On August 31 2005 I had dinner at My Lebanon in Daikanyama with my Lebanese friend Maurice Kamel. (You may not believe it, but “Kamel” does not mean “camel”. It means “whole”, “full”). First of all, a word about Lebanese food. Like the Turkish (which it somewhat resembles), this is a cuisine of simple but intelligent combinations of few, high quality ingredients with emphasis on vegetables and roasted meats. Very original, it is sure to satisfy both vegetarian and committed carnivora. ideal for parties which include both and very refreshing during the summer.

The restaurant apparently belongs to Rita Ghosn, wife of the more famous Carlos (the woman in the picture in the site above). Bored of life in Tokyo, she decided to do something on her own. The food is all definitely excellent, but there are problems. First, on Wednesdays and Fridays you can only have a set which includes a belly dance show (an interruption I hate and for which I'd rather receive a discount). Second, the set costs 5000 yen. Everything else is priced in proportion. With prices so high, you can expect to spend on average about 7000 yen without even getting drunk.

Well, the 31 was a Wednesday, so we had to have the 5000 yen set and tha dancer. The set included fattouche, kibbeh, tabbouleh, hummus, falafel, spinach paistries, and more: nothing was really amiss.

What will almost certainly prevent me from visiting the place again is the mentioned prices, really excessive. 7000 yen for some beans, olive oil, spinach, parsley, garlic, chicken meat and two beers seems way too much, and Maurice thought so too. More, the lunch set costs 3500 yen, twice the average in Tokyo. On top of that you have to go through 30 solid minutes of belly dancing twice a week. Even considering that there are few alternatives (Shinjuku's Sindbad is crap. Shamaim in Ekoda is good, but does not offer the full range of Lebanese dishes. Carthago in Nakano also sells Lebanese dishes), My Lebanon does not offer enough to pass the test.
If you don't mind prices, though, go: you won't be disappointed by their food.

Al Ain – Kannai

Looking on the Net for info about My Lebanon, I also found another Lebanese restaurant in Kannai, within the Yokohama metropolitan area, possibly an alternative to My Lebanon prices and Sindbad’s mediocrities.
Yokohama-shi, Yayoi-cho, 2-17 Stork Tower B1
Tel. 045-251-6199