Zaza's

Set up by three brothers who have been running a restaurant in their native Pakistan for 15 years, Zaza’s focuses on the regional food of Gurjanwala – Punjab’s ‘city of wrestlers’, famous for its grills. Plum-coloured walls, lush banquettes and glittering, hand-crafted light fittings set the tone in the exotic dining room, while the open kitchen delivers a raft of curry-house favourites based on family recipes. The menu is equally tailored to meat eaters and veggies, moving from mutton tikka, masala fish and chilli paneer to karahi chicken, lamb korma and tinda masala (with baby gourds); also look for the daily specials such as meat pilau or karahi lamb chops. Desserts leap from ras malai to chocolate fudge cake, and there some refreshing drinks on offer from the juice bar.

Zaza is a neighbourhood, friendly restaurant that is committed to serving delicious, good and honest food. The restaurant's executive head chef is Simone, who was born and bred in a village between Padua and Venice in Northern Italy, and watched his Nonna masterfully prepare traditional dishes as he grew up. In 2014, Simone joined Zaza as a senior chef, and has been with the team ever since.

Bread and olives begin the meal with something to snack on whilst you choose your drinks. The starters include crispy calamari fritti served with a wedge of lime and tartare sauce, along with fried pastry parcels filled with melted mozzarella and chilli salsa, a wild mushroom and chicken liver pate, and meatballs on chargrilled polenta. Next up are the meat and fish main options, and there are choice of char grilled half chicken with nduja sausage, roasted red peppers and in a red wine and onion sauce, along with the veal milanese with spaghetti pomodoro, and sauteed king prawns with garlic butter, white wine, lemon and parsley. There are several steak options on the menu, supplied from ethically reared grass-fed cattle and served with red wine and mushroom or peppercorn sauce and French fries.

Pasta sauces are made from scratch with fresh ingredients, and you can choose from trofie amatriciana, salmon and prawn fettuccine, and the classic spaghetti and meatballs. Other pasta dishes include the penne toscana with mushrooms and melted mozzarella cheese, along with fettuccine with goat's cheese, courgettes, peas and wilted spinach.

Pizza dough is made in house using flour imported from Italy, and toppings include the carnoso with chargrilled chicken, roasted Italian sausage, oak smoked ham and caramelised onion, and fiorentina with mozzarella, spinach, garlic and olives, finished with an egg.