Bisan: Tokyo’s only Palestinian restaurant

Bisan (ビサン) is Tokyo’s only unequivocal Palestinian restaurant by Chef Sudki Mansour Sudki from Bisan (or Beit She’an in The Northern District of Israel).

Bisan’s store board says “Bisan Palestinian Cuisine (ビサンパレスチナ料理)” in Japanese with a photo of The Old City of Jerusalem including The Temple Mount. It made me a tad delusional to imagine a restaurant with the name of a Canadian city ‘Mississauga’ with a photo of the Statue of Liberty. But as a passive, good Japanese citizen, I got it. Message received.

The storefront of Bisan.

Inside Bisan was not a random Arabic fare. It was Palestine: there were Palestinian flags in various forms, maps of Palestine, photos of Yasser Arafat, and more. A wall full of photos of local customers and friends explained the acceptance in this Jujo neighborhood in Northern Tokyo. It was obvious that Bisan was a no-conflict zone for anybody.

Bisan’s menu.

Bisan’s menu was Japanized to the fullest so that any Japanese customer who may or may not be interested in Arabic can assume what to eat. It was one of the friendliest menus I’ve ever seen. There was love. The menu says “Authentic Palestinian home cooking. It is…the taste of a kind mother waiting in The Middle East. (パレスチナの本格家庭料理。それは、中東で待つ優しい母の味。)”

Bisan’s Hummus.

The Palestinian mother’s hummus was creamy and absolutely delicious, but alas, it was a little too gangster to my wallet. Japanese moms probably won’t charge you 900 yen ($6.90) for a small plate of hummus (well, they don’t make them, there’s that, but). Cultural difference? Maybe?

Bisan’s Falafels.

Bisan’s Falafels were nice and chunky. They were more Japanese croquettes than Levantine falafels, which I appreciated. But again, the price, 1300 yen ($10) for such comfort food is unlike a kind mom. It was more a mother-in-law, in Japan, at least.

Nothing tasted bad. They were all good. I totally appreciated Bisan’s identity and homespun love for food. But I couldn’t shake off my petty thought of what the total of 2200 yen can offer in hope of better hummus and falafels. Poor me, I know.

Besides, as an eatery, Bisan is one and only. Bisan’s congenial Chef Sudki Mansour Sudki, who speaks exceptional Japanese, makes Japanese guests feel at home. There was love.