Ethiopian in Adams Morgan

[baltoellen]

I'll be in Adams Morgan tomorrow evening and want Ethiopian. I ate at Meskerem maybe six months ago and would describe the food as lackluster and the service as non-existent. (And, we were there at an off time, and one of only two tables in the place.)

I'm wondering if Awash is a better option, or if there are other places in the neighborhood to consider.

(And, if no good Ethiopian options, I always know that I'm happy after a little cheap meal at Amsterdam Falafel.)

Thanks.

[Redsgirl]

Had dinner at Dukems on U st. a few weeks ago ...loved it.
Service was friendly and efficient. The fried crispy fish with the veggie platter was to die for!

[baltoellen]

We did end up going to Awash on Tuesday night. We were hungry, the event ended an hour later than I thought it would, and it was raining, so we decided it easiest to walk the half-block rather than getting in the car to go to U St.

I was initially delighted when entering the restaurant since there were about 20 small screen tvs and two large ones tuned to CNN, to keep me from getting into news about the primary election withdraw. (Ok, one tv had basketball and one had soccer.)

Anyway, the place is large, open, and it wouldn't be a stretch to call it sort of dive-y. The service was fine, certainly not fawning or attentive, but we certainly were never ignored.

We ordered the veg sampler and the lamb tibs. The tibs were good, not amazing. The veg sampler was also good, with some dishes I'd never seen before like fried chickpeas in that red (berber?) sauce and a sort of bread salad made with injera. Standouts of the more standard veg platter variety were lentils, tomato salad thing, and string beans (canned) with carrots.

I definitely thought it better than Meskerem and certainly better than Baltimore's Dukem outpost, but certainly didn't fit into the continuum of very good to life changing. I'd be very interested to learn how Awash compares to those places people love on U Street.

And, thanks for all the suggestions!

[SouthShore]

Thanks for the report and for "taking one for the team"! I think I'll definitely try it out. I'd rather compare all of them than just say "Dukem and Etete are the best" without a lot to back it.

I forgot to add something to the Meskerem-bashing. I ate there last year, when I was new to DC, with a small group of 4. Aside from the sub-par food, the service was abysmal. One diner in my group can not drink ice water (yah, I know it sounds weird, but it's a legitimate throat condition). She asked--nicely--for no ice. The waitress gave her a weird look and brought back ice water. She explained it again, and the waitress took away her glass and didn't bring another one without ice until 20 mins later. At the end of the meal, we asked if we could split the bill on 4 cards. We agreed on how to split the tip on each card, and after we gave back our signed receipts, the very-rude waitress came back and said "Tip is NOT included." We were all a little shocked, so finally I said, "We included the tip on the receipts." Her response? "It's only TWO DOLLARS." We had no idea what she was talking about, didn't want to argue, and everyone started staring. So she stood over us as we awkwardly fished out dollar bills and threw them on the table.

I was so angry I didn't even want to waste another minute to complain to the manager. I reasoned that it was a newbie's mistake. Bahumbug.

[Rick]

We were at Etete on Sunday and had the doro wat and the veg. sampler with fish and it was excellent as always. I've only had Ethiopian at Etete but it's so good that I hesitate to go elsewhere for fear of disappointment.

[SouthShore]

I find it funny that nobody who has commented here has even mentioned Awash. I agree that Meskerem is so not the place to go, and I always trust Dukem and Etete. But a friend of mine asked a few Ethiopian cabbies and they all swear by Awash and Dukem. So, if you don't want to trek all the way down U, why not just try Awash and report back?! I haven't been to Awash yet, been meaning to go, so this is just my two cents.

[mselectra]

That's a good point! Awash never comes up here, and I haven't been there. I'd love to hear a report on it, too.

[baltoellen]

I'm willing to take one for the team, and will try my best to hit Awash and report my findings!

I thought it funny that it escaped comment as well.

[dckw]

Agree, dcandohio. The best Ethiopian is on U Street.Heaps better that the stuff you find in Adams Morgan! I prefer Dukem over Queen Makeda, but I have yet to try Etete.

