The menu is surprisingly diverse though, with a few favourites from owner and chef Leila Cashmore’s personal collection.

Ms Cashmore describes her style, convincingly, as “very good”, and inspired by Indian and Thai flavours, too, served in the intimate restaurant every night except Sunday. 

If you want the more traditional Ethiopian food though, you need to book in advance. This might include wat (thick stew) served atop injera; a kind of spongy, sourdough flatbread that looks like a pancake and soaks up the sauce – delicious!

Ms Cashmore’s husband runs the business with Leila, from their new home in the Atherton Tablelands.

The couple bought the motel in the early 90s and demolished the existing cabins, building new motel rooms.

Over the next few months they will be introducing new chefs from Ethiopia and Sri Lanka, a welcome relief for hard-working Leila.

She said for the last three years, business has not been good and it has been particularly hard to get good staff. 

“It is the hardest part of the job – other than working hard – is finding good staff. It can be very hard in Mount Isa.”

Abyssinia Cafe adjoins Abyssinia Motel, 103 Marian Street, Townview. For bookings phone 07 4743 9399 – especially when they relaunch a few months!