Jinan Montecristo of Les Amis, Part Two

Photo by Todd Barnes

Jinan Montecristo and husband, Juan Carlos

​ Today we continue our Q&A with Jinan Montecristo of Les Amis in Fullerton, a Lebanese restaurant she, her husband and her parents co-own together and have built up a faithful following of toum-loving diners.

Stay tuned for a recipe from their kitchen soon.

If you missed the first part, click here.

What show would you pitch to the Food Network?
Not sure what the name would be but I think a show introducing the Americas to the rest of the world culinarily speaking would be a grand idea. I don't mean, like picking a plant and talking about it and it's versatility for an hour, but rather how the natives eat it, in what dishes, health benefits of it, why it grows there and nowhere else, and also what we could use as a substitute in our country to make the dishes it's used in. If we do have that ingredient here, maybe, give out a new recipes on how to cook it, what other flavors or ingredients it complements.

Todd Barnes/OC Weekly

Wrap duo: Tina Montecristo (left) and mom Joyce Aboulhosn. Read our November 2010 review of Les Amis.

​Weirdest thing you've ever eaten:
Culturally, we eat very many strange things by Western standards. I guess it would be raw liver. What do you think?

You're making an omelet. What's in it?
My omelet would include, soujouk (armenian beef sausage), tomatoes, parsley, onion, a dash of garlic (of course), and Cayenne pepper.

You're at the market. What do you buy two of?
Chocolate bars

Weirdest customer request:
There are a few, let's see: Falafel sandwich with chicken; hummus and toum (the garlic spread) mixed. Tried both but didn't like either. Those two are weirdest I suppose.

Favorite OC restaurant(s) other than your own:
Bistango, French 75 (love the ambiance), 230 Forest. I must tell you though I have not been out in over a year trying to put together Les Amis, I am sure I have skipped a few favorites and might probably find some new ones to add to the list.

Hardest lesson you've learned:
Procrastination is the enemy. I am still trying to learn not to procrastinate. I don't know what it is but I have been trying to learn this lesson for 39 years and still haven't aced the test.

What would the last meal on Earth be?
Moloukhieh I forget the name in English but Oh my God is it delicious, especially my mother's and grandmother's. Mom will make it for a special one day and I am sure we will have to add it to the menu at some point after that.