Sushi nation

Back in 2003, T-shirts with the slogan: “Sushi: Traditional Lebanese Dish” were spotted being worn by young fashionistas across Beirut, illustrating the glowing success of this staple Japanese dish in Lebanon. Thirteen years later and the Lebanese passion for sushi does not seem to be ebbing away. On the contrary, the estimated number of restaurants serving sushi in Lebanon has to date reached close to a hundred individual outlets. The early years Japanese cuisine has been present in Lebanon, to some extent, since the 1980s. First through the restaurants Tokyo in Manara, which was operated by a Japanese woman, and Nippon Mare in Jounieh, according to Nicolas Rebeiz, partner and managing director of the seafood and sushi restaurant and supplier Oceanus, who adds that these restaurants were not focused on sushi. Aref Saade, owner of Tropical Bamboo, a company which offers supplies, consultation, menu development and recruitment for Asian cuisine