Lebanese with a twist at Zaatar W Zeit

One good thing about working in Dubai Festival City is being able to try out all the new food outlets and restaurants that have made their way to the mall. Some debutants, some renowned, there’s definitely one place for every palate. Last night this very excursion mode took us to the DFC branch of the famous Lebanese fusion joint Zaatar w Zeit.

Highlighting a compact menu that focuses on light, healthy and classic dishes with a modern twist, Zaatar W Zeit doesn’t disappoint one bit. From manakeesh and fattouch, ask the way to wraps and pizzas, they are sure to keep you satiated. Stay tuned as I showcase everything we tried at the restaurant.

Salad & Hummus

Here’s a little secret you ought to know. Whenever you order a main course item at Zaatar W Zeit, which includes a pizza, wrap or full portion salad, you can upgrade your meal with two of these delicious mini sides from a choice of six add-ons for an additional AED 5 only.

We chose to go for the mini side fattoush and mini side hummus & crackers. The fattoush was absolutely fresh and those cheese cubes you see, were just wow!

The hummus was as creamy as you would love and the crackers were crisp as a cracker. Doesn’t make sense, does it? But who cares! You can also go for mini fries, mini side green salad, mini side Caesar salad or mini side quinoa tabouleh. The choices are endless!

Manakeesh

You haven’t completely lived in Dubai (or UAE), until you have tried a manakeesh. This fluffy bread, traditionally baked in a brick oven, can be topped with a variety of different herbs, meats and cheese, the most basic one being zaatar with olive oil.

We however decided to make it a little creamier and opted for the Zaatar & Cheese Manakeesh. Freshly prepared, this hot bread came with a lovely layer of zaatar herbs, settled in ever so beautifully within a layer of cheese and baked to a golden perfection with crusty edges. Thanks to the drizzle of olive oil, there was a wonderful glisten on top of the bread.

Widely consumed at breakfast, this manakeesh would make a perfect accompaniment with olives and some feta cheese or hummus. If you love meats, try out their signature Lahmeh bi Ajjine which comes with minced meat, spices, onions and tomatoes.

Famous Chicken Wrap

Wrap it up nice and place it in your tummy. And you will see how every little bit of this journey from the plate to your tummy gives you tons of happiness.
First of all the tortilla wrap, which was so soft, it felt like it was rolled out just for us. Then that chicken, so juicy and tender, roasted to perfection. Then that melted cheese and aioli sauce, adding the right amount of creaminess oozing out of this delicious piece. And those veggies – lettuce, tomatoes and pickles, so fresh and crunchy.

This was the very aptly named Famous Chicken wrap from their specialty wraps which came in a generous quantity sliced into four portions and was prepared just right. They have a variety of wraps at Zaatar W Zeit, so don’t settle for one!

Steak Pizza

There is something called Lebanese Pizza. And it is really good.

This one was the Steak Pizza and came with all the elements you need for a pizza to be this good. Right from the cheddar and mozzarella cheese to the marinated beef, mushrooms, peppers and onions, everything about this pizza called out to us saying “Eat me”.

Well, this pizza surely impressed, but overall I was really happy with their portions. Every item I tried was sufficient for two people. So unless you’re really hungry and can eat an entire wrap by yourself, all four pieces of it, try splitting it with a friend. But make it a point to try out the excellent variety at Zaatar W Zeit!

Zaatar W Zeit

Location: Food Court, Waterfront Center, Near Novo Cinemas, Second Level, Festival City Mall, Festival City, Dubai
Contact: 600522231