BY NICK DIAMANTIDES
Staff Writer
If all goes according George Mitri’s plan, Bixby Knolls will have its own Lebanese restaurant by mid-December. Mitri recently leased the building formerly occupied by Four Olives Café, which closed a few months ago. “We are going to call the restaurant Baba Ghanouj,” Mitri said. He explained that the eatery will offer traditional Middle Eastern cuisine. “We are going to have all the kabobs,” he said. “Shish kabob, beef, lamb, kafta.” He noted that Baba Ghanouj is a dish made from eggplant which will be available as well.
Mitri has been a Long Beach resident for many years, and his wife owns Marina Mitri Spa a few blocks south of the restaurant.
Twenty years ago, he owned a Middle Eastern restaurant called Sahara in Belmont Shore. “I lost the lease for that building and went to Mexican food,” he said, explaining that he opened two El Cilantro restaurants, which are still successful. “They offer fast food, and I have been wanting to open a full-service restaurant for some time. I think Baba Ghanouj will do well in Bixby Knolls. Having something besides Mexican and Italian food will attract people.”
Mitri said that in addition to Middle Eastern cuisine, the restaurant will serve beer and wine. He noted that later he might hire a lute player to create an authentic Middle Eastern ambiance. “I just like to start out small, make sure we are doing everything right, and then expand what we are doing,” he said.
Right now, Mitri has work crews bringing in new equipment, making minor renovations and generally cleaning the restaurant up in anticipation of the December opening.
Blair Cohn, executive director of the Bixby Knolls Business Improvement Association (BKBIA), said he was pleased by Mitri’s decision to open a Lebanese restaurant in Bixby Knolls. “The people in the neighborhood that I have shared this with are absolutely thrilled,” he said. “If it was up to them, they would be lined up at the door right now, but they are going to have to wait until it’s ready to open.”
Cohn said the fact that Mitri decided to open the eatery in Bixby Knolls is more proof that the business community has faith in the area. “For quite some time we have quietly been getting a larger population of the medical industry moving up here from Memorial (Medical Center) and other medical groups,” he said, explaining that a fairly large number of medical professionals work in offices in Bixby Knolls and are looking for places to eat lunch and dinner. “We need more restaurants up here for the workforce,” he added. “But even the residents of this area flock to new restaurants when they open, and they are looking for different flavors.” He added that many residents have expressed their desire to have a Middle Eastern restaurant in Bixby Knolls. “Now it looks like they have it,” he said.
Cohn noted that Baba Ghanouj is just a part of the positive energy pulsating through Bixby Knolls. “We just released the Summer Shutters Photo Book that has excited a lot of people up here,” he said. “It’s the collection of all the images we had from our contest in June. It’s a gorgeous collection of photographs and a time capsule that captures this part of the city on June 21 and 22, 2008.”
Cohn said that because of its historical worth the BKBIA will give a copy of the book to the Historical Society of Long Beach. During a special presentation during Tuesday night’s Long Beach City Council meeting, a copy was given to the mayor and every member of the council.
“The city is very good at selling itself by the waterfront, but the neighborhoods make up most of the 50 square miles of this city,” he said. “There are hidden gems all over the place, and that’s what this book is about.” Anyone wishing to purchase the book can order it on the Internet by going to bixbyknollsinfo.com or by phoning the BKBIA office: (562) 595-0081.
Cohn said he was also excited about the soon expected planting of the parkway garden. “We are going to develop the gravel parkway that is sitting on Carson Street just west of Atlantic Avenue right below Panda Garden,” he said. “We’re going to plant large sycamore trees and other plants and make it a very attractive addition to the area.” He explained that the Long Beach Redevelopment Agency had given the BKBIA a $10,000 grant to improve the parkway.
“A Boy Scout is working on this. He approached us and we turned it over to him,” Cohn added. “This is going to be his final project to become an Eagle Scout.”
