2010 Fall Dining Guide By Tom Sietsema Sunday, October 17, 2010 Among the details that set Ethiopic apart from its dozens of competitors is the newcomer's informed service. When a bowl of bright yellow pureed chickpeas is set before me, the server explains it's part of a (vegan) Ethiopian Orthodox religious observance. "We call this ‘fasting egg'?'' because it resembles scrambled eggs, she says. The appetizer, spiked with jalapeno and vinegar, is served chilled but goes down hot. To get the most out of the restaurant's signature lamb tibs, a juicy mound of sauteed meat, tomatoes and onions, my guide suggests swiping a chunk of lamb in the fiery hot pepper dip that shows up on a platter of injera, the spongy and slightly sour pancake that does double duty as an eating utensil. Husband and wife Samuel Ergete and Meseret Bekele opened their first restaurant in March to supply customers with everything the couple had always wanted in an Ethiopian dining room. The smart H Street NE setting of brick walls, gleaming wood floors, native art and linen-wrapped columns only enhances what is some of the most appealing food in the Atlas District. My pick is the vegetarian sampler, a kaleidoscope of zesty red and mild yellow lentils, tomato salad, shredded collards and turmeric-colored boiled potatoes. Insiders know they should eat the remaining injera on the platters. Stained with the juices of a meal, "it's the best part!" Bekele says.
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