Etete Just Changed the Way You Look at Ethiopian Cuisine
Injera Chips
Ethiopian food is my thing. If you come to D.C. for a visit or to live, you can guarantee that will be the first place I will ask you out to eat. I usually know who is going to love it and who is going to hate it. Anyone that inquires about rice will fall on the latter. Why do you need rice?! When you have you injera to play the base of the meal?! I get it: The soft spongy texture is hard to get pass when you are thinking about consumption. This is probably one of the key reasons I love the new facelift aka Botox aka changes that Etete has not only made to its dining space but to its menu.
Injera chips. Etete has created Injera chips. Not following me? Well these lovely circles of crispy injera replace the pita bread that we are used to seeing alongside hummus. Yes, there is hummus on the menu. And tacos too. See where I am going with this?? Etete is bringing more people to the table by broadening the scope of what it means to dine at an Ethiopian restaurant. The staples are still present i.e. Kitfo, berbere spiced collards and yellow split peas. The difference is that other global favorites are joining in on the fun. I like where they took this concept because I have so many friends who cannot warm up to the Ethiopian concept and/or flavors. Etete makes an introduction to the cultural flavors lovers of the cuisine crave but uses a bit of subtlety in presentation for the novice.
Injera Taco (Chicken, Ayib Farmers Cheese, Collard Greens and Pickled Peppers)
The drinks are easily the best that you will find at any Ethiopian restaurant in the area. I have been to 85% of the Ethiopian restaurants in this area and would be hard-pressed to find one that has a proper Moscow Mule. Renamed an Ethiopian Mule, this take on the classic cocktail infuses Tej Honey Wine into the drink alongside the usual suspects. The Golden Coconut is my favorite on the menu, however, where it is light, with a hint of coconut and tequila. Tequila is not a friend of mine but with a drink like this, I think we could do a few rounds without disagreement.
Etete has changed the face of Ethiopian food in this area. For the first time in history, you can get a taco, kitfo and a competitive cocktail in one sitting. Critics have given them some push back on this new transition but I would not be surprised to see more restaurants picking up on this outside the box approach. Who is really going to hate on having their Red Lentils and craft cocktail side-by-side??
Category: cultural cooking, restaurant reviews, Reviews, Various Cooking Styles, Washington D.C.
About the Author (Author Profile)
Johnna French is a Harlem NY native with deep roots in Panama, Washington, DC and North Carolina. All four places have heavily influenced her life and the foods she loves today. After graduating Howard University School of Law and beginning her life as a young professional in the city she was led to start Johnna Knows Good Food in November 2007 to keep family, friends and colleagues updated on where to go and what to eat while dining in the nation’s capitol. French, who still practices law, leads a team of three writers to cover the ever expanding Washington, DC food scene. French has been featured in print and television, appearing in Washingtonian Magazine and is a regular contributor to various local TV affiliates including WUSA 9, FOX 5 DC and WJLA (ABC Affiliate) News Channel 8. During the 2016-2017 football season, Johnna aired on Comcast Sports Mid-Atlantic (CSN) show, Redskins Life, as the weekly tailgate host. Johnna is currently a regular contributor to the FOX Baltimore Weekend morning show.Subscribe
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