Adama Restaurant and Awash Bakery — Restaurant in Columbia Heights

I did engage in star inflation because there's no option for a half or quarter star and they don't deserve for their overall rating to go down with a 4. Any hoo, this is a laid back place with excellent food! Either the chef has toned down some of the spices for the Midwestern palate or s/he is from a different part of Ethiopia where the spices are slightly different from other East African restaurants I have visited and I like it! The staff is so friendly 🤗 I got the vegetarian combo, vegetarian sambusas, and spice tea. 6 items were included in the combo-3 lentil dishes, greens, beets, and cabbage with carrots. This entree would probably work for 2 people. I'm a big eater and I couldn't finish it especially after the sambusas. The sauce with the freshly made and piping hot sambusas was too spicy hot for me but they were fine without it. However, I did mention to the handsome and personable young owner that a tamarind or other sweet sauce would have made it perfect. The bottomless spice tea was the best I have ever had---no sugar or honey needed. Currently, the menu doesn't include any Ethiopian desserts, but it is still under development. I am quite pleased for this addition to the ethnic offerings on Central Avenue. If you are not super adventurous, I recommend coming for the lunch buffets on Tuesdays and Thursdays to find out what you like. Rather than describing the furnishings, check out the decor...

We came here last year in late October, but I remember the experience very well. At the time, we felt this place wasn't suited for dine-in, as no one else was in the restaurant except for us and we went on to see lots of people come through the door and order things to-go or from the bakery. Our waitress was kind and patient, despite us frequently changing our minds on what we wanted from the menu. Why were we changing our minds so much? Because the menus we were given were outdated, and as such, they didn't have the dishes we originally wanted.

I remember the food took a long time to get to us and by the time it did, all of our injera was ice cold and while the entree dishes were still warm, they were unbearably spicy. Everything from the derek tibs to the legumes and lentils. I'm pretty sure it sat on the counter for a good while before she noticed it was there and brought it out to us. Our family is East African but this was too spicy even for us, our throats were still burning at least an hour after we finished eating. For what it's worth, they have very strong authentic Ethiopian coffee, and the porcelain it's served in is absolutely gorgeous.

Recent reviews make me believe that things relating to the dine-in experience seem to have changed for the better since our visit, but we have not been back since and don't plan...

We have visited twice and will be back. The food is excellent. The service is friendly and checks on you often. The atmosphere is nice and smells savory. Park in back in the municipal lot. It's free. There's a side entrance (has steps) or front entrance for wheelchairs. Our son's wheelchair is long, but we could sit him up in the chair to angle the entryway and get in. Our daughter's electric wheelchair fit just fine. We'd prefer Ethiopian music in the background, but they have the news going on instead (softly). Not many dine-in patrons although there's plenty of space. We got our 2 wheelchairs around with ease. Many patrons order online and are in and out picking up their food. If the menu item says spicy, it means spicy! They also sell goods, spices and injera. Overall, I definitely recommend eating here and we will definitely be...