Tsehay Ethiopian Restaurant And Bar — Restaurant in Washington

My wife and I went to dine at this restaurant today and we were shocked at the treatment my wife received simply for briefly using a spoon. We know that when ordering platters at Ethiopian restaurants it is customary to use the Injera (sponge bread) to eat the food. We completely understand the importance of respecting other cultures however there are times where a bit of flexibility and tolerance is in order as not everyone is accustomed to eating with their hands. In addition, the injera might get a bit soggy at times especially when eating the more stewed delicacies making it difficult to enjoy them properly. We did not ask for cutlery, but we were given a big spoon with the tea that we ordered. My wife briefly used the spoon to eat some of the stewed meet but ate everything else with the injera.

Nevertheless, on the menu the restaurant states:

"We do not provide cutlery under any circumstances, as we want you to fully experience Ethiopian cuisine in its traditional and authentic form just as it been enjoyed for generations"

The disclaimer does not say anything about using cutlery. It doesn't say don't use the big spoon given to you when ordering the tea to eat. If you don't want people to use cutlery then don't give out a spoon with your tea which did not require any stirring in the first place. If using a utensil is so taboo, then perhaps you should also write on the menu that you should not eat with your left hand.

We ate at many Ethiopian restaurants and never had any issues briefly using a spoon to eat our food. I have also been to Ethiopia a few times for work and never had issues using utensils. I also did some research and found that it is not actually rude to eat food with utensils in Ethiopia. Yes, using the injera is the preferred and polite way but again, some flexibility and understanding is in order especially when the circumstance was not done out of malice.

I feel the individual who gave my wife a hard time simply for using a spoon was out of line. He made us feel uncomfortable and spoiled our dinner. Why did he feel the need to give my wife a hard time when she was in the middle of eating?

Because of the embarrassment he caused us we did not enjoy our food. He could have handled the situation differently such as recommending using the injera to draw out the flavors rather than acting autocratic quoting policy or rules which are not clearly disclosed or simply let it go. There was no need to lecture in front of other customers just as there was no reason to interrupt my wife while she was in the middle of eating.

The last time I checked, going to an Ethiopian restaurant and choosing to eat with a utensil that was given to us is not a crime. I also defend my decision not to leave a tip in light of this situation. Similarly a tip is an "optional" payment in lieu of outstanding service. We did not feel you provided outstanding service thus did not deserve the "optional" tip. Deciding to not leave a tip because of poor service is also not a crime.

In addition, I read your response to my wife regarding being told that you do not provide cutlery upon making a reservation. We did not make a reservation as you stated and again all you state on your menu is you do not provide cutlery, not that you can not use a utensil. We did not feel the manager acted politely as you stated since he interrupted my wife as she was in the middle of eating. Also what free food are you referring to? We simply given more injera which is standard in all other Ethiopian restaurants we have visited.

The situation is unfortunate because the food is good but since we did not get to fully enjoy it because of the situation I can not recommend...

Updated : It was our first and last visit of this place. When we arrived , NO ONE told us at the RECEPTION (we did not have reservation) that we could not use cutlery in this restaurant!On the menu it’s written with very tiny letters at the very bottom that cutlery are not provided ,we could not see it.We did not even see that tiny comment until I asked the customers at the next table about the rule regarding the cutlery, and it was at the end of our dinner when we were leaving . However ,if cutlery are not provided why the service lady gave me a spoon for the tea ? Since nobody from your service told us about strict cutlery rule at the reception/beginning at the dinner and we did not see the rules on the menu at the beginning of our dinner and ,on top of that ,I was given a spoon (even for tea, but it was a spoon !) which was against restaurant’s own strict rules - I used the spoon to help myself eating like I do in other Ethiopian places.I did not eat with a spoon ,I only put meat on the piece of injera ,but then I used my hands. However , out of the blue,I was abruptly interrupted during the eating process by a man with his lecturing and authoritative tone in front of all other people that I could not use a spoon that I was actually given,I did not even ask for that spoon.That caused me emotional disruption and confusion.In that case, the service lady or that man should have warned me that a spoon was not supposed for being used for eating process in the first place, but only for tea.On top of that , It’s very bad manner to interrupt hungry and tired people while they are eating not only in a restaurant, but in general eating etiquette worldwide.We did not talk to your that man (a manager ) . All we wanted was to finish eating and leave your place since your manager already demonstrated unprofessional conduct by shaming a customer for a spoon.

Extra Injera was given for free everywhere in Ethiopian places I have visited across the USA ,not only yours.

Giving tips is optional , since we had a big confusion and dissatisfaction, we are within our right not to give any. Don’t bring cutlery even for tea if it’s your strict policy.Otherwise, it contradicts your own policy ,like it happened to us, and causes confusion among new customers.All that negative experience happened because...

With numerous Ethiopian restaurants to choose from in Washington DC, do yourself a favor and choose this one. The owner Selam carries on her mother‘s tradition of authentic cooking with wonderful flavors and textures. She made it a point to visit our table and check in with us, and is an absolutely delightful person.

We were met by Ted our server, and his energy was infectious. He put us at a table right in the window, where we could watch the eclectic mix of DC residents pass by in this section of town filled with ethnic restaurants.

Be prepared you will be eating traditional Ethiopian style, so no utensils. I personally would not want it any other way.

We started with orders of the beef and lentil Sambosa. The pastry was light, flaky and perfectly crisp, the lentils wonderfully seasoned with just a hint of heat from the jalapeños, and the beef savory with a rich hearty flavor.

For beverage, I highly recommend the Ethiopian spice tea if you like a hot tea, or the Keshir mocktail, a combination of Ethiopian spice, tea, ginger beer, and cane sugar, if you prefer an iced drink.

For our main course, we ordered Denich Be Siga a rich and savory beef and potato stew, and the Ye Beg Wet, Australian lamb in a chili sauce with Ethiopian spices.

The stew was savory and cooked the way it should be, slowly to allow all of the spices and flavors to permeate. The beef, wonderfully, tender, and the potatoes surprisingly firm.

I like heat, and the lamb had the right amount, though if you like it spicier, as I do I highly recommend taking Ted’s recommendation and getting a side dish of the Awaze for added heat and a fresh burst of spice.

Both dishes were served with homemade Ayeb, a light cheese that looks like Feta but has a flavor more like Ricotta, and provides a cool counterpart to any dish with heat.

We finished our meal with a cup of Ethiopian coffee, and the Mushabek, a crispy fried dough that is dipped in sugar water. A wonderfully crisp and sweet counterpoint to the heat of the meal.

The atmosphere is intimate and warm, my only recommendation would be to turn down the music a little when there aren’t as many people in the room. While we were eating, however, a large group of people started arriving, it’s obviously a popular place, and the music level would not have affected them at all.

We will...