Tarella Golden of the popular gourmet egg roll food business, Rella Rolls, is going legit with her first brick-and-mortar in North Long Beach.
Rella Rolls will be taking over the former Any’s Snack Bar, a smoothie and acai bowl business, in North Long Beach in the same shopping center home to Western Union Bank and Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen on the corner of Atlantic Avenue and Market Street.
Golden said she’ll begin construction on the space in March and anticipates opening her restaurant in early summer.
“I’m ready. I know it’s gonna be a process, but I’m ready,” she said. “You gotta start somewhere.”
Since launching her business in 2013, the self-proclaimed “Eggroll Queen” has been working out of her home kitchen, rolling and frying dozens of eccentrically stuffed egg rolls to her devoted fan base who would often wait for hours in the parking lot outside of her apartment for their orders of garlic lobster, chicken and waffles, pepperoni pizza or peach cobbler egg rolls.
For years Golden had dreamed of owning her own restaurant. But it wasn’t until winning $100,000 on the CBS show “The Price Is Right” last year that she began to formalize her vision. She had the funds, all that was left was finding the right spot in North Long Beach.
“I was raised in North Long Beach…. it’s one of the best communities,” she said.
Golden learned how to make egg rolls from her mother, Lorna Golden, who picked up the craft from her Japanese and Guamanian neighbors while the family lived in Hawaii for several years when Golden was a toddler.
When Golden’s family moved to North Long Beach, her mother continued the practice, but with her own fusion food recipes and 5-year-old Golden would help roll. As an adult, Golden continued the family tradition and would fry them for her friends, but didn’t consider making a business out of it until colleagues at a church where she was volunteering urged her to go pro.
Since, Golden has created over 30 types of fusion food fillings for her egg rolls that often feature soul and comfort foods, such as gumbo, pastrami and cheese, shrimp and grits, all wrapped and fried into a mouthwatering bundle.
With her menu locked down, Golden has her sights set on transforming her new space into the restaurant she’s always wanted and, at long last, have some more space in her fridge.
“My house will be a sanctuary instead of a restaurant. I’ll be able to come home and relax,” she said. “I’m looking forward to that part.”
Rella Rolls is at 5433 Atlantic Ave. and is expected to open in summer 2022.