Zaatar Restaurant — Restaurant in Kerala

The worst iftar Experience!! This review is a bit essay but worth reading before visiting

Today after a very tiring day, we decided to break our fast from any good restaurant in Ernakulam. As we had seen the InstaStory & Reels of Salman Foodie about "Zaatar", we decided to book a table. We called, booked and they asked us to be there before 6:15pm. So we reached by 6:00 and asked them for our table. Now! When we reached the restaurant was not filled and they gave us a table near to washroom which we decide to switch due to smell. They obliged and gave us a table which was 2 tables away from the washroom even when they had many good tables around. (Manager Rajesh gave a lame excuses when asked) They started serving the snacks (pictured) which was gaining lots of attention from flies. We informed Mr. Rajesh that it should be served covered if they are setting it on the table half and hour early, so that flies don't sit on it to which he asked his staff to remove all the snacks from our table. Now we were confused whether our table would be changed or snacks would be served again. We saw 1 of their owner and informed him about our plight which he took very lightly..

They served the snacks again and while having the same they served the platter that we ordered (heavily priced) While having the food,I took 1 of the dates from the Ramadan platter and opened the same to find a whole lot of fungus inside. Checked other dates and it was same. So called the well experienced Manager "Mr. Rajesh" who looked at the dates with astonishing eyes, called his staff and left. Wow!! I mean that was one hell of a service.. not even an apology.. Next in the platter they had a jar of juice which they did not serve till the end when we finished almost our meal that also just because one of the other manager who was passing by found the same missing on our table. Again no apology, no sorry, nothing..

Verdict : We would never visit this place again and wouldn't recommend to anyone we know. This is one of the worst customer oriented restaurant. We have met the best Owners & managers in restaurants like Al Saaj, Sijis, Rolexio and many. But Zaatar is the worst we came across in terms of customer service and food. I mean literally they served a highly contaminated fungus dates and left us without even an apology. And finally after all these fiasco we had to pay the full amount...

Kudos Zaatar and Manager Mr. Rajesh, just because the restaurant has achieved good standards according to you doesn’t mean you don’t provide it to the customers who made this restaurant such a success. For us definitely it’s a place we would never suggest to anyone as they have zero care or considerations towards their customers by providing...

As a passionate foodie who is constantly searching for amazing culinary adventures, I must convey my deep dissatisfaction with my most recent trip to Zaatar. Renowned for promising culinary perfection, the actual meal fell well short of expectations, with flavor, presentation, and overall dining experience all falling short of expectations. Looking over the menu, the Non-Veg Platter seemed promising, with a selection of rice, chicken, and prawns along with sauces. Unfortunately, what was placed on the table did not arouse any sort of appetite. The three chicken options, which promised a symphony of flavors and textures, served as the focal point of this culinary adventure. Unfortunately, the result was a monotonous din, since every variation of chicken tasted and felt just like the others. The mayonnaise, which was supposed to balance out the variety of flavors, was so bland that it was superfluous. Although acceptable, the red and green chutneys lacked the depth and complexity that one would have anticipated. The hummus, a Mediterranean staple, was distressingly flat, begging for a seasoning boost to bring its latent flavors to life. The introduction of prawns on the platter seemed not just out of place, but also poorly executed. Their presence added little to the overall composition and appeared to be an afterthought rather than a well-planned addition. The rice was merely a filler, with no distinguishing qualities or culinary expertise. However, the gastronomic letdown did not stop with the bland flavors. To make matters worse, the platter's first portion arrived cold, a terrible error that ruined the entire eating experience. Despite requesting reheating, the subsequent attempt failed to effectively address the issue, leaving the food lukewarm. There was one bright spot in this sea of bland food: the cool pineapple drink that was offered before the plate arrived. It was a dull event overall, but its bright flavor and flawless presentation offered a brief moment of relief. To sum up, my experience at Zaatar was far from the fine dining experience that its reputation promised. Its many flaws, from tasteless flavors to poor temperature control, overshadow any possibility for grandeur that may yet exist within its confines. I can only hope that Zaatar pays attention to these critiques and works to regain its standing as a culinary icon. I am an enthusiastic supporter of culinary innovation and quality. Unfortunately, until then, I cannot honestly suggest it to other fine dining...

Visited this amazing restaurant yesterday. 2 options - either you can remain in your car and have your order deliver inside or the usual dine-in stuff but with the pandemic based restrictions in action. I took the dine-in. Ambience is good. Staff and service also good. There is ample parking space for car dine-in as they have allocated their parking space for those type of customers. There is also take-away option available. I tried 3 things - laham zerpyan, kulcha and chicken tikka. Lemme take you to them one by one.

Laham zerpyan - beef based dish. This is served as a portion for 2 people. It is presented to your table as koozi rice - which is a lightly flavoured rice, with shredded beef. The rice is so light on flavour and will be so appetising for people who likes the less flavour side. Although, I am a fan of spiceness or flavouring, I really liked the rice. 5 stars for this soft and appetising rice. The shredded beef, I think, is prepared using alfahm /bbq based masala along with some tawa based dish spices. It was perfectly cooked, not too melty nor too tight. I can still feel the flavour and tenderness. Superb one.

Chicken Tikka- disappointing for me. There was nothing unusual about the tikka. It was just like the one we get from local stores. Besides, it feels so dry, I think if it was a bit juicy one, could bave got better.

Kulcha - I have actually ordered for a Butter Kulcha, but they brought me the normal Kulcha.( i believe there is a partly mistake on my part too, I wasnt that loud). This one is kindaa okay. But again I wanted the butter one and I didnt took a look before tasting it after which I took a look at it and confirmed it wasnt the one I wanted. This is decent one, but I actually donno thr authentic kulcha taste so, it ll be unfair to compare it with the authentic one. Butter version could be a lot better I guess.

Dishes are served in disposable plates, probably to compliant with Covid protocols.

The 2 of us couldnt finish the ordered dishes, the attender guy was kind to pack it for me upon request for minimising wastage.

Overall, its a pleasure experience. My friends have been here before, they also share a similar thought about the place. They tried koozi dajaj and some mutton dish I guess.

Keep raising the standard 👏.

I would also suggest the owners to put more effort to know the feedback on spot using some method other than online reviews. Could prove...