Last Saturday DCist checked out one of the newest Ethiopian restaurants to open in D.C., Queen of Sheba. You may remember from this September City Paper story that the restaurant found their efforts to obtain a liquor license thwarted by Shiloh Baptist Church, which operates a child care center next door to the new restaurant and is located directly across the street. The church has also moved to block the license of Vegetate, located a block away. In both cases the church contended that the restaurants were too close to the nearby Seaton Elementary school, however they are curiously silent about the liquor store they share the corner with — or the nearby Giant Supermarket which sells beer and wine until 10 p.m. during the week.
Although we couldn’t help but wish the restaurant could offer honey wine, we decided to drop by on Saturday to try the cuisine. We were pleasantly surprised to discover some of the best Ethiopian cuisine we’ve tasted in the District at some of the best prices. The space has been tastefully remodeled in a subdued modern style, and the clientele while we were there was composed of what appeared to be some friends of the owners and several people from the neighborhood, including one family. The service was friendly and prompt, but although the restaurant was nicely remodeled it lacked some of the finer touches of more romantic spots like Etete up the street. According to neighborhood organization Shaw Main Streets, the restaurant is planning to install artwork and a new sign soon.
The menu consisted of a number of pork and beef dishes prepared in traditional Ethiopian styles (Kitfo, tibs, and the like), but no chicken. The two meat dishes we ordered were served with a traditional tomato salad and lentils, along with plenty of fresh injera. While we’re far from an expert in Ethiopian food, our order was freshly prepared and flavorful. The best part? The tab for a very hearty meal for two came to $21. Although the restaurant doesn’t have the biggest menu (Dukem) or the most romantic atmosphere (Etete) we’ve seen, Queen of Sheba delivers on excellent, reasonably priced Ethiopian cuisine.
Queen of Sheba is located at 1503 9th Street, NW, about three blocks from the Shaw/Howard University Metro station, and is open until 3:00 a.m. on weekends and midnight during the week.
