Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

AFTER HOURS: Zenebech Celebrates Classic Ethiopian Cuisine

Ye+Bin+Won
Ye Bin Won

At an Ethiopian or Eritrean table, a meal isn’t a meal without injera: a thin, spongy flatbread made of teff flour, a type of grain found in Eastern Africa. In many homes, the stew, vegetables and meat are arranged on top of the injera itself, rolled into small morsels, before being placed into one’s mouth.

Washington, D.C., is home to the largest Ethiopian expat community outside of their native country, and Zenebech’s story is woven into that history within the city.

Having opened 26 years ago on 11th and V streets NW, Zenebech was established by chef Zenebech Dessu, the matriarch and face of the restaurant, and Gebrehanna Demissie. Starting as an injera bakery, the restaurant began to expand its offerings to other dishes after the positive feedback it received from its trademark dish.

Zenebech’s success, however, was often marred by tragedies — its new Adams Morgan shop was involved in a fire not long after its second location at Shaw closed after a year. Even before the reopening of its Adams Morgan location, though, Zenebech was still considered the best Ethiopian restaurant in the District, according to The Washington Post.

Entering Zenebech, the first person I see is the namesake for this Ethiopian landmark. Quickly flipping over an injera with both of her hands, Dessu, the co-founder of Zenebech, is hard at work as waiters swarm around her.

After being lead to a cozy booth, my friends and I pour over the menu to find the toppings and stews that we should pair with our injera. Finally, we decide on kitfo, a steak tartare-esque dish of raw beef tossed in butter, mitmita and herbs; chicken alicha wot, a mild chicken stew of yellow curry and boiled egg; tibs ferfer, beef tossed with pieces of injera; and an array of vegetable side dishes consisting of beets, cabbage, string beans, lentils and collard greens.

“Extra injera?” the waitress asks, to which we answer with a resounding “yes.” We do not see her again for the next 40 minutes, though, as the packed restaurant has made service slow. The food, however, is well worth the wait.

As our huge platter of food arrives on a shiny plate, my nose was immediately drawn to the fragrant nech tib. Ripping off a piece of my injera as I had seen the lady at the next table do, I gingerly pick up the food.

As I take my first bite, I am taken aback at the burst of spices that envelop my mouth; mixed with the earthy tones of the tender goat meat and soaked pieces of injera, the spice blend is nothing like I have ever encountered before. All I taste is a marvelous spice symphony and tender chunks of meat.

The injera is spongy and wonderfully tart, reminding me of a cross between sourdough bread, sponge cakes and crepes. I quickly realize why injera itself is the plate for the foods; the tartness from fermentation is a nice complement to the richness of the food, while its texture is firm enough to hold the ingredients, but also spongy enough to absorb the sauces.

While the beets and beans are unremarkable, the cabbages, collard greens and lentils steal the show. The lentils, in particular, compliment the injera well because of their watery texture immediately soaked up by the injera.

The kitfo is, admittedly, the biggest risk the three of us had taken. Upon online recommendation and the urging from one of my friend’s father, we go for what seemed to be the Ethiopian steak tartare. When we take our first bite, however, it is not cold like the steak tartare we are familiar with — in fact, it melts like butter at room temperature. The buttery goodness of the kitfo is elevated by the spunky spice blend.

By the time we are done, the three of us are tempted to pop open the first button of our pants. The injera looks deceivingly thin and the dishes on top deceivingly small. When we receive our tab, we are shocked at the affordability of our meal that cost less for each of us than the Uber drive to the restaurant.

Living up to the mountain of praises since 1993, the humble injera bakery that became the face of the Ethiopian cuisine in D.C. has food critics and regular eaters raving for a reason.

Ye Bin Won is a freshman in the School of Foreign Service. After Hours appears in print every other Friday.

Leave a Comment
Donate to The Hoya

Your donation will support the student journalists of Georgetown University. Your contribution will allow us to purchase equipment and cover our annual website hosting costs.

More to Discover
Donate to The Hoya

Comments (0)

All The Hoya Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *