Bethesda diners can finally unearth the authentic flavors of Ethiopia without traveling to well-known enclaves of the cuisine in Silver Spring or Washington, D.C., by visiting Lucy, a new restaurant named for the remarkably intact fossilized hominid species excavated in the African country in 1974.
Diners in the area have lost a few longtime dining destinations recently, including Redwood and Lebanese Taverna in downtown Bethesda and The Classics in Silver Spring. But a few intrepid restaurateurs with less familiar cuisines have stepped into Bethesda’s open real estate, including the owners of Lucy, the Bethesda offshoot of the popular Silver Spring Ethiopian restaurant, which opened in the former Grapeseed location on Cordell Avenue at the end of February.
This is the second restaurant for chef and co-owner Seble Lemma and her husband, Mekonnen Abraham. They chose Bethesda for their second location because of the large concentration of diners there, many of whom they have noticed in their restaurant in Silver Spring. “We wanted to bring a unique cuisine with many vegan options” to what they believe is a demographic that is ready for it, Abraham said. […] CONTINUE READING
