirana and you are looking for a taste of typical Albanian food from every corner of the country (as well as a damn good pizza) then Era needs to be on your list.
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