Early 1980s geopolitics brought Ethiopians to the capital area who now have grown to a community some 200,000 large. Like many of the Vietnamese who fled Saigon, some made a new life by opening a restaurant. Personally, it's not a cuisine I rush to cross town for. But here's a list of several with their own fierce fan base.  Each of these has its own fierce fan base:

Addis Ababa Restaurant, 8233 Fenton Street, Silver Spring, 301 589 1400
Addis Cafe, 405 North Frederick Ave, Gaithersburg, 301 740 8111
Axum Ethiopian Restaurant, 1934 9th St NW, 202 387 0765
Chez Hareg, 915 9th St NW, 202 332 6000
Dama Pastry and Restaurant, 503 Columbia Pike, Arlington, 703 920 3559
Dukem Restaurant, 1114 U Street NW, 202 667 8735
Etete, 942 9th St NW, 202 232 7600
Harar Mesob Ethiopian Restaurant, 542 23rd St S. Arlington, 703 553 5500
Madjet Ethiopian Restaurant, 102 U St NW, 202 265 4779
Selam (Eritrean, not Ethiopian, restaurant), 1524 U St NW, 202 462 4758
Shagga Coffee, 1040 Baltimore Ave, Hyattsville, 240 296 3030
Sidamo Coffee & Tea, 417 H St NE, 202 548 0081

Ethiopian food is spicy, with a thick meat (never pork) or vegetable stew called a wat or wot spooned on top of each diner's serving of injera bread. To eat correctly, tear strips of injera off and sweep them through the stew and pinch together to collect pieces of meat or vegetable and convey the food to your mouth. Only ever use your RIGHT hand. The left is used for a purpose you don't want to associate with eating. The end of the meal is signalled by eating up any gravy-soaked injera bread that remains.

Related Information...

Injera - what is it and how to make it?
Teff - a gluten-free grain

Posted on Friday 30th November 00-1 in Far East & Africa, Nosh notes: Eating Out