Meskerem Ethiopian Restaurant

6/21/2008
Washington DC: Adams Morgan - (202) 462-4100
Price: Mid-Range
Rating (1-10): 4

The quick and dirty:
Meskerem is decent. While it might be fun to come here and eat Ethiopian cuisine in a traditional way, sitting around a circular table and eating with hands and injera - the spongy Ethiopian bread, my recommendation is guarded: the food isn't that good, the service is mostly indifferent, and it can feel cramped and uncomfortable. The ball could roll either way - maybe good, maybe not.

To be frank, I'd forgo the authenticity of the experience for a more comfortable arrangement. It was more uncomfortable than fun, and the crowded room was noisy, making it difficult to carry on conversation across the table - which cuts down on the group experience that you're there for. The food is not bad but it all blends together - similar in flavor, color, texture, look. The menu is large but many of the selections have the same sauces only on different vegetables or meats. It's not bad but it's not somethng that I have a yearning to go back for. The service felt like they were just doing a job - seating you, getting you stuff, bringing you food, bringing you the check.

Like the food, our service was passsable but definitely unispired. If you're looking to eat Ethiopian food, I'd recommend trying some lesser priced fare elsewhere, sample around, and see what kind of Ethiopian food you like.


Full review:
Meskerem is decent. With a group of friends, it might be fun to come here and eat Ethiopian cuisine in a traditional way, sitting around a circular table and eating with hands and injera - the spongy Ethiopian bread on which the food is served. But my recommendation is guarded: the food isn't that good, the service is there but indifferent, and it can feel cramped and uncomfortable. The ball could roll either way - maybe good, maybe not.

While I appreciate an effort to create authenticity in the experience, given a choice, I'd forgo the realness of the experience for a more comfortable arrangement. I sat essentially knee to knee with the people sitting next to me, huddling over the table - on a fairly hot night with only decent air conditioning. And because I was eating with my hands, I sat unsure of what to do with them once they got messy, not wanting to touch anything. The crowded room was noisy and it was difficult to carry on conversation across the table, which cuts down on the group experience that you're there for. Call me conservative but the fun-vs-uncomfortable/inconvenient balance tipped in the direction of the latter.

The food is not bad but in my memory, it all blends together - similar in flavor, color, texture, look. The menu is large but many of the selections have the same sauces only on different vegetables or meats. We tried a sampler platter for the group and two shrimp dishes a la carte. A shrimp and vegetable dish was the best thanks to a strong shrimp flavor, but in both, the small shrimp were way overcooked. Chicken comes served on the bone - which, if shared, is a bit awkward when you go digging your fingers into the meat to rip off a chunk. But it's tasty with the sauce. At the end of the day though, it's not food that I have a yearning to go back for.

Though I found the manager of the restaurant to be friendly, his staff did not carry the same aura. Instead, it felt like they were just doing a job - seating you, getting you stuff, bringing you food, bringing you the check. While there was nothing offensive about the service, there was little done to make you feel like more than just another customer. Like the food, our service was passsable but definitely unispired.

I think people go here to eat Ethiopian food, not so much for this particular restaurant itself. If you're in that boat, then try some lesser priced fare elsewhere, sample around, and see what kind of Ethiopian food you like.