New eatery entices curiosity

Located in the picturesque Saidpur village, Zezou’s is a nice addition to the local hotels.

ISLAMABAD: Situated on the far side of Saidpur Village’s food street lies a new eatery attracting throngs of foreigners and locals alike. More than the quaint décor, it is the unique name of the restaurant, Zizou’s, that is enticing the curiosity of Islamabad.

Pasha Aslam and Omar Manzur envisioned a restaurant two years ago and leased this space from CDA. After a year and a half of constructing, craving and polishing, the restaurant was ready for operation. The initial plan was to open a desi style café, but the owners decided to go against their judgment and  went for a more continental outlook.

“We wanted to make this a place where our clients would come twice or thrice a week,” said Pasha. “This is the reason why we kept the menu flexible, the prices low and the environment welcoming to all. Zizou’s is a place you can bring your laptop and work during the afternoons while enjoying a snack or dessert.”

By providing free Wi-Fi, Pasha is looking to introduce the Starbucks culture in Pakistan and make his café a place where people can come and relax and also find the piece of mind to do some work.

The interior of the restaurant is very interesting, Spanish inspired and infused with desi culture, the venue makes all its customers feel at home. ‘We’ve had Italian and French guests coming in who have said that they feel right at home herre,” beams Pasha.

Taking on the responsibility of ensuring that the décor was perfect, Pasha searched wide to install unique timeless pieces from around Pakistan. The salt bar placed on the ground floor made its way to Saidpur Village from Khewra while the railing columns and the main water fountain were bought from Taxila.

Joao Belloc working with the Brazilian Embassy finds Zizou’s to have, “nice atmosphere, good music and food.”

When asked about the unique name of the restaurant, Pasha laughed and told The Express Tribune that the name was derived from his nephew’s nickname.

“It was very difficult to come up with a name for the place, and we decided that it would be more personal and interesting to keep it Zizou’s as my nephew Zidaan is called Zizou at home. For a toddler, he has achieved more than I could have said for myself.

He has a restaurant named after him!”

The head chefs have been brought in from Karachi and Lahore and specialise in pasta alfredo, Portofino tostadas and burgers. ‘Chocolate explosion’ and Italian bread and butter pudding remain some of the most popular desserts.

Phillipe working at the British High Commission talks of the quality of food and atmosphere at Zizous. “Lovely atmosphere and the staff is flexible on the spices. They made my food to perfection and the owners are very welcoming.”

The restaurant is nominally priced with a 3-course meal averaging between Rs900- 1100 per head. Even though the restaurant is intimate and personalised, the developers have offered the guests multiple seating venues from an open terrace to a roofed terrace, the guests also have the option to dine in a private room or in the main casual dining room on the ground floor.

“We are building a clientele and possibly rent the place out for corporate and private events,” talks Pasha of the future plans. Ensuring that the guests feel welcomed and are entertained throughout their experience, the restaurant offers board games such as Ludo, Chess and Blackgammon to the customers while they wait for their food.

With delicious food and a great view Zizou’s caters to all sorts of clients-- from a romantic intimate dinner to a large dinner with friends and family. Zizous is economical and casual enough to make it to be the new Monday or Wednesday night hang out for Islamabad.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 17^th, 2010.