Zizo, the restaurant named after the beetle, is known for its lebanese delicacies with a healthy twist. Chef Danny from lebanon chats with Rupinder Kaur
Though lebanon might be far away but its traditional fare, especially hummus with the pita bread, deep-friedfalafel and shawarma, now forms a part of almost every new-age cafe in the city. The six-month-old Zizo at GK M-Block market is what we would call a path to lebanese culinary enlightenment even with its not-so-extensive menu. Here we learn that there is much more to the levantine cuisine than what meets the eye and the tastebuds.
“Zizo is named after the beetle which we used to keep as small pets and play with at home. It reminds one of the simple life. The venture was brought here by Fouad Abdul Malek, who is the CEO, and the motive is to serve authentic lebanese food from lebanon to Delhiites. For that authentic taste, we use all A-grade ingredients which we import from lebanon and Dubai, especially the olive oil and zaatar. We are adding many new dishes like pastas, burgers, but with the lebanese touch. They will be launched next month after a trial of 10-15 days,” says chef Danny from lebanon.
We begin with the traditional savoury hummus, a simple dip of mashed chickpeas with olive oil with the right amount of lemon juice and salt along with their oven fresh and to-die-for fluffy pita bread where one also gets a whiff of cinnamon which is added to the dough. This (and even other dishes here) is served with their in-house tangy pickled veggies (soaked in vinegar).
Crispy lebanese pastry filled with cheese, served on a bed of crunchy lettuce along with a chilli dip is next along with the salubrious leafy green fattoush salad with toasted pita and pomegranate molasses dressing.
The cheese and zaatar man’oushe, reminiscent of a thin-crust pizza, is what we had our hearts set on ever since we flipped through the menu and it surely does not disappoint. Theman’oushe, a chewy flat bread with crisp exterior is topped with zaatar, an aromatic herbaceous mix of wild thyme, oregano, sumac, sesame seeds in olive oil along with the mix of akwai, mozzarella and goat cheese.
We then engage in some make-your-own falafel wrap activity where we stuff our pocket pitas with the buttery hummus, tahini (paste of sesame seeds, lemon juice, olive oil) some crunchy vegetable pickle, fresh mint leaves and the fried falafel balls made of chickpeas and fava beans.
While the popular grab-and-goshawarma, stuffed with grilled chicken strips and veggies, served with garlic cream is not so exceptional, the heartyfalafel roll gets our nod of approval.
For the mains, we are served the grilled chicken and lamb platter. The chicken, a little chewy and dry, and the succulent lamb kebab is stuffed between slightly crisp pita bread with fresh tomato and onion spread. It is served with grilled potatoes, tomatoes, garlic dip and more hummus.
Zizo serves premium Dubai-imported Turkish sweet pastry baklava, chocolate rice pudding et al, but we settle for some warm baked halawa cheesecake topped with chopped pistachios. Do indulge in their Turkish coffee but only if you like it strong.
Zizo has an outlet in Connaught Place and will be opening one in Gurgaon within a months time.