Me Jana — Lebanese / Middle Eastern, Arlington, VA
Me Jana brought the Lebanese mezze tradition to Crystal City with the conviction that the D.C. region's substantial Arab-American community deserved a restaurant of genuine quality. The kitchen's success has proved the premise beyond argument.
The mezze spread — fattoush, hummus with the wood-oven pita that the kitchen bakes throughout service, kibbeh in its various forms, and the rotating seasonal preparations — is the table's first and most important statement. Everything that follows is a variation on the theme.
The whole roasted lamb, available with advance notice for groups, is the kitchen's most ambitious preparation and the dish that most directly expresses the Lebanese culinary tradition's relationship to celebration.
The wine list includes Lebanese producers — Chateau Musar, Ksara, and the Bekaa Valley appellations that the Arab-American diaspora knows and that American wine culture is still discovering.
Best Occasion: Great for First Dates
The mezze sharing format creates immediate engagement. The wood-oven pita arrives warm. The Lebanese wine creates an exploration. First dates at Me Jana have a built-in architecture.
Best Occasion: Works for Impressing Clients
Lebanese fine dining in Crystal City signals genuine Mid-Eastern cultural knowledge. The whole roasted lamb for a group produces the impression that no standard business dinner achieves.