Chercher

Chercher is the spot your (transplant) coworker is bragging about having just 'discovered' but as real ones know, Chercher's been the spot. A minimalist Ethiopian restaurant on 9th and U St, Chercher is not an overrated cult classic, but a restaurant worthy of all the hype and praise. On the second floor of a rowhouse, this tiny restaurant, which doesn’t take reservations, often has crowds awkwardly waiting around the door trying to get in. And that’s because the food here is that good. Their shiro, a chickpea stew, might be the best we’ve had in the city and that’s because the flavors are sensational. The vegan deluxe special ($20) comes with enough food to be shared with three people and will send you home full and well-fed.