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| - I almost always get the vegetarian platter because it's delicious, cheap, has a ton of variety, and is composed of different dishes every time I go. One veggie platter serves two (leaving you either stuffed or with lefotvers), and coupled with two sodas puts you out under $12 (just add in tip). Just a tip, either accept eating with your hands, or remember that silverware is BYO.
The veggie platters come with about six dishes, always one or two lentils, a split pea (yellow), some kind of green, often either cabbage or beets, a salad (seasoned with a vinagrette, sometimes spicy, sometimes not), sometimes green beans, and one or two other legume based things that are usually unidentifiable and delicious. I love Ethiopian dishes, they are so warm, savory, and spicy - with complex flavors (I wouldn't even know where to start to imitate it at home), and the tangy, yeasty injera (spongy crepe-like bread) rocks my world.
My favorites on the veggie platter are always lentils, split peas, anything involving the cooked cabbage (often coupled with potatoes and carrots), greens (sometimes collards, sometimes others, generally finely chopped and stewed until delicious), and anything involving beets (also generally coupled with potatoes). You don't get a choice for what comes on the veggie platter, just whatever they happen to be cooking up in the kitchen that day. I don't think I've ever eaten the same meal twice.
Expect the food to be plentiful and diverse, and the service to be friendly and slow (don't expect to be in and out of there in under an hour, and expect to have to ask for your check, and then maybe take it to the front to pay). If you're even a slightly adventurous eater, like a lot of flavor to your meal and bang for your buck, Merkato should be on your "to do" list.
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