Growing up in the Ivory Coast we ate a lot of Lebanese food. Why you ask? The country had over 100,000 Lebanese immigrants – West Africa’s largest Lebanese diaspora community. In the mid-70s, thousands fled the civil war in Lebanon and migrated to West Africa. That said, there are A LOT of Lebanese restaurants in the Ivory Coast.

So when my parents saw a Maronite Catholic Church in Richmond advertising a food festival fund-raiser we knew we had to go!

We had a great meal of falafels, shawaramas, kibbeh, and hummus. After eating Trey had a great time playing on their church playground. I’m hoping that next year the timing works out that we’re up in Richmond again for this yummy event.