Located in the United States for two decades, Tunisian chief Rafik Bouzidi forged a reputation between Las Vegas and San Francisco, where he opened his second Tunisian restaurant, “La Gola”, following the success of “La Marsa” in 2018.
Always drawing on his Mediterranean-Tunisian culinary roots, the chef seeks to stand out with specific preparations for the “gola”, reports San Francisco Chronicle.
However, the restaurant of Rafik Bouzidi in San Francisco, specializing in the use of a rare type of clay pot called “Golas”, faces challenges due to a ban imposed by the city.
Despite the head’s pride to have the only Tunisian city in the city and highlight the traditional kitchen utensils in his country, the planned use of Golas for cooking and table service has been hampered.
After nine months of exploitation, the 180 “Golas” imported from Tunisia did not obtain the approval of the Public Health Department of San Francisco due to problems linked to their grooved interior.
In order to solve this problem, Bouzidi called on a potter to smooth the interiors of the “Golas” and applied a new varnish. Despite these efforts, inspectors persist with concerns about food security.
This long and expensive process has led to adjustments to the restaurant menu. Bouzidi remains optimistic about the future of “Golas”, continuing to offer alternatives in the meantime.
Despite these obstacles, the restaurant called “Gola” managed to become the only Tunisian establishment in San Francisco, attracting the interest of customers despite persistent questions around the use of “Golas”.
