When Jacob Lelouch is at the stove and at the table, you are sure to have a good time and eat well. When he receives us at Saf Saf with Samy Bahri, former adviser to Ben Jaafar during the democratic transition phase of the country and writing the “destour” at the ANC, dinner can only become highly interesting.
By Amel DJAIT
When you arrive at this temple of La Marsa’s popular gastronomy, and find yourself around a table of 14 people with guests (whom you do not know), you are surprised and quickly conquered.
Getting to know people from a variety of backgrounds is rewarding and enjoyable, but when some are engaged in humanitarian work and caring for abandoned infants, it becomes immediately more touching. At the table, an Algerian designer working for a local brand, a doctor, a journalist, a Japanese woman in love with Tunisia and a storyteller who works on the memory of the Tunis medina exchanged sections and moments of life. At the table, we were Tunisian, Lebanese, Belgian, Japanese, French, Algerian … We met and exchanged around the cooking, the course of each, the customs of various regions of the Mediterranean and the world.
Samy and Jacob are delighted. If for the first, open this table of hosts is totally in the spirit of Saf Saf; “a place that has never known the barriers and where we find the good-natured atmosphere of generous Tunisia”. For Jacob, this creative and tasteful adventure serves to “shed a little light on Tunisian cuisine, it is a rich, diversified and original cuisine that has unfortunately been served for a long time by mass tourism and a lazy restoration”.
If the promise of the evening at Saf Saf and a rich and surprising menu around this Ramadhanesque table, the bet is won. But the adventure wants to go further. The ambition is to embroider around the immaterial culture and the dialogue around a good meal and the cuisines of the world.
Here, we do not cook. At least, not only … Here, we tell, inspire, mix, … And share.
The menu of Mamy Lilly and Saf SAf is brilliantly done by Jacob and his team. For this evening, he offers us an “ahsou”, “mud” and “kemia” which consists of an exceptional chicken galantine, a succulent eggplant caviar, a surprising “slataa aadham” … Classic mud, grilled peppers, “caponta”, “empanada” are just exquisite.
For the future, the chef offers an exceptional “bkaila” in the pure Tunisian Jewish tradition. On the sideboard there is a chicken tajine and a white couscous with fine grains of great delicacy.
For dessert, Jacob offers a Tahini ice cream and a Pavlova with red fruits in which he added mint leaves and fresh almonds.
The experience is not to be missed under any circumstances and the trip is guaranteed.
For further information:
The menu is 60Dt and only on reservationby phone (+ 216) 29 549180.
Next dates of the table of hosts of the Mamy Lilly and Saf Saf: June 18 and 20, 2017
The number of places is limited to 12 people.