RESTAURANT REVIEW Appetizer: Fish Pakora, Vegetable Samosa and Vegetable Pakora MARCH 2017 MARKETPLACECONTRACOSTA.COM 29 Zaiqa Banquet Room success of that business over the last decade has now led to the opening of Zaiqa. The word “Zaiqa” means “taste” in Urdu, the Pakistani language. And I can assure you that every item that my guest and I were fortunate to sample during our visit was extremely tasty and flavorful! One of the first questions I asked was about the pairing of Indian and Pakistani food. Being geographically challenged about areas outside the Americas, I wondered if the India and Pakistan were neighboring countries. Ron and Chris explained that the two countries were previously one country known as Hindustan, until it gained independence from the English in 1947. Thereafter, Hindustan split into India and Pakistan. The cuisines of the two countries are extremely similar, with one major difference being that Indian dishes do not include beef primarily due to religious reasons. Zaiqa’s menu boasts an assortment of appetizers and entrees in the following groupings: Tandoori, Exquisite Curries, Lamb/Goat Curries, Vegetarian, Paneer, Seafood Delicacies, Rice Dishes, and Clay Oven Bread/ Roti. One of the most popular attractions at Zaiqa is their All You Can Eat Daily Lunch Buffet, which features rotating selections from the menu. Each day, the buffet features ten items—four meat or seafood dishes, four vegetarian dishes, and two rice selections. In addition, there are always two appetizer selections (1 meat and 1 veggie selection), two desserts, unlimited tea, and unlimited fresh plain Naan delivered to the diners’ tables once they’ve chosen their items from the buffet table. The lunch buffet is available beginning at 11:00 AM daily, and continues until 3:00 PM on weekdays and until 4:00 PM on Saturdays and Sundays. All of this is available at the nominal cost of only $10.99. We’re told that the restaurant is very busy during daily lunch hours as diners avail themselves to this excellent offer! Zaiqa also offers take-out and delivery options, and online orderings is also available. Fortunately, when it was time to eat, our hosts ordered a delightful array of items from the menu for us to try, saving us the quandary of having to decide what to choose from the long list of options available. As we continued our discussion with the owners, Zaiqa manager, Richard, and assistant manager, Siana, graciously brought a seemingly steady stream of food to our table. We started with a hot, flavorful cup of Chai tea, which is made with cardamom seeds and steamed milk, and had a sweetish, creamy flavor. Next, we were served an appetizer sampler which included small portions of Fish Pakora, Vegetable Pakora, and a Vegetable Samosa. “Pakora” refers to something being fried, and we learned that the “coating” on the Pakora is made of chickpea powder. The appetizers were served with house-made mint and tamarind sauces. The mint sauce is made with mint, cilantro and green chiles, and so Sunday through Thursday: 11:00 AM – 9:30 PM | Friday & Saturday: 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Contra Costa Marketplace - March 2017
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