A casual dining restaurant, Zizo restaurant first made its debut at CP, wowing its diners with authentic Lebanese food. They have recently opened at Golf Course Road. I am here with two of the admins of the Gurgaon Foodie group to taste their food. We are greeted by their Executive Chef Danny Elsoury. When asked about what Zizo means, he says that he word 'Zizo' itself is inspired by a tiny piece of Lebanese culture and the beetle ‘Zizo’ was an enchanting part of Lebanese childhood for many.

When asked about food, he says “with Zizo, we bring to Gurgaon a mix of healthy and tasty, authentic Lebanese food for a perfect Lebanese dining experience by using a combination of unique oils and spices all the way from Lebanon as well as organic herbs and natural ingredients to add an authentic kick of flavor”.

With heightened expectations we start the tasting session with a popular street food classic. Foul Moudammas (Rs 260)  or simply fūl, is an Egyptian dish of cooked fava beans served with vegetable oil, cumin, garlic, onion, lemon juice, and chili pepper. It is a staple food in Egypt and reminds me of a lot of Indian street – it is similar yet different to ghughni in the east, ragda in the west and matar in the north. A most enjoyable dish!

                              Foul Moudammas

What amazes me no end is the pita that this dish and many dishes to come is served with. It is nothing like the store bought pita that we are used to. Instead what we get is what I would like to call the world’s best phulka. It is impossible to stop at just one.

With the starter we try some non-alcoholic drinks. Mint Lemonade (Rs 120) is good, with lots of fresh crushed mint. Mulberry Lemonade (Rs 180) is sweet, but tasty. Watermelon Passion fruit Juice (Rs 180) is alright.

Mulberry Lemonade , Mint Lemonade, Watermelon & Passionfruit Juice

Veg Mezze Platter (Rs 550) comes laden with Hummus, Labneh, Pickles, Fattoush, Tahini and Falafel. Hummus is superb. So is everything on the plate. The falafel again is not what we get usually here, but really authentic and tasty.

                             Veg Mezze Platter

Non veg Hot Mezze platter (Rs 480) with mini zatar flatbread (man'oushe), veggie & cheese flatbread, lamb flatbread, lamb kibbeh and cheese rolls. Highlight of this platter are the lamb man'oushe and lamb kibbeh which are both memorable.

         Non veg Hot Mezze platter                         Lamb Man'oushe

Provencal chicken wings (Rs 320) is the weakest among the dishes, and though it is competent, it pales in comparison to the rest. The vegetarian Batata Hara (Rs 140) is crisp, spicy and tangy very much like our own aloo chaat. It is a great dish, especially with the drinks.

             Provencal chicken wings                            Batata Harra

Braised Leg of Lamb (Rs 690) is well cooked but not really memorable. Samkeh Harra (Rs 690), translated from Arabic, simply means spicy fish. The chef has used sea bass here and it is delicious, and a must try.

             Braised Leg of Lamb                                  Samkeh Harra

The dish that stands out in the Mixed Grill - Non veg (Rs 590) is the excellent Lamb kafta which really is a superb seekh kabab. Wish all seekh kababs in Gurgaon had this texture, which as per chef is purely due to the quality and cut of the meat used.

                          Mixed Grill - Non veg

Cheese Kunafa (Rs 190) is like the Middle East's version of a cheese danish. Its base is white cheese--very like fresh mozzarella or paneer--with a topping of rich semolina pastry, all of it soaked in sweet rosewater syrup. The sweet is baked in giant rounds, and cut into pieces for serving. An amazing dessert, it captivates all of us.

                                 Cheese Kunafa

Znoud El Sett (Rolled puff pastry with custard and coated with syrup; Rs 190) is nice on its own but gets totally overshadowed by Kunafa. We end the meal with a robust cup of Turkish Coffee (Rs 90).

                  Znoud El Sett                                    Turkish Coffee

A visit here is recommended just to know how good authentic Lebanese food can be.  

Please note: This review was done on an invitation from the restaurant to taste their food, and no bill was presented to the author. While the author assures you of objectivity, the review may be influenced by the personalized attention the author got.

Ratings (Out of 5)

Food: 4.5 | Ambience: 4.0 | Service: 4.0 | Value: 4.0 | Overall: 4.0

Meal for two: Rs.1500 | Alcohol: Not yet | Credit Card: Yes | Wheel chair friendly: Yes

Address: Palm Spring Plaza, Sector 54, Gurgaon. Tel: +91 8527588222