Located just off the main Little Ethiopia strip, Awash is a small eatery with an unassuming exterior. Step inside, though, and you'll be rewarded with some of the best Ethiopian food in L.A. Awash specializes in tibbs, or chunks of marinated meat (primarily beef) that are accented by a hefty amount of spices and Ethiopian butter. In addition to chicken and fish, there are also a few vegetarian combos that include lentils, split peas, greens and a salad, along with the requisite injera. Service can be slow at times—so arriving when you're borderline hangry might not be a good idea—but the waitstaff is friendly and accommodating.
It can be intimidating, at first, to try Ethiopian food if you're used to, say, fried chicken, pastrami sandwiches and pizza. There seem to be unspoken rules—food must be scooped up with injera (a spongy flatbread), utensils are shunned and drinking coffee is a revered ritual. In Little Ethiopia, L.A.'s epicenter of traditional Ethiopian food, a stretch of Fairfax between Whitworth Drive and Olympic Boulevard is home to a smattering of Ethiopian restaurants and markets, each one serving massive rounds of injera topped with scoops of collard greens, chickpea purée, stewed chicken and more. Friends congregate for Ethiopian coffee and porridge in the morning, and live music can be heard from select restaurants as the sun goes down at night. Looking to transport yourself for an afternoon? Head to Fairfax for some rib-sticking Ethiopian food at these outstanding restaurants.
