Zaika, Quality Indian (Edmonton 30 in 30)

Growing up in Edmonton and attending medical school here has given me lots of excuses and reasons to try the culinary scene in Edmonton. I had seen the boom that the city welcomed over the past few years and the associated sudden explosion of delicious and varied restaurants. As I opened a new chapter of my life in Winnipeg, I always kept a close eye on the status of the food scene back home and was thrilled to see numerous high profile, high quality eateries pop up over the last year. Thus as I returned home for an elective in Edmonton, I begin a new series called Edmonton 30 in 30 where I will try a new restaurant each day for thirty days. The establishments will be a mixture of my own personal favourites, the top rated restaurants on Urbanspoon and new recommendations from friends and family. And so let's begin!

There was a phase in my life when I loved Indian buffets. On a per dollar basis there was no cuisine that could deliver better value and flavour. As a starving and poor student Indian buffets became a staple when I wanted to treat myself for a delicious meal while keeping the bank account happy. On my first night back in town I arrived famished and tired from all the traveling and so it was an easy decision to go to Zaika Indian Bistro Bar.

Zaika is located on the southside of Edmonton south of the Anthony Henday just off of 91st Avenue. Situated in a up and coming part of Edmonton it was interesting to see all the new restaurants and businesses popping up in the area. Reflective of the current state of economics in Alberta, its obvious Edmonton has seen its fair share of growth and prosperity over the last year.

The restaurant itself has a nice modern sheen to it with dim lighting, handsome decorations and attentive wait staff. The focus of the restaurant is the expansive buffet table set up in the middle of the large space. If all you can eat is not up your alley one can always order from the a la carte menu featuring the classic curries, Tandoori meats and smaller meat platters.

Vegetable Hot & Sour Soup was the soup to start the buffet. Similar to Chinese Hot & Sour soup it features a nice bounty of vegetables in a soft vegetable broth with a hint of sweet, sour and spicy. Completely average but a decent palate cleanser to start the meal.

Papadum with Tamarind Chutney and Mint Chutney were of good quality. The thin crescent papadums were nicely fried and had a slight hint of pepperiness. It went well with the two chutneys which provided a hint of spiciness and sweetness (tamarind) and freshness (mint) to the fried papadums.

The appetizer plate included Tandoori Chicken Salad, Fresh Vegetables. Altogether average; the tandoori chicken, likely leftovers from the previous day, was dry and a bit lacking in flavour. The rest of the appetizers were as you would expect fresh vegetables, pasta and pickled onions to taste.

One of two main plates! Top going clockwise: Tandoori Chicken, Chana Masala, Vegetable Pakora, Dal Makhani, Basa Filet Pakora, Bhindi Masala, Aloo Tikki, Paneer Tikka Masala and in the middle, Chicken Biryani. Special mention must go to the Bhindi Masala, a delicious dish of soft and slightly bitter okra with sharp masala sauce and tender vegetables, Zaika does well here to remove any hint of slimy-ness often associated with okra. Honourable mention goes to the biryani which had large moist nuggets of tender chicken breast on a bed of spice infused basmati rice.

Flanking the Basmati Rice are Butter Chicken, Chicken Korma, Goat Curry and Naan. All three curries were of high quality with superbly tender meats and strong rich gravies. The goat was the least impressive with numerous tiny bones and an rather limited amount of actual meat. The naan however, was a massive disappointment: it was crispy and doughy as opposed to light and airy and had a slightly burnt taste associated with it.

Finishing off the meal is dessert: Mango Custard (right), Ras Malai and Gulab Jamun (left). As in keeping with the rest of the meal, these tasted as you would expect them to and were altogether nothing spectacular or exciting.

Returning to Zaika evoked a number of memories from before, but despite the emotional ties I have with the restaurant, the food was altogether average. While solid for a buffet restaurant, the quality of each dish was hit or miss and quite varied. For anyone in the area and craving a buffet, Zaika should be on the list of possibilities.