TL;DR: It may be part Afghan restaurant, it may be part kebab place, it may also have some distant echoes of the local takeaway in several aspects, but what is definitely not a maybe is that Zaiqa Kebab and Pulao managed to be one of the most opportune finds, and the stars aligned for a tasty and filling meal. Right up my sleeve is another reliable trump card, due to the combination of uniqueness, flavour, and value for money - for a big group especially.
It only makes sense after seeing the rise of Stone's Corner, and the gentrification of some more inner suburban areas of town that here around the Buranda-Woolloongabba area that it would also be taking such a turn. Near the big hospital, this is becoming the case, with exhibit A being this notch above the kebab shop, an exotic twist in the form of some tasty and wholesome Afghan fare. Right out of nowhere like the RKO, this was one of the most robust, tasty, and highly recommendable places that has opened up in recent memory. Go here, you won't regret it.
It was yet that time again, when there was another PPV event up for showing on the WWE Network. Getting to the one of the most exciting times of the calendar year when it comes to that, one of the reasons was that one of their most consistently entertaining and exciting events was on show - that was some Tables Ladders and Chairs. So what that meant was only one thing - hop onto a delivery service and get something to eat in front of the event. Jumping straight onto UberEats a few hours earlier, it was a matter of finding out what was open and available, and winging it from there. Often though, it is a case of seeing what has recently been added in case there is something a bit different to the norm - always a winning aspects there - and that was exactly the case. When reading this as one of the options, the hunt stopped the moment I saw it was under "Afghan". New cuisine, and regardless if it were otherwise, it was still a break from the normal selection.
Plugging the order right in, all that had to be done was to look forward to the night and for some mighty tasty fare. As per normal with UberEats, it was quick and effective, managing to do its job pretty well and still shows it is the best option for food delivery yet.
It is a bit hard to say where Afghan cuisine is exactly placed, since there are a few similarities to many Middle Eastern cuisines but it also has a few influences that are akin to northern Indian cuisine. That being said, with the general menu at Zaiqa is pretty simple - though definitely manages to be a class or two higher than the general kebab place. You have the charred meats of course, both lamb and chicken, in the forms of kebabs or kebab plates, burgers, snack packs, broasted chicken (a.k.a. a unique and characteristic way to fry some chicken), and a few other signature dishes from Afghanistan. It feeds a fair bit of the familiar, plus a bit more for those wanting to try something a bit different and new.
Before getting onto the actual food, just to prevent having to repeat it so many times, this was definitely another order in which I over-ordered. All the food was supersized in portions, and made up for a good amount of leftovers. It must have been some pretty good stuff, since over the week following it disappeared quickly from the fridge - so by that default, my house mate was impressed.
First things first with the ordering process was getting their broasted chicken. The size opted for was the largest one, which granted give huge pieces, a serving of fries and some dipping sauce - I went with mayonnaise. Possibly the biggest surprise of the night with the food, aside from how tasty it all was, would be the size of the pieces of chicken. It may well have been a twist on the old takeaway staple of a quarter- or half- chicken and chips, since these pieces were deep fried and landed somewhere in between the two different sizes. And these were some moreish suckers which are thoroughly recommended to be given a go; my house mate is a big fan of the Colonel's recipe and he reckons that this is well matched - or perhaps superior - to the signature chicken right there. And he would not be incorrect either, since these were moreish beyond belief.
The batter was a lighter consistency than normal, and was seasoned generously with a good amount of herbs and spices and this was further enhanced by some of the most succulent cuts of chicken that I have had the privilege of consuming. This was some really tender meat, that was very juicy and flavoursome. On the side, the fries were not too bad - the kind of standard plank fries that are commonplace now, crispy and might have needed a bit of salt, however as a side to the chicken they will certainly do.
The next cab off the rank was the sure-fire winner of an HSP. Practically each vaguely Middle Eastern place will have their take on this snack, and it is almost as straightforward as it gets - no stars or hats here folks, it is what it is. The big lot of fries, then the choices of kebab meat on top, then the sauces, and from there the optional garnishes - anyone who is not on board with it, forget trying to convince them. Either this sounds not so bad, or absolutely disgusting - from the perspective here, after ordering it so many times in the past few months it is definitely apparent what my opinion on it is. After the initial upgrade to a jumbo size, I oped for mixed meats (lamb and chicken), both chilli sauce and yoghurt squirted on top, and a mixture of tabbouleh, pineapple and jalapenos to garnish it all.
Quite a bit of the time, it is an overstatement how big these things are and can easily be demolished by a single person - big appetite or not. With two big appetites here - other times ordered not withstanding - this managed to outdo the two of us. Still though from a big taste of it all, this was still a very delicious treat, and one that had all sorts of flavour profiles going for it. The meat ranged from light in taste, to sharp and distinct with the combination of lamb and chicken, the jalapenos and chilli sauce both contributed a spicy kick, the pineapple contrasted to that with its distinctive sweetness, and the tabbouleh finished it all off as a characteristic garnish. All of this was on top of some nicely cooked fries, all of which could feed a starving family.
Last and not least, as a rule of thumb to try a signature dish where I can, one last one gotten was the Kabul Pulao. Among the mixture of seasoned rice, there were pieces of lamb shanks, nuts, carrots and sultanas, plus chopped tomatoes and a dressing as extra to sprinkle over. If anything was worth getting and trying, it would have to be this. It is something to be seen when presented on a plate, and everything about it is done right - the lamb is slight, but cooked so well that it is very tender and can spread around the well-cooked rice. Both the sultanas and carrots contribute to the dish on several levels, with texture being one but also the notes of flavours - the sultanas giving a sweet and fruity note to the meal, and the carrots are also sweet (to a different extent) though more notably give off more of a crunch than anything else. Mixed all this together, and it is a dish that looks extravagant in all of its secret and underlying simplicity.
It can be said once and again, that a winner has been found. Right here is certainly punching above its own weight, and will be another good addition to the rich and up-coming array of great dining choices right here in Woolloongabba. While it has existed as a reliable suburb in the past few years, the time is now for it to rise up and really be able to compete with its inner-city neighbours. It is a matter of time before it gets really popular. When that happens, Zaiqa Kebab and Pulao shall go down as another winner in the arsenal in which any sized group is able to rock up and enjoy fare that is affordable, generous in portion size, both good quality and really tasty, all in an unpretentious surround. Chalk it up to that, and enjoy it for what it is.
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