"Calling Merkato a restaurant is maybe a disservice to its vibe, so low-key and relaxed that diners could easily sink into it like injera into kitfo, a heady, melting pile of chopped raw beef in warm butter and mitmita, a spice blend of bird’s eye chillis, salt, and spices normally including Ethiopian cardamom and clove. First-timers should take a look at the fifty-fifty — which pairs hot or mild lamb, aggressively fried, with any of the textbook vegetarian dishes." - James Hansen