I love Merkato. Ever since I had Ethiopian cuisine in college in California, I've been obsessed with finding good Ethiopian restaurants I brought friends to Merkato to try out Ethiopian foods. We're all in healthcare and of course some of them were wary of the "raw" beef that is presented in their dishes. However, the beef is actually seasoned and safe to eat (but you can always ask them to cook the meats thoroughly if you want to be on the safe side, but it doesn't hurt to try something new once in a while).
I ordered the Kitfo which is a minced steak tartare (tartare meaning raw). It comes with Injera which is a mildly sour and tart spongy flatbread that you can use to grab the meat and vegetables to eat. I love the Injera and I usually try to eat as much of it as I can. The Kitfo itself is a very flavorful experience. The beef fills up your mouth and the seasoning is very distinct and difficult to put into words. Being that the beef is raw but diced, the texture is extremely unique and worth trying out once in your lifetime. I eat Ethiopian food often and I've never had any issues with the quality of the food.
The service was difficult because of a language barrier between us and the wait staff, however we were able to get our questions answered by the manager who was very reassuring to my friends' doubts on the safety of their food (again, I've never gotten sick eating Ethiopian food, so I wouldn't sweat it).
Overall it was a very positive experience and I recommend anyone who enjoys food to try out Ethiopian food at Merkato!