Feb. 17, 2010 - Issue #748: Corb Lund
Revue
Big sister is watching
Despite service issues, Zaika offers tasty Indian dishes
I don't know when most of it came up, but Zaika opened a couple of months ago. We arrive and the strong, pleasant smell of curry greets us at the door. The hostess seats us, and the server arrives to take our drink order.
The server recommends a ginger mango mojito ($8), a two-ounce cocktail made with mango rum, ginger ale, lime and mint leaves. She says that the refreshing mint goes well with the spice of Indian food; I trust her suggestion and order this.
I survey the décor; a large pair of eyes stares back at me. For some reason, an enormous picture of a pair of made-up hazel eyes hangs on the far wall, a grotesque art piece that creeps me out, making me wonder if Big Sister is watching me. Avoiding eye contact with the art is impossible, so I stop trying.
Aside from the eyes, nothing about this restaurant's interior is unique or memorable. Almost everything is black, and occasional silver or gold accents break up the monotony. Some Indian artwork covers the wall next to me, but it's the only decoration that matches the Indian theme. The atmosphere exudes a generic trying-to-be-an-ultra-hip-lounge feel that characterizes many establishments in equally generic enclaves such as South Edmonton Common. I like places with character, and this doesn't deliver.
And while no music plays in the actual dining room, some kind of loud thump, thump beats stream in from the adjoining lounge. Great—no music; bass only. I look around for signs of my mojito.
When it arrives, I also order Gol Guppai ($7) for an appetizer. The server explains that she'll have to walk us through the process of eating these, which she does. The dish comes with crispy, hollow shells that we have to first puncture with a fork, so that we can fill with them with chickpeas, potatoes, chutney and hot sauce. My first fork-stab is too hard, and the delicate dough crumbles. When I do succeed, I'm told to stuff the entire thing into my mouth, a request which I happily oblige.
This dish is good. The dough is fresh, and the hot sauce offsets the soft flavour of the chickpeas and potatoes. As the hot sauce lingers in my mouth, I drink some of that mojito—the minty taste refreshes my mouth and combats the spice. With a hint of mango, the mojito isn't overly minty, either, and I appreciate the dance of opposing flavours that's happening on my tongue.
My companion wants to get the dinner buffet ($17), while I contemplate a dish off the menu. When she returns, she tells me that the large selection at the buffet contains many of the menu items, which would allow me to try a number of things. I decide on the buffet, not only for that reason, but also for another—the server, who was so helpful with the appetizer, seems to have disappeared, and doesn't actually return to take my dinner order. In fact, for the rest of the evening, she rarely returns to check on us, and if we need anything, we have to flag her down ourselves. Her body language by this point appears bored and impatient; however, her demeanour changes whenever she flutters repeatedly around a larger party sitting under that aforementioned artwork, meaning that I have to look that way if I want to get her attention. Damn.
Despite my concerns about the décor and service, I cannot complain about the food. The selection is large, offering both meat and vegetarian-friendly fare. Almost everything is spicy, and the soft, fluffy naan bread, along with what's left of my mojito, counterbalance the spice. If you're not into spicy food, this probably isn't the place for you. The goat curry offers a nice, soft meat with enough sauce for me to scoop up with the naan, but my favourite dish is the mint chicken—the texture of the chicken and the curry sauce offer something soft, yet substantial, for me to enjoy. The veggie pakora is soft and chewy, and I use the dough to pile more curry sauce into my mouth. I return for more naan several times.
I notice that the buffet also includes several non-Indian choices—macaroni salad, for example—at the salad bar. Dessert is available there, too, and since the server never asks if we'd like dessert off the menu, the buffet selection it is. As was the case with supper, the dessert impresses me. We have gulab jamun, a thick, deep-fried dough in a sweet syrup. The delicate syrup certainly catches my eyes, and I ensure to scoop plenty onto my plate. I have coffee ($2) with dessert, and I'm full by the time I'm done.
Overall, I'm happy with the quality of my meal, though there are plenty of other places where comparable Indian food can be had. Plus, I like restaurants that don't stare at me. V
Mon – Thu (11 am – 9 pm); Fri – Sat (11 am – 10 pm); Sun (12 pm – 9 pm)
ZAIKA Indian Bistro Bar
2303 Ellwood Drive, Ellerslie Crossroads, 780.462.8722
More info about Zaika Bistro Bar →
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