Zaiqa - A Chicago restaurant with a strong desi flavor !
Zaiqa is what I would define as a local cabbie joint - frequented more by cabbies, than by anybody else. And, no other restaurant gives me the feeling of being at home (even though 'home' for me is India!)
Quite decent interiors by guys' standards, and ('shabby' by women's i'm sure), Zaiqa, serves great food. Their top of the line item on the menu, is good old Mutton Biriyani. Sadly, this biriyani, is available only on Fridays (sigh!). Mind you, not lamb, but mutton!! Not to mention, great Naans and Chappaatis. Besides, these, they serve the best Chai, in whole of Chicagoland. Not too watery, not too milky. Just right. And to which I add, a good dose of sugar, and boy, do I have some great tasting Tea.
This place, I must add, is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. People who share my desire of having tea at 2 am in the morning after a night out with friends, watching a movie, will realize the great importance of Zaiqa.
I've been a regular at Zaiqa, ever since I landed in Chicago, and I have such fond thoughts about that place.
Besides, the food, the other thing that draws me to this place, is the good old, kind and loving gesture of selling cigarettes in singles. Nowhere else, can I get that kind of a 'Home' feeling. And, after a great meal, some great tasting, lip smacking chai, and my favorite brand of ciggies. Could I ever ask for more?
Among the above great things about Zaiqa, is also, another great feature, extended to 'regular's like me. They follow good old Desi 'accounting' principles.
We regulars are extended unofficial account privileges, which run purely on sight and memory, rather than by a book or scrap of paper.
Whenever I'm low on cash, a 'Chacha/Mammoo, baad me dedhunga', works as good as cash.
Ever since I started going to Zaiqa, I've taken many a new desi friends (and atleast 20 different Americans, some of whom still drop by Zaiqa, when they are passing it), to Zaiqa, who have in turn become regulars there. I guess, this has worked in my favor for those 'accounting' privileges.
Among all my memories of Zaiqa, two episodes stand out in my memory, which are downright hilarious. Since the second episode is based on the first one, I'll recount only the second episode.
Sunil, Ashish and I went to Zaiqa, sometime last year. Sunil has been in Chicago for quite sometime, and Ashish had just landed a day or two earlier. And we decided to do dinner at Zaiqa.
While at Zaiqa, I was recounting Sunil's experience of a loud Desi lecture from one Chachaa who worked behind the counter. What had happened was, a gang of us, went to Zaiqa for dinner, and Zaiqa again, is one of those places, by true desi tradition, gave second helpings of gravy free of charge. That night, we ran out of a particular dish, and I asked Sunil to go ahead and ask that Chachaa for some helping. Poor guy, did as told, went up to the old Chachaa, and said - 'Chachaa, zara gravy ka second helping milega?'. That did it, Chachaa, launched into a loud tirade about how he should have asked for 'Yeh, aur zara dhedho', or 'Chachaa, sherwa zara dhedho'. Chachaa dearest, went on to extoll the virtues of using Urdu or Hindi, and that, being Desi's we shouldnt follow the American system, and how they slept with their own blood, yada yada yada. (If he was so disgusted with America, what was he doing here? Your guess is as good as mine !!). Poor Sunil, came back, with a plate full of gravy, and also wide eyed, shocked and embarrased.
So, Sunil and I were recounting the importance of not using English words here, at Zaiqa to Ashish, and we were having a laugh. A little while later, Ashish needed to go to the restroom. So he got up, and went to the counter, (incidentally, a different person was there, whom I refer to as Mammoo, not our dear Chachaa in question), a few words were exchanged, found his way to the restroom, and joined us at our table later.
When he came back, the conversation went like this:
Ashish: Arrey yaar, yeh kya ho raha hain yahan pe.
Sunil: Kyon, kya hua?
Ashish: Maine jaake us aadmi se poocha, ki, 'Toilet kidhar hai'
Aur, usne bola, 'Yeh Toilet kaunsi bashay mein boltey ho thum, Hindi mein pooch
nahi sakthey, ki Bathroom kahaan hai?'
Tho, phir, maine, ussey bola, 'Maaf kijiye, bathroom kidhar hai'.
Me: (trying hard to control my laughter) Dude, since when did 'bathroom' become a Hindi word?
Ashish: Arrrey, haaaaaaaaaan!!!!!!!
For those who would love to check out such desi flavor in a relaxed atmosphere, Zaiqa is two blocks north of Chicago Avenue and Orleans :)
**********************
A Philosophy professor was lecturing a class on the simple pleasures of life....
