Zazen according to wikipedia is "opening the hand of thought", that is, suspending all judgmental thinking and letting words, ideas, images and thoughts pass by without getting involved in them.
Well, as much as I would have liked to do that, I could not do so at Zazen, Panchkula. No, not because of the lack of anything, rather the opposite. The restaurant ambiance, decor, the fellow foodies, bring out some pretty strong reactions and thoughts!
The first of those is the location. If a restaurant of this caliber and 'wow' appeal was in Chandigarh, it could easily have done three times the business it does currently. On the other hand, everyone who was there, was there for Zazen and the food and not someone who walked in because other eateries were full. Considering that, the restaurant seems to have quite a following.
The walk up to the restaurant does little to prepare you for what lies within. The decor is over-powering to say the least. The vast corridors, the prayer wheels, the open kitchen, the teppanyaki counter, and the kids playroom. wait, what? a kids playroom in the middle of an upscale specialty restaurant? Yes. According to the very affable and warm Mark (AVP of the entire complex - three restaurants), the sunday brunch attracts a fair bit of families (there were some even on Saturday night) and kids need a space of their own! This might be a pet peeve, but I think there should probably be a 'no-kid' section!
Space is not a problem here. The restaurant not only has a largish main dining area(with some very cozy private dining options), but also has two open gazebos that can cater to private functions. Enough on the hard aspects of the restaurant. What about the food, Prabhjot, I can hear you scream.
Before I tell you the two dishes I think you must have when you are at Zazen, let me tell you a little about what they do, do. Orient food is what they offer and I was there specifically for the Thai festival (huge fan!). The compete menu can be found here; For the beverage menu, Click here.
I think what makes the food so much better than the others in the city, is the fact that (and this is from the horse's mouth), most of the ingredients are sourced from Delhi and nothing, nothing is cooked in canned sauces or goods. The difference shows. The food is so much more alive. I was accompanied by a friend who has roots in Malaysia and spends a lot of time in Thailand (though I still have to make that trip!) and she swore by how close the taste was to what she considers "back home". For me that is the acid/litmus test. If your food can make someone remember the flavors of the 'local' cuisine, you have been successful. Zazen is a success!
What to eat there? You have to try the lamb matsaman and the Yum Kai Thod. Try more if you want to, but these you must.
The iced teas were distinctly different (they add milk), but I thought drink pairing could be better. A little more creativity at the bar would really add value.
The meal was finished off with some beautiful mango pulp with mint. Not really a novelty in North-India but a refreshing and befitting end, to what I must say was a pleasant surprise. Maybe its because I dont expect too much from Panchkula, or maybe its because I am so tired of the standard green/red gravy, whatever it was, it was worth that longish drive and three frantic calls it took me to get there.
My verdict : Must do.
p.s while you are there, ask someone to show you the Kebab Khan. It is stunning. In fact for interiors and dramatis, I would rank it a notch higher than Zazen, but for the verdict on the food, stay tuned!
For more on the restaurant, Click here