[baltoellen]

Thanks for these replies. I was really hoping not to have to find parking twice. And, I wonder if anyone knows how the U St Dukem compares to the one we have here in Baltimore. (Which I think is just ok.)

[MikeR]

Parking is much easier in the U street area than Adams-Morgan. Park there, once. If you have a late date in Adams-Morgan, walk off your dinner and take a cab back to your car.

[dcandohio]

I also think there's a special bus that runs between Adams Morgan and the U street corridor. So you could park once and use the bus.

[baltoellen]

Thanks. I have to be in Adams Morgan from about 6 until 8. I was planning on dinner afterwards. I actually wanted to spend as little time as possible so that I could get home to my tv and computer to keep tabs on the events coming out of a few states tonight......

I was really jonesing Ethiopian food, however, DC really isn't THAT far, and it's probably time to take a general day trip to ournationscapital anyway....so will definitely keep U St in mind, since I've only been there once.

It may really be falafel tonight.....

[hill food]

U is sooo close.

[cleveland park]

We´re really talking about 9-10 blocks away b/w AM and the ethiopian places on U

[mselectra]

The 98 bus is 25 cents, goes from the Woodley Park Metro to the U St Metro -- but I think that price is only on weekend nights -- the other 90 buses would work, too, though, during the week.

Baltoellen -- could you bring your computer and hang out at Tryst or Busboys and Poets or someplace after dinner to watch the returns? You wouldn't be the only one.... (just a thought).

[baltoellen]

I will have my laptop with me anyway, so that's an idea. And, I'd also guess that I wouldn't be the only one consumed by these events. Who knew it all would get to a point where getting news would override my desire to find food? Since everyone is so insistent on the U St front, I will go there. Now, the question is exactly where? Since we have a Dukem here, I'd like to pass on that and try another.....but, which?

BTW, where is Busboys & Poets & Tryst?

[DanielK]

Etete and Queen Makeda are the two best in the U St corridor, IMHO. But while Etete has the attention and the crowds, QM is usually quiet, and you can always get a table. The food is more "homey", and you feel perfectly comfortable telling them "just bring me some food", without looking at the menu.

[Jeserf]

Tryst is on 18th Street in Adams Morgan (get some falafal...then walk over and get coffee/dessert there...FYI - the rude boy rocks - Baileys and Espresso...nom nom)

Busboys is at 14th and V

Both are OK food wise. But, I once left my powercord at Tryst and ran back right away when I realized it, and it was never found. Magically. A $90 Mac powercord. Imagine that! I haven't been back since, actually (not that I solely blame them but you know...)

[mselectra]

If you're going to U St for dinner, then Busboys would be closer for you. It's not a bad place to get dessert either (since the Ethiopian places don't have that), but I'm always disappointed with their coffee, fyi. It's also a gathering place for anti-war activists and activities, as well as just a hip sort of place (so be warned.)

There are other places with wifi around there, like the cafe called 14th and U (guess where that is), and other people on here know better than me. Tryst is pretty cool -- I think on election nights it's mostly full of political bloggers -- and they have great coffee (not very good pastries) plus a full bar (as does Busboys), but it's a particular scene and likely will involve squeezing onto a couch with strangers (which can be fun, though).

Tryst is up 18th (towards Columbia) from Amsterdam Felafal, on the same side of the street. You can't miss it.

Jeserf's story -- what a shame! And people there always ask me to watch their computers when they go to the bathroom or whatever -- so it's a trusting clientele.

Oh and, it probably won't matter tonight, but I was at Queen Makeda the other night and although the food was wonderful as was service, it was freezing cold downstairs, despite the gas fireplace and a space heater.

OK -- one more thing, the walk down 18th and over on U is really fun, i think, but since rain is predicted tonight, you might not want to do that.

[dcandohio]

You're not far from the Ethiopian choices on U street - which are far better than Meskerem. Etete seems to be a popular favorite. Right across the street is Queen Makeda (near U and 9th, I believe). Duken is also on U, at maybe 10th or 11th.