“This was our first visit but we will ABSOLUTELY be back. Heard wonderful things and thought we'd be adventurous. We cannot handle spice, so we were a *little* nervous. We were also fully unfamiliar with Indian food other than what we'd heard, so this was a new experience.We ordered at the counter and has several questions about what certain dishes were, how they were prepared, and what to expect from a spice level. The girl who took our order was patient and thorough in her explanation, which we appreciated greatly. She said that everything is prepared at a mild spice level but can be increased, but we opted for mild. We ordered the butter chicken, the tandoori chicken, an order of rice, plain naan, and fountain drinks.It was busy the night we visited (a family of around 20 people took up half of the restaurant), so they said it would be a 30-40 minute wait. We knew the food was cooked to order and is authentic, and it was a busy weekend night, so we had no concern waiting.The food came quickly despite being busy. The butter chicken was lovely. The chicken was prepared perfectly: tender and flavorful with the slightest hint of spice. The sauce was creamy and delicious without having an overwhelmingly tomato flavor. The rice was cooked just right and the naan was lovely. If I had any critique of the food it would be that the naan was possibly rolled or stretched slightly too thin at the middle, leaving it quite crispy. Nearer the edges were soft and pliable. Not a complaint in the slightest, just a personal preference.The tandoori chicken came out last. Several full chicken legs, covered in a deep red sauce. Deep, complex flavors. However, Zaika's definition of "mild" and ours are somewhat different. ? Not a criticism, but the chicken was slightly spicier than I expected and much spicier than my wife expected. The flavor was incredible, but the heat was too much for our underdeveloped palates. Next visit, we'll ask for no spice to make sure we can both enjoy to the fullest extent.Following dinner, the owner and head chef came to the table to chat. We congratulated her on the 24-hour change to their hours and she let us know about the plans for the Zaika Express food truck. She offered to make us something not on the menu if we ask on our next visit, which was incredibly generous. She even gave us a sample container of something else on the menu to take home (something with potatoes and soy beans--I feel terrible not knowing what it's called!). She was so sweet and made us feel like family.It was a wonderful experience for an on-a-whim dinner, and we cannot wait to visit again and try more.“
Recommended
“This was our first visit but we will ABSOLUTELY be back. Heard wonderful things and thought we'd be adventurous. We cannot handle spice, so we were a *little* nervous. We were also fully unfamiliar with Indian food other than what we'd heard, so this was a new experience.We ordered at the counter and has several questions about what certain dishes were, how they were prepared, and what to expect from a spice level. The girl who took our order was patient and thorough in her explanation, which we appreciated greatly. She said that everything is prepared at a mild spice level but can be increased, but we opted for mild. We ordered the butter chicken, the tandoori chicken, an order of rice, plain naan, and fountain drinks.It was busy the night we visited (a family of around 20 people took up half of the restaurant), so they said it would be a 30-40 minute wait. We knew the food was cooked to order and is authentic, and it was a busy weekend night, so we had no concern waiting.The food came quickly despite being busy. The butter chicken was lovely. The chicken was prepared perfectly: tender and flavorful with the slightest hint of spice. The sauce was creamy and delicious without having an overwhelmingly tomato flavor. The rice was cooked just right and the naan was lovely. If I had any critique of the food it would be that the naan was possibly rolled or stretched slightly too thin at the middle, leaving it quite crispy. Nearer the edges were soft and pliable. Not a complaint in the slightest, just a personal preference.The tandoori chicken came out last. Several full chicken legs, covered in a deep red sauce. Deep, complex flavors. However, Zaika's definition of "mild" and ours are somewhat different. ? Not a criticism, but the chicken was slightly spicier than I expected and much spicier than my wife expected. The flavor was incredible, but the heat was too much for our underdeveloped palates. Next visit, we'll ask for no spice to make sure we can both enjoy to the fullest extent.Following dinner, the owner and head chef came to the table to chat. We congratulated her on the 24-hour change to their hours and she let us know about the plans for the Zaika Express food truck. She offered to make us something not on the menu if we ask on our next visit, which was incredibly generous. She even gave us a sample container of something else on the menu to take home (something with potatoes and soy beans--I feel terrible not knowing what it's called!). She was so sweet and made us feel like family.It was a wonderful experience for an on-a-whim dinner, and we cannot wait to visit again and try more.“