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(REPUBLISHED)

Ethiopian food is officially now one of my favorites! After passing by the Dukem Restaurant on the U Street Corridor in Washington, DC for over three years and looking on with curiosity, I decided on Saturday to take the plunge with a couple friends and try it out.

Now, a forewarning if you plan to visit, the Dukem Restaurant is not one for fine dining, if that’s what you’re looking for. The atmosphere is relaxed, a bit noisy and service is a tad bit slow, but the GREAT food (which I will talk about later) makes up for where everything else falters.

While the experience could easily be compared to eating native Indian dishes like roti (read more) and paratha (read more), the ‘bread’ served and known in the Ethiopian locale as injera (read more) might be an acquired taste for the picky eater. It “tasted and looked spongy”, said one of my friends and I have to agree. Notwithstanding that, I found the taste to be curiously delightful.

What stood out most however is that with the exception of the injera, our entree which included hot spiced lamb, stewed chicken, dhal and some other Ethiopian delicacies was served on a single platter from which we all ate, using our hands (no utensils used).

In the end, I have to say that my experience at the Dukem Restaurant (website) was a mixture of the unique and the mouthwatering. Being with the right company made it a worthwhile visit also.

Below are the links to some of my favorite local (DC) restaurants:

Thai Chili Restaurant- Thai

The Taj Mahal- Indian

Pho Fever- Vietnamese

The Islander- Caribbean