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“It is just Home Cooking” is the motto emblazoned on Meskel’s menus, and a lack of pretension pervades this mom-and-pop operation. The small entrée selection covers traditional Ethiopian territory, served with rolls of spongy injera bread that’s made fresh daily. Flavors are strong, as with the doro wat, chicken drumsticks topped with a hard-boiled egg and a clotted chile-and-red-wine sauce. A similar berbere chile flavor informs ground chickpeas and split red lentils. Boiled collard greens provide an appealing contrast for the tender prime beef of the gomen besega, and stand alone in a tasty onion, garlic, and ginger combination. Diners are encouraged to eat family-style, with offerings spread atop a hubcap-size piece of injera. Those seeking further authenticity can augment their meal with a glass of Sheba Tej, Ethiopian honey wine. The restaurant’s interior is as modest as its motto, with just seven tables and a closet-like private room on the side. Ethiopian drawings, fabric reproductions, and a pair of small paintings provide the understated décor. Vibrant Ethiopian music sets an upbeat mood for a youthful East Village crowd and the occasional expat. — Ethan Wolff

Gomen besega, $11.75; doro watt, $13.95; vegetarian combination, $14.75