Land of Milk and Honey Wine

So today, my friends and I planned on getting Soul Food on U Street in Northwest DC but overlooked the time the restaurant was open on Sundays. Fortunately, my car was parked in front of yet another restaurant that was on the Washingtonian list of Cheap Eats.

Today's Choice: Etete


What the Magazine says:
"This terra-cotta-painted dining room sits in the heart of the few blocks known as Little Ethiopia. Although it has plenty of competition, it remains the standard setter for long-simmered meats and brightly flavored vegetarian stews, all crafted by the owner's mother. All the while, servers keep the baskets of injera - bread used in place of silverware - coming."


What to Get:
"Sambosas, wide pockets of fried pastry filled with lentils; vegetarian platter with the red-lentil stew yemisir wat, a cool and spicy mash of peas called yekik alicha, a mustardy mix of green lentils known as azifa, and the collard greens called gomen; the area's definitive version of the chicken dish doro wat; beef-tartar-like kitfo with cottage cheese and a sprinkle of fiery mitmita powder."



Walking into the thin, long room of Etete, I was quickly warmed by the burnt orange and sienna walls that were illuminated by the low hanging lights that dangled above the bar. The walls were covered in their acclamations, like a mother's living room, and the tables sat snuggly next to each other. The table right at front, by the window, sat family style around a traditional Ethiopian basket table (probably to showcase to the passerbyers).

We began to scan the menu, my friends having already decided to order a glass of Honey Wine, tej, each to supplement their meal. The wine came out first and when I sipped theirs, a sweet ambered nectar filled my mouth. The delicate complexity came over my palette and I was pleasantly surprised by the smoothness of its flavor. We later found out that they made it themselves and that gave the restaurant more credibility.

I started my meal with a sampling of their Sambosas. The flaky golden crust pocketed the lentils that sat inside the warm casing. It was a delight even if the lentils were a bit dry for my taste.

When our main meal arrived, all three courses came on a single large platter of injera with collard greens, cabbage & carrots and potatoes accompanying the meats.

My friends ordered Bozena Shiro which was lamb stewed with garbonzo beans and Gored Gored, raw beef cooked in spices. I did not enjoy the first course as much as the lamb was quite dry and the sauce not so abundant. The latter dish had a very wonderful spice that hit the back of the tongue, but being in cubes, I had to distract myself from remembering that I was chewing on raw beef. The consistency of raw meat was still present but the taste was delightful.

What I ordered was my favorite dish on the platter: Yebeg Kikil which was lamb marinated in jalapeno, garlic and simmered in herb butter. There was plenty of the delicious sauce smothering the tender meat.


My biggest problem with Etete was the service. The waitress rarely came by and my water glass sat their empty for prolonged periods of time which, after stupidly eating one of the jalapenos in my dish, was a crucial thing to have (even though it only makes the effects of spice worse, I still wanted water).

My Ratings (1-5)
Atmosphere: 3.5
Food: 2
Satisfaction vs. Price: 2

Tip: Looks can be deceiving. Each of us ordered an entree and when it arrived it didn't seem like there would be enough to fill us up. We were wrong. None of us finished our meals even after trying to help each other out. Always order based on a 3:2 ratio (3 people: 2 dishes).