Capital melting pot? Not when it comes to food

New and old Little Ethiopia

Scratch the surface of Washington’s civic and economic life and you’re bound to come across a number of Ethiopians. The area has long been a magnet for the East African immigrants, who first flocked to the city in the 1970s after a military government took over their country. These days, more than 30,000 Ethiopians call the area home, according to the 2008 census. Newcomers often start out as taxi drivers, but a dynamic, supportive Ethiopian community helps them quickly acclimate.

Ninth Street just south of U Street, unofficially the city’s Little Ethiopia, offers immigrants a familiar place to relax, schmooze, and talk a little business. Once riddled with crime, the block was colonized by Ethiopians five years ago. While a number of the original dimly-lighted, all-male bars still exist, the area is gradually becoming hip. The neighborhood now includes Yetenebi Restaurant, featuring baked goods and a gleaming cappuccino machine, and the Ambassador Bar and Restaurant, which offers live music on Saturday nights.

Habesha Market definitely belongs in the “new’’ camp. Unlike the other restaurants on the block, service is informal — no waitresses — and the kitchen is open and airy. Owner Dereje Zewdie says he was inspired by mall food courts, with their cheap and accessible meals. This is the kind of place where a busy cabdriver can get a quick bite, but these days it’s popular with young professional Ethiopians, too, who talk over platters of doro wot (spicy chicken stew) and Habesha tibs (beef or lamb sautéed with jalapeno and tomato) scooped up with flat injera bread. Bagged injera is for sale, as well as CDs of Ethiopian music and a variety of unusual spices like berbere, mitmita, and korerima.

Where Vietnamese mingle