A Raw Deal on U Street

At long last, dear readers, my new power cord has arrived, and thus I make my triumpant return to the blogosphere.

Of all the places I've visited since my last update, U Street's awesome Ethiopian restaurant, Dukem, is the most deserving subject of the first post of 2008. I'd heard rumors of Dukem's excellence, and have had more than a couple cab drivers' recommend its savory fare, but it was actually Jason who beat me to the punch. Or to the beef, as the case may be.

I dunno about you, but as far as I'm concerned, with beef, rare is good, and raw is even better. So when Jason went to Dukem and came back swooning over its beef tartare (called kifto), I didn't need any more convincing. We went on a Friday night, without reservations, which is a gamble in itself - unsurprisingly, Dukem is no secret among DC's cognoscenti. However, we had a surprisingly short wait at the bar before we were seated.

Needless to say, I ordered the kitfo, which you can order by itself or in combination with other items. I got mine with a couple other things (a spicy lamb dish, and another beef preparation), however, the kitfo sticks out in my memory. Cool and buttery, with hints of chili and cardamon, the kitfo literally slides down your throat. Even the highest-grade tuna tartare has nothing on this stuff. Scooped up with some spongy injera, and washed down with a cold beer, it was definitely an experience I won't soon forget. However, I'll gladly return to Dukem to remind myself anew.

Good to know:
Dukem is located at 1114 U St., NW (at 12th St), practically steps away from the U Street - Cardozo Metro stop on the Green or Yellow line.

Photo of Dukem combination plate by Flickr user keegie_in_dc.