Eat Great Cheap 2017Vegetables and stews don’t come by default on a platter of injera at this casually chic Ethiopian spot but are served in a spread of individual ramekins. You might even get a serving spoon. That’s not to say Letena puts out a watered-down version of the cuisine—if anything, the flavors are amped up. Red lentils are stewed in a fiery berbere sauce, while doro wat takes on a barbecue-like sweetness. Even the injera (folded up on a plate) is extra tangy. Also good: Timtam salad; kay siga wat (spicy beef stew); yetamese (seasoned lean ground beef).
Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
Jessica Sidman covers the people and trends behind D.C.’s food and drink scene. Before joining Washingtonian in July 2016, she was Food Editor and Young & Hungry columnist at Washington City Paper. She is a Colorado native and University of Pennsylvania grad.
