Serving authentic Arabic food

There are plenty of veggie options,” says Jamilla and Zakey , the peppy couple, who are the spirit at Zaks Young Cafe, a small unpretentious place on Cole’s Road in Fraser Town serving diners food from the home kitchens of Damascus. “My husband’s family migrated from Syria during the time of the British. When they started Zaks Cafe over 20 years ago, there were just four dishes on the menu. Today, we have a wide range of speciality desserts like Baklava, sumptuous full-fledged dishes like Mushakel (which is a large kebab platter) as well as all the dips, salads and breads that are an integral part of the cuisine from those areas,”  explains Jamilla.

People swear by the Shavarma and the Baklava at Zaks. Salads are always available here, be it lunch or dinner. They are made with a variety of fresh vegetables, or chopped parsley, tomatoes and bulgur (cracked wheat) called Tabbouleh. Simple dressings of lime juice, salt and pepper and olive oil are used to flavour these salads.

 Falafel, a crunchy patty made from dried beans, is also a great vegetarian dish that goes well in a sandwich made from the soft supple pita breads and creamy yogurt based dressings, another popular staple at Zaks. Humus, a famous dip, made with chick peas and sesame seed paste (tahina) that can be eaten at any time with pita bread or as a veggie dip is universally liked for its mild flavour as is Muttabel made from roasted eggplant. They are favourites especially with the horde of young Middle Eastern students who breeze in and out of the place chatting and exchanging news with
the folks who run it in their mellifluous tongues and dialects.

“People order Mushakel, served on a bed of rice that is flavoured with Middle Eastern spices and dried fruits. We also do a Raan or grilled leg of lamb or even an entire lamb roasted on a spit if specially ordered. It serves twenty people and comes with a range of veggies and side dishes, a complete meal in itself,” adds Zakey. Zaks also has over ten varieties of rich pastry made of layers of paper thin dough and filled with sweetened chopped nuts.

    Easy on the wallet and on the palate, Zaks has recently refurbished its premises to serve the loyal customers better, many of whom have been patronising this little eatery for years.