ZAIKA — Restaurant in Benalmádena

We were a party of 5, and had to wait 10 minutes for a table, which wasn't a major issue as it was a small restaurant, but it did not help their case. We sat down and ordered, and proceeded to wait 40 minutes for our food to arrive. Please note that the restaurant was small, maybe 8 to 10 tables in total? There was a point when no table had any plates of food in front of them. When the food eventually arrived, it was cold, and despite us ordering different curries they all tasted the same. Not exactly bad, but tikka masala and a Korma should not taste the same! The garlic naan did not taste of garlic, the pilaf rice was just boiled rice with vegetables, and the fried rice was also just boiled rice with bits of fried egg. On top of this, we were over charged on drinks. There was only one drink price listed on the menu for soft drinks, and when we got our receipt we were over charged on 4 out of 5 drinks. Upon pointing this out to the waitstaff, they protested and claimed that we ordered the large, then changed our receipt. As a group, we would not usually complain in restaurants, but this behaviour indicated to us that this action of overcharging on drinks in a way that was not disclosed on menus was a regular occurance. As a whole, this was an expensive meal, especially considering the food and service that we received (about 25 - 30 per person). I understand that service workers do a lot of unnoticed work, and that everyone can have off days, but there was too much wrong for this to be a once off instance. We were all very disappointed, and hope that other customers proceed...

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Zaika, a delightful eatery that blends flavours from across culinary traditions. We liked it so much that we went there a couple of times during out short stay. First visit we had a Pizza, and it was simply great. The crust was the perfect balance between crisp and chewy, offering a solid foundation for the toppings. The sauce, rich and tangy, had a fresh tomato base that was complemented beautifully by the gooey mozzarella. What set this pizza apart was in addition to Chicken Tikka, also had unconventional toppings like spices and green chilies, giving it an exciting desi twist. Each bite was bursting with flavour, and the bold combination worked surprisingly well. Next visit we decided to have veggie so had Aloo Saag & roti. It was one of the best aloo saag we had. I suppose the saag was spinach & fenugreek. The base was creamy and seasoned with just the right amount of spices. The potatoes were cooked to perfection, soft yet retaining their structure. Roti was the highlight. Most of the restaurants I have visited not only in Spain but also in UK, the rotis are readymade from packet but here at Zaika it was freshly prepared and the best roti I had. The owner was very welcoming & attentive. I would be visiting Zaika every time I visit Benalmadena, I highly...

We were really looking forward to dining here after reading so many positive reviews, but unfortunately, our experience was quite disappointing. The restaurant offers a mix of Indian, Mexican, and Italian cuisines, which might be too ambitious, as the overall quality seemed to suffer. We waited quite a long time for our food, and when it arrived, the Rogan Josh was overly oily and the naan tasted more like pizza dough. The vegetable pizza was average, and we were surprised by an additional €6 charge for a few vegetable toppings. Overall, the food quality was below expectations, and the kitchen seemed a bit overwhelmed. Sadly, we wouldn’t return — there are other restaurants nearby that focus on one cuisine and do it...