Chinese food has come to the Gaza Strip! It's the marketing strategy of a new restaurant that sets it apart from other eateries in the area.
Chen Yan is one of the few Chinese people living in the Gaza strip. Her husband is a Palestinian. The couple are taking their four children to 'Kaza Meza', a new restaurant in the densely populated coastal enclave.
"The dishes taste good, just a little too sweet for me. The service here is great, and the evironment of the restaurant is comfortable. But the menu is a bit short; I think they can add more new dishes like soup or something," Chen said.
Mahmoud Zaharna, in charge of marketing at the restaurant, says Chinese dishes have been introduced to broaden the restaurant's appeal.
"Having Chinese meals for the first time in Gaza makes our restaurant a special one. There are more and more restaurants here in Gaza, and most of them are serving the same food. That's why we decided to introduce Chinese food to our restaurant," Zaharna said.
Although the chef has never worked at a Chinese restaurant nor even been to China, he searched for Chinese recipes on-line and learned.
"I don't find any difficulty in preparing and cooking Chinese meals, especially the ones mixed with vegetables and rice. But ingredients are difficult to buy here in Gaza and difficult to import, due to the endless Israeli blockade. We hope to know more Chinese friends and learn from them," said Ahmad Iqtifan, chef.
While the customers are dining, the restaurant plays Chinese music. The restaurant also plans to add more Chinese decorations to replicate an authentic experience.
