New Desi Zaiqa Restaurant — Restaurant in Ottawa

I want to be fair in my review and rating due to the options offered for dine-in & take-out. We did both , however, I could only check one box. This particular review relates to my unpleasant experience with the restaurant’s take-out service. I have read most of the negative reviews of various situations and regret that I did not take pics of the so called "Paya curry" on Saturday. Like most of the good hearted folks, we too like to promote new desi restaurants in general and Pakistani restaurants in particular. We live in Barrhaven and patronize "Khokha" a Pakistani restaurant. Unfortunately, they don't offer Nihari & Paya curry. Our family decided to order a take-out from the new Desi Zaiqa restaurant a couple of weeks ago. We drove all the way from Barrhaven to pick up our order. The butter chicken & paya curry were fine, however, the Nihari had very little to no sauce and was extremely salty & not edible. Last Friday I called the restaurant and spoke to Kabir regarding buffet lunch reservations for Saturday. I took the opportunity to mention about the "salty" Nihari and a previous order of Halwa-Puri in which the channa's were hard and puri was over cooked. On Saturday, July 27 three of us went for a lunch buffet. During the lunch I asked our server "Danish" if they had paya curry for a take-out. Danish was not sure as it is a food item served during breakfast buffet on the weekends. He checked with the chef and confirmed that that it was available for take-out. After lunch we kept waiting for Danish to give us an update on our take-out. We couldn’t understand the reason for delay, if the paya curry was prepared for the breakfast buffet......why the unnecessary delay & radio silence. We finally got up and went to pay our bill . I spoke to the person at the cash register regarding my order and to also settle our bill. He introduced himself as Kabir and said that he would call the kitchen for our take-out order .......not sure who was at the other end but Kabir seemed to be snickering and smiling as if the person on the other end was saying something funny. ( most probably laughing at the cruel joke they were playing on us ) Our order arrived, we paid for the buffet & take-out order and left, as most normal people would do..........in hindsight we should have checked the contents of the container. Most foodies from Pakistan cook Paya curry at home in Canada and know what paya curry looks like but I was in for an ugly surprise........the tiny pieces of meat and a bare bone in the pot had no similarity with a paya......it was a cruel joke played on us by the restaurant, as if we were total imbeciles and wouldn't know the difference. In their menu they indicate that the dish is sufficient for two people but this was no dish but tiny LEFT-OVERS in Paya soup..(God knows from where they gathered them). We were utterly disgusted and threw this concoction away. Guess some folks don't take kindly to genuine feedback. Being a business owner myself, have always avoided writing a negative review for any business. However, this was too much to tolerate. Such unprofessional & unethical business practices maybe acceptable in third world countries but not...

Desi Zaiqa is easily one of the most underrated buffet restaurants in the city. For just $18, you get access to an all-you-can-eat spread that rivals restaurants charging twice as much. I didn’t expect much when I walked in, but I left genuinely impressed — not just by the price, but by the depth of flavour, variety of dishes, and the overall vibe of the place.

The buffet is generous and thoughtfully laid out. You'll find everything from butter chicken, tender and rich with creamy tomato gravy, to spiced curries, lentils, aromatic rice dishes, fresh salads, and fried appetizers. The naan is served warm and soft, perfect for scooping up sauces, and it's refilled often. Every dish tastes freshly made — nothing sits too long, and the trays are constantly being replenished, even during busy hours.

What makes Desi Zaiqa stand out is that it doesn’t feel like a typical buffet where food is rushed or bland. Every item has depth and personality. The butter chicken, for example, isn’t just sweet and creamy — it has a nice balance of spice and richness. The tandoori chicken is smoky, well-seasoned, and juicy. The curries have layers of flavour, and there are options for those who like both milder and spicier dishes.

I also appreciated the vegetarian options, which often get overlooked in buffets. Their lentils (daal), mixed vegetables, and chickpea dishes were comforting and packed with flavour. There’s also a decent selection of rice — from plain basmati to aromatic pulao. If you’re someone who likes a bit of everything on one plate (like me), you’ll be very happy here.

The dessert section, though small, is satisfying. On my visit, they had a creamy rice pudding and a few other sweets that were the perfect finish to a heavy meal. Not overly sweet — just enough to cleanse the palate.

As for the restaurant itself, it’s not overly fancy, but it’s clean, casual, and comfortable. It’s the kind of place where you don’t feel rushed, and you can go back for a second (or third) plate without anyone looking twice. The staff are polite and quietly efficient — no one’s hovering, but if you need something, they’re attentive and responsive. Water is refilled quickly, used plates are cleared without interrupting, and the whole environment feels calm, respectful, and family-friendly.

Honestly, I’ve paid more than double at other restaurants and walked away with a less satisfying meal. At $18, this buffet is an absolute steal. Whether you’re going with friends, family, or solo, Desi Zaiqa gives you real value, flavour, and fullness without pretension.

Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys authentic South Asian food, warm service, and leaving a restaurant both full and happy — without draining...

Do not under any circumstances come here to host any event. We made the mistake of trusting them with our henna ceremony. They booked an event just half an hour before ours and our guests were showing up before the other event was even over. They just want to make as much money as possible and completely disregard their customers’ feelings. I was completely trusting their word and it was my mistake I did not get certain things in writing because they then used that against me. Out of respect for my Muslim female guests, I asked them if they were able to not bring in any male servers and they told me not to worry because they have female servers. And guess what? There was a male server throughout our event.

They also wrote in the contract that I had their party room from 6:30pm up to four hours. The manager came in to the party room and started turning lights off at 9:30pm. How is that four hours? All the guests were done and leaving by 10pm and we left and cleaned everything up at 10:30pm. What was the need to embarrass us in front of our guests at 9:30? Why couldn’t they discuss with us first before doing that? If they were not able to accommodate a four hour event then why put that in the contract?

They are liars and scammers. Do not trust them with your special events. They have complete disregard for their clients. Their food is not worth the stress and embarrassment they cause me and my family. I do not want anyone else to go through the same trauma I went through as a bride due to them. Please please please do not book them.

One last thing, when I told them about the male server, they told me I was lying. So here is a screenshot of a male coming in while girls are...