Washington, D.C.: The Ethiopia Experience

In the 1970s, Washington, D.C. became a hub for Ethiopians seeking asylum from the civil war in their country. They settled in Adams Morgan; a neighborhood that's now a favorite hang for young professionals looking for an eclectic night out. On the main stretch of 18th Street, you'll find everything from a hole-in-the-wall Himalayan kitchen to a a quaint French cafe to a record store for your trendy college kid. In the mix, you'll also encounter one of the only remaining Ethiopian restaurants on this block. Meskerem is a reminder of what this gentrified piece of town used to be before all the Ethiopians got fed up with increasing rent prices and moved down the way to U Street between 9th and 13th. It persists as one of the best places to try Ethiopian food in D.C.

You'll be sitting at a traditional Messob; a small circular table that's low to ground. It encourages diners to lean in close to one another making eating a shared experience. 

All the food is served with a long piece of sponge like bread called injera that's used as a utensil by placing it on your hand and pinching the meat and vegetable stews with your fingers. The injera soaks up all the rich curries and chili that explode on your taste buds. It also creates a more intimate relationship with what your eating as you feel the warmth and consistency of your food before placing it into your mouth. 

The most popular choices on the menu are pu pu platters. The mixed vegetable and meat tray generally comes with a sweet lentil dip, a yellow cabbage which tastes slightly pickled, lamb which has been slowly stewed and melts off the bone, a spicy beef stir fry, tender and fatty pieces of pork soaking in a chili verde sauce, and a bolognese like dish made with ground lamb, tomato, and onion. Each little entrée has its own distinct seasonings, but they all come together in a cohesive blend on your palate. Eating the same dishes as the people you're dining with is another way in which Ethiopians use the meal time as an opportunity to build friendship and trust.

After you're done eating, you can continue your cultural education at Queen's Café & Hookah across the street. There you'll observe big groups of Ethiopian men who have been relaxing in the back for hours. They slowly inhale the fruity tobacco through a long snake-like hose as though they're meditating and then exhale a veil of swirling vapor around them. Round and round the hose goes as the men sink deeper and deeper into their chairs with seemingly no motivation to ever leave. 

This activity too is about community as much as it is personal enjoyment. You'll find that as soon as you're sharing the hookah, you'll also be sharing moments of connectedness that will provide you with some insight into why something as seemingly insignificant as sitting in a circle is so integral to Ethiopian culture.