It's common knowledge that anything marked with a neon highlighter deserves attention, and this is true for the low-slung building just off Magazine Street (a literal gravel throw behind Imperial Woodpecker Snoballs) that houses Café Abyssinia. Bright orange-red vinyl siding marks the spot.

It’s a modest establishment, for sure. The entire restaurant appears to be operated by no more than two people—a cook and a server—at any given time. The TVs pump out E...