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Hotter
than Havana Billed as being “Hotter than Havana”, the dining experience is set to be extraordinary – a three course menu filled with scrumptious and tantalising items such as Vodka Cured White Shell Prawn, Lacquered Bresse Duck or Oz Chimichuri Tenderloin and Ice Caramel Parfait in the Valentine’s menu along with an absolutely amazing Valentines Cocktails list which includes Romance In The Dark (blavod vodka, kahlua topped up with Sprite), Blue Kiss (gin, blue curocao, vodka, tequila, with an optional egg) and Blooming Hearts (courvoisier and dubenet), Zanziba’s the place to be if you are adventurous and on the look-out for something with a novel touch. Chef Alfred’s experience covers many lands and many places – the Sheraton Hotel in Jordan, the Radisson Hotel on the Black Sea border, TransAsia and the Colombo Hilton are just a few flagship hotels that have had him on board. Excitedly grabbing the menu, he points out the influence of Argentine and contemporary French cuisine. “New world cuisine complemented by new world wines – that’s the experience we want our clientele to enjoy. I’m very passionate about what I do and I strive for perfection. I’m very hard on myself and my team,” he adds. Caribbean and Latin food and snacks tied up with Cuban cocktails – sounds exciting? There’s more! The new world experience will also include a new touch where the ritual of making pitchers of Mojito (sugarcane, crushed ice, Cuban rum) will get the partying guests involved, to add to the romantic and warm mood of the special day. “We should pioneer concepts – take a lead in guiding people in their feasting and partying,” says Chef Alfred enthusiastically. Zanziba is already well-known for its distinctly original atmosphere, and this cannot be confined to its gold and black theme with the very calming “hand” appearing at strategic locations; it also stands out for been a strictly non-smoking lounge restaurant. The comfortable seating arrangements, including the VIP room which has gained immense popularity as the place for “hen nights,” (this includes Karaoke facilities available at request) gives off vibes of safety and comfort – a place to be if you need to flee into your own little world for a while. As Sathy Watson puts it, the whole idea is for patrons to come in for a drink, go in for dinner and then relax over coffee; the fine dining lounge concept in a nutshell Bar Manager Ajith Gurugalla feels that the cocktails remain a firm favourite with their regulars with their mocktails gaining equal popularity, while Jerome de la Zilwa, the restaurant manager affirms that its no-smoking policy has helped keep the ambience of the place intact. “People love it. You can truly experience your food in such a setting,” he points out. Apart from the special Valentine’s menu, their usual menu just got revamped from this February. Flipping through the menu, I came across such delightfully intriguing names as Crab Poh-Pia, Chicken Cocoda, Tom Ka-Gai, Detox Bell Pepper, Bruschetta, World of Mezze, Nonya Bay Prawn Mussamen just to name a few, not forgetting “Zanziba’s famous baked crab.” For dessert options, the “jelly bomb” was a highly recommended option, while everything listed in the menu card seemed equally scrumptious to my sweet-toothed gaze. From February 15, Natasha will be back at Zanziba while DJs Wendall and Marlon along with the others from Entertainment Unlimited will keep the crowd music-happy throughout. Zanziba noticeably confines itself to the café type tunes as well as great songs from the 70s and the 80s – the firm favourites of its regulars. “A place of delicious romance, intrigue and adventure!” That’s what Zanziba promises all who dare to experience the delightful difference of the “new world” craze that is grabbing culinary headlines the world over…so why not do yourself and your loved ones a favour this Valentine’s day and experience what it’s like to be “Hotter than Havana” at Zanziba? |
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