It is a while since I posted a review here (although I have still been out and about eating) but sadly time has not been available to bring you all up to date. Anyway ... Earlier this evening - Tuesday 25 April 2000 - my wife and I visited Zaika in the Fulham Road, London. Externally I would say it is unprepossessing - a simple single brown colour which is perpetuated internally, although there it is relieved with white. Two units are connected at the rear with seating for 50 to 60 I would say. We were eating early (6:30) and for some time were the only people in the place although it was getting busier when we left. Zaika is an Indian restaurant with a somewhat different take on the way it presents and prepares food. It seems to enjoy taking "English" dishes and re-presenting them with Indian herbs and dressings (if that makes sense). Instead of the normal large circular poppadoms they bring "crisp sized" poppadoms and sauces. I started with salmon which was still nicely pink internally whilst my wife started with a risotto under some prawns. I can safely say that both of these were excellent as we each ate half of the others starter. We each considered that we had won that course! My wife then had a lamb biriani under a crust cover with nuts whilst my main course was roganjosh based around a lamb shank. We also had some stuffed large field mushrooms and I also had some basmati rice and we shared a paratha. Again we both had some of each others meal and again neither of us would accept the other as having the best of it! After a break we had chocomosa - chocolate somosas with ice cream. We actually shared a single portion as we were both fairly full. If anything this was the best - and at least we were both in agreement this time around. My wife paid the bill but including a bottle of wine, a bottle of water, a pre dinner drink and a tia maria (just the one I was driving) including 12.5% service charge I believe the total was a little under £100. Overall we consider it the best Indian meal that we have enjoyed and an excellent place. We certainly hope to return with friends at a later date.
London, United Kingdom