Zaiqah

Zaiqah is a Pakistani restaurant in Dickson, Canberra, built around aromatic spices, traditional recipes and the variety of regional flavours associated with Pakistani cooking. Its menu is broad enough to suit a shared meal, a straightforward curry dinner or a more substantial feast, with options across grilled dishes, karahi, handi, biryani, seafood, vegetarian curries, breads, desserts and non-alcoholic drinks. The restaurant also offers pick-up, delivery and table reservations, making it practical for eating in or ordering at home.

The grill and barbecue section is a strong place to start. Seekh kebabs are made with seasoned minced lamb or chicken and grilled, while chicken tikka, malai boti, paneer tikka, lamb chops and prawn tikka are cooked with marinades designed to bring out smoky, spiced flavours. The mixed barbecue platter combines several of these styles, which makes it a useful choice for groups wanting to try more than one dish. For something crisp and shareable, the menu includes samosas, onion bhaji, paneer pakora, fish pakora and a mixed platter of appetisers.

The signature dishes move into slower, richer cooking. Shinwari chicken karahi features chicken with ginger, garlic, green chillies and coriander, while Charsi goat karahi is described as goat cooked slowly with aromatic spices in a traditional karahi. Other substantial choices include chicken haleem, lamb nihari, chapli kebab and Lahori tawa fish. There is also a wide selection of familiar curries, including butter chicken, chicken tikka masala, palak chicken, beef bhuna gosht, lamb rogan josh and several vegetarian dishes such as channa masala, dal makhani and palak paneer.

Rice and bread round out the meal, from chicken dum biryani and lamb or beef biryani to Kashmