Zyka: A Review

Zyka, a popular Indian restaurant located in Decatur, has for several years been a favorite among locals. It is not your typical fast food joint, nor is it an example of high class fine dining. I believe it falls somewhere in between these two extremes. The first time I entered through the glass double doors of Zyka, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Zagat-rated and supposedly housing the “best Indian food in Atlanta,” Zyka couldn’t possibly be that good. Boy, was I wrong. I decided to have dinner at Zyka last Saturday night, which wasn’t the best idea. The restaurant was crowded and low on staff, as a wedding reception was simultaneously occurring in the connected banquet hall. As I patiently took a place in the long line that had formed in front of the counter, anxious to place my order, I glanced at the walls. Once having a dull, drab atmosphere, Zyka has spent the last two years undergoing a transformation to resemble an exotic Eastern land. The walls have been painted gold with red trim, and a new checkered carpet has been put down. Paintings of classic Bollywood artists and images cause Indian visitors to face an overwhelming sense of nostalgia. Most of the decor is still very plain, with simple wooden tables and chairs. Yet this basic style adds a unique charm to the restaurant, reflecting the simple lifestyle of the Indian culture it portrays. The line inched forward, and I was finally in view of the counter. A sign taped to the wall behind the counter caught my attention: “We serve Halal meat ONLY.” Halal meat, or meat that comes from animals over which God’s name has been pronounced and that have been mercifully killed, is the only meat that Muslims are allowed to eat as prescribed by the Qu’ran. There are very few mass suppliers of Halal meat in Atlanta. That Zyka only serves Halal meat shows it’s commitment to satisfy a great number of the people who regularly eat there. It was my turn to order, and I found myself staring straight through a window behind the counter leading me to the kitchen, a window into a world of concealed secrets. Zyka’s owner and founder, Nooruddin Fazal, was trained at the Catering Technology Premier Institute in Mumbai, India. His real asset, however, comes from recipes straight from Hyderabad, the heart of India in terms of cooking. Rumor has it that Fazal has paid big money to obtain some of his recipes, and that only the head chef of the restaurant is allowed access to them all. I snapped out of my thoughts to see the man behind the counter watching me expectantly, pen poised artfully in his right hand. I paused for a few moments, gazing at the images of different dishes gliding by on the LCD screens placed strategically above the counter. As I told him my order, he made a few dark scribbles on his notepad and asked for my name, which he also jotted down. “Have a good night,” he called out, already looking past me to the next customer. I turned and began my search for a table. Zyka is small, with not more than 15 tables that can accommodate four people each. Some tables had been pushed together and were surrounded by large families. I smiled as I remembered the many times my family had come to eat here after services at the mosque. This place was packed with countless memories, as I’m sure it was for many others.

While many Indian restaurants around Atlanta have adapted their menus to satisfy the non-Indian population, Zyka has steered clear of this trend. All of Zyka’s dishes are of traditionally Indian origin and have retained their spicy quality. But this has not kept the non natives from consistently coming to eat here. I skimmed the crowd that Saturday night and was not surprised to see plenty of foreigners to Indian cuisine. It was quite easy to point out these foreigners, as they tend to attempt to use forks to consume dishes that demand to be eaten with bare hands. Seeing that there were no empty tables left for me to claim, I decided to gather the necessary items for my meal. If you favor fine dining for the experience more than the food itself, then Zyka may not be the place for you, as it does not use any glass dishes or utensils. Stacked neatly on a table next to the main counter are plastic forks and spoons, along with paper cups and plates. I took my time selecting the essentials and turned back towards the main area of the restaurant. I was in luck; a small group of three had just finished their meal. It was about thirty minutes after I had settled down at my table before my name was called over the mike, intending for me to come up and collect my meal. With everything spread out in front of me, it was difficult to decide what to start with. I tore off a piece of the steaming oily naan, a staple at Zyka, and wrapped it around a small piece of Chicken 65. Though served as an appetizer, the portion of chicken was actually quite large. The first hint of flavor struck me hard, a combination of spice and ginger. My mouth experienced a variety of feelings in that first bite, from the velvety softness of the inner meat to the crunch of the skin that can only be created by a frying pan. I set that aside, eager to try something else. The Butter Chicken was next. I dipped a piece of the naan into the bowl, avoiding letting the gravy touch my fingers in fear of it leaving a lasting red stain, as Butter Chicken often does. The gravy was sweet, with tinges of several spices. I reached straight into the bowl and popped a chunk of meat into my mouth, momentarily forgetting about the stains I’d have to face the next day. It was rich and satisfying. Other dishes to try include Nehari, which is similar in consistency to the Butter Chicken but is spicier and made with beef instead of chicken. The Mutton Biryani is also very good, composed of a flavorful rice of yoghurt, onions, garlic, and ginger, as well as other spices. Pieces of goat meat are mixed in. The only dish I have tried at Zyka that has not satisfied me is the Chicken Boti. Made of breast meat, the Chicken Boti has many of the flavors of the Chicken 65, but it tends to be dry and chewy. I highly recommend finishing off your meal with Zyka’s signature dessert, Matka Kulfi. This sweet dish is served in a small clay pot, and can be compared to ice cream. The flavors, however, are exotic, including mango and pistachio. The service at Zyka is difficult to criticize for one simple reason: there isn’t really much of it. The restaurant’s job begins at taking your order and ends when your food is handed to you at the counter. Because of the usual crowds and to maintain its low prices, it is necessary for Zyka to function in this manner. And it’s regulars will agree that they like it best this way.

Zyka

★★★★