Roots Club was an upscale restaurant and catering hall in
Gaza
Gaza may refer to:
Places Palestine
* Gaza Strip, a Palestinian territory on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea
** Gaza City, a city in the Gaza Strip
** Gaza Governorate, a governorate in the Gaza Strip Lebanon
* Ghazzeh, a village in ...
. In 2010, restaurant reviewers expected the restaurant to bring "a new era of hospitality and dining experience" to Gazans.
The club was located on Cairo Street in the Gaza district of
Rimal
Rimal or Remal ( ar, حي الرمال, , sands) is an upscale neighborhood in Gaza City located from the city center. Situated along the coastline, it has been considered the most prosperous neighborhood of Gaza.Jacobs, 1998, p.455. The main s ...
. It features three different dining venues, the informal, outdoor ''Green Terrace Café''; the ''Ambassador'' catering hall; and the air-conditioned ''Roots Restaurant''. One restaurant reviewer described the atmosphere as "vaguely reminiscent of the Anglo-Indian country-clubs of the colonial era."
A reviewer called the menu, which features twelve different meat dishes, chicken prepared thirteen different ways, and eight pasta preparations in addition to an array of salads, appetizers, desserts, and nine kinds of soup served "only in winter," truly staggering.
Lonely Planet
Lonely Planet is a travel guide book publisher. Founded in Australia in 1973, the company has printed over 150 million books.
History Early years
Lonely Planet was founded by married couple Maureen Wheeler, Maureen and Tony Wheeler. In 19 ...
calls the Roots Club," "the best" restaurant in Gaza.''Lonely Planet Israel and the Palestinian Territories,'' Michael Kohn, Lonely Planet, 2007, p. 362.
The restaurant was brought to world attention by British journalist
Tom Gross
Tom Gross is a British-born journalist, international affairs commentator, and human rights campaigner specializing in the Middle East. Gross was formerly a foreign correspondent for the London ''Sunday Telegraph'' and ''New York Daily News''. He ...
and by the Israeli Government Press Office.
Tom Gross posted a photo essay about the new
As-Sadaka Gaza Olympic Swimming Pool The As-Sadaka is a 50m swimming pool in the Gaza strip. It was inaugurated in May 2010.
The Government Press Office was inspired by Gross's dispatch to send an email to journalists reading: "In anticipation of foreign correspondents traveling to Gaza to cover reports of alleged humanitarian difficulties in the Hamas-run territory, and as part of efforts to facilitate the work of journalists in the region, the Government Press Office is pleased to bring to your attention the attached menu and information for the Roots Club and Restaurant in Gaza... We have been told the beef stroganoff and cream of spinach soup are highly recommended."
See also
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Economy of Gaza
The economy of Gaza City was dependent on small industries and agriculture. After years of decline, economic growth in Gaza is now on the rise, boosted by foreign aid.David Waine"Palestinians Lure Banks With First Sukuk Bills: Islamic Finance," ...