Al Mina: Palestine comes to Kanda

Tokyo's 'ethnic food' scene (a term we personally loathe, but that locals seem to apply to any style of cooking not European or American) has never been more diverse. But one cuisine remains virtually untapped in the city: Middle Eastern. Turkish restaurants abound, but aside from the occasional yatai vendor of kebab, there just aren't many places to get your hummus on in this town.

Until now, that is. Al Mina, which opened in February, has planted its flag right in the middle of bustling Kanda. It is, to our knowledge, the first and only restaurant specializing in Palestinian food in the country.

By day, owner-chef Shadi Bashiyi cooks for patrons of the Tokyo American Club, that venerable hangout for expats who prefer the company of other expats. By night, he heads over to Kanda to run Al Mina. And this time, he's targeting the locals. 

"I tried to pick things that Japanese people would like -- meat and rice dishes, mainly," explains Bashiyi. "But I wanted to make sure the taste was totally authentic, too."

Never having tried the cuisine before, we asked him to bring us the most Palestinian dishes on the menu. Savoring entrees like mansaff, a succulent lamb stew served over a bed of rice with a yogurt sauce (¥1,680), and maftoul, half a roasted chicken served on Palestinian-style couscous with gravy (¥1,575), it's hard to believe you're sitting in the middle of Tokyo's salaryman central.

Mezze (traditional side dishes) abound. The makdoos, pickled eggplant stuffed with walnuts and garlic (¥630) is particularly recommended. Its pungent, astringent flavor plays off your tongue like a counterpoint to more sedate Japanese tsukemono pickles (which we love, but variety is the spice of life).

The obligatory hookahs are here for those who want a quick puff after dinner, as are a variety of Palestinian desserts. In particular the cheesecake -- a delicate, threadlike mesh of fried batter blanketing sweet goat cheese -- is unlike anything you'll find anywhere else in the city.

Al Mina: "Genki Building" B1, Kanda tacho 2-2-3, Chiyoda-ku, tel. 03-5297-3739, www.almina-group.webs.com, Monday to Friday 11:30am-3pm, 5:30pm-11:00pm, Saturday 12-10pm, Holidays 5:30-11pm, closed Sundays