Professor: Pleasure, is something that can be derived from the most simple and mundane things. One can get as much pleasure from a satisfying bowel movement, as one can get from sex.
To this, a student exclaimed: "With all due respect sir, either you dont know how to f***, or I dont know how to s***"
Quite decent interiors by guys' standards, and ('shabby' by women's i'm sure), Zaiqa, serves great food. Their top of the line item on the menu, is good old Mutton Biriyani. Sadly, this biriyani, is available only on Fridays (sigh!). Mind you, not lamb, but mutton!! Not to mention, great Naans and Chappaatis. Besides, these, they serve the best Chai, in whole of Chicagoland. Not too watery, not too milky. Just right. And to which I add, a good dose of sugar, and boy, do I have some great tasting Tea.
This place, I must add, is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. People who share my desire of having tea at 2 am in the morning after a night out with friends, watching a movie, will realize the great importance of Zaiqa.
I've been a regular at Zaiqa, ever since I landed in Chicago, and I have such fond thoughts about that place.
Besides, the food, the other thing that draws me to this place, is the good old, kind and loving gesture of selling cigarettes in singles. Nowhere else, can I get that kind of a 'Home' feeling. And, after a great meal, some great tasting, lip smacking chai, and my favorite brand of ciggies. Could I ever ask for more?
Among the above great things about Zaiqa, is also, another great feature, extended to 'regular's like me. They follow good old Desi 'accounting' principles.
We regulars are extended unofficial account privileges, which run purely on sight and memory, rather than by a book or scrap of paper.
Whenever I'm low on cash, a 'Chacha/Mammoo, baad me dedhunga', works as good as cash.
Ever since I started going to Zaiqa, I've taken many a new desi friends (and atleast 20 different Americans, some of whom still drop by Zaiqa, when they are passing it), to Zaiqa, who have in turn become regulars there. I guess, this has worked in my favor for those 'accounting' privileges.
Among all my memories of Zaiqa, two episodes stand out in my memory, which are downright hilarious. Since the second episode is based on the first one, I'll recount only the second episode.
Sunil, Ashish and I went to Zaiqa, sometime last year. Sunil has been in Chicago for quite sometime, and Ashish had just landed a day or two earlier. And we decided to do dinner at Zaiqa.
While at Zaiqa, I was recounting Sunil's experience of a loud Desi lecture from one Chachaa who worked behind the counter. What had happened was, a gang of us, went to Zaiqa for dinner, and Zaiqa again, is one of those places, by true desi tradition, gave second helpings of gravy free of charge. That night, we ran out of a particular dish, and I asked Sunil to go ahead and ask that Chachaa for some helping. Poor guy, did as told, went up to the old Chachaa, and said - 'Chachaa, zara gravy ka second helping milega?'. That did it, Chachaa, launched into a loud tirade about how he should have asked for 'Yeh, aur zara dhedho', or 'Chachaa, sherwa zara dhedho'. Chachaa dearest, went on to extoll the virtues of using Urdu or Hindi, and that, being Desi's we shouldnt follow the American system, and how they slept with their own blood, yada yada yada. (If he was so disgusted with America, what was he doing here? Your guess is as good as mine !!). Poor Sunil, came back, with a plate full of gravy, and also wide eyed, shocked and embarrased.
So, Sunil and I were recounting the importance of not using English words here, at Zaiqa to Ashish, and we were having a laugh. A little while later, Ashish needed to go to the restroom. So he got up, and went to the counter, (incidentally, a different person was there, whom I refer to as Mammoo, not our dear Chachaa in question), a few words were exchanged, found his way to the restroom, and joined us at our table later.
When he came back, the conversation went like this:
Ashish: Arrey yaar, yeh kya ho raha hain yahan pe.
Sunil: Kyon, kya hua?
Ashish: Maine jaake us aadmi se poocha, ki, 'Toilet kidhar hai'
nahi sakthey, ki Bathroom kahaan hai?'
Me: (trying hard to control my laughter) Dude, since when did 'bathroom' become a Hindi word?
Ashish: Arrrey, haaaaaaaaaan!!!!!!!
For those who would love to check out such desi flavor in a relaxed atmosphere, Zaiqa is two blocks north of Chicago Avenue and Orleans :)
A Philosophy professor was lecturing a class on the simple pleasures of life....
Professor: Pleasure, is something that can be derived from the most simple and mundane things. One can get as much pleasure from a satisfying bowel movement, as one can get from sex.
To this, a student exclaimed: "With all due respect sir, either you dont know how to f***, or I dont know how to s***"
posted by Hifzur at
4:11 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home