It’s official: Restaurants in Israel are reopening
On Wednesday, many eateries around the country resumed regular operations – with restrictions.
By BUZZY GORDONPizza Pozza(photo credit: Courtesy)
On Wednesday, many eateries around the country resumed regular operations – with restrictions.In the end, it came faster than expected – and still not soon enough for many. As the horrendous heat wave sent Israelis flocking to the beach, thus flouting the rules then in effect, the Health Ministry finally backed down from its insistence on waiting until mid-June to open the restaurants, and suddenly agreed to an opening date of May 27 – only 36 hours before kosher restaurants would have to close their doors again for two days because of the Shavuot holiday and Shabbat. For this reason, as well as the need to make adjustments in order to accommodate new virus-related restrictions, many restaurateurs have chosen simply to wait a few extra days before opening, preferring to delay until after the weekend, on June 1.The new normal of dining out was explained in the news section of The Jerusalem Post: “According to the agreement [with the association of restaurateurs] published by the Health Ministry, restaurants that hold 100 customers can operate at full occupancy. Larger restaurants can operate at 85% occupancy. Tables will need to be positioned at least 1.5 meters apart, and reservations are recommended.”As it turns out, these restrictions are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the actual procedures we are likely to encounter.One restaurateur who has everything planned out – and is not waiting a minute longer than necessary to reopen – is Ilan Trieger, owner of Nammo’s, an upscale restaurant in the heart of the Herzliya marina.“I have been preparing for this moment since the day we had to close,” Trieger told the Post.“Every guest will have to have reservations,” Trieger relates, “and fill out a brief health questionnaire upon arrival, disclosing, for example, any recent symptoms they may have had, as well as any contacts with infected persons.“In addition,” Trieger says, “every guest will have his temperature and photo taken; anyone with a fever higher than 37.9 degrees will not be allowed to enter. The questionnaire, photo, contact details and temperature will be retained by the restaurant for two weeks.”Interestingly, a lot of this will be accomplished by means of an app, Trieger reveals.“As soon as the process is completed and submitted, the restaurant’s menu will automatically appear digitally on the customer’s smartphone,” he adds. “This eliminates the need for diners and staff to handle menus. For those without smartphones, there will be disposable, single-use paper menus.”
Another sophisticated innovation is Nammo’s hand sanitizer stations, which will dispense disinfectant gel by means of foot pedals. Diners will be required to wear masks if sitting indoors, but those sitting outdoors will not have to.Measures are even stricter when it comes to restaurant staff.“Any employee with a temperature above 37.5 degrees will be sent home,” Trieger promises. “Waiters will wear masks, while kitchen staff will be wearing both masks and gloves. The dishwashers have been recalibrated to use water exceeding 72 degrees.”All of these precautions are designed to prevent the restaurateur’s worst nightmare.“If COVID-19 is traced back to anyone who has eaten or worked here,” Trieger shudders to think, “the restaurant will have to close down again for two weeks.”Pizza PozzaIn spite of the restaurant closures, for the past eight weeks we have continued to bring you reviews of worthwhile restaurant-prepared meals available via delivery or takeaway.Our final entry in this series, before we can finally enter and eat in restaurants, is a funky pizza bar in downtown Herzliya with the slogan “Make pizza, not war.” Pizza Pozza deserves a spot in our limited roundup of pizzerias by virtue of a recommendation by Raanan Nussel, one of Israel’s leading pizzaiolos, who is also a judge in international pizza competitions.The illustrated delivery menu, as detailed in English, comprises four food sections: Starters, including two salads (NIS 36-58); Pizzas (NIS 54-72); Pastas (NIS 42-56); and Desserts (39-56). There are also gluten-free and vegan pizza options.Pozza boasts no fewer than 16 specialty pizzas, including seven white pizzas and six with tomato sauce. As the menu proudly declares, “Our dough goes through a 72-hour rising process and is handmade. All our pizzas are baked to a size of 32 cm. in diameter.” Pizzas are presliced into six triangles.Recommended pizzas here (conveniently marked “popular” on the menu) are the Reggiano [white] – cream sauce, mozzarella, goat cheese, arugula, and pecan pralines – and the Onions: classic tomato sauce, mozzarella and four kinds of onion: caramelized white, shallots in balsamic vinegar, red and green.Among the eight starters, the grilled artichoke is noteworthy, while the excellent crack pie – with toffee sauce – is a bit different from most versions out there.The writer was a guest of the restaurant.Pizza PozzaNot kosher33 Ben Gurion Street, HerzliyaTel. (09) 890-8050.Delivery menu: https://wolt.com/en/isr/herzliya/restaurant/pizza-pozza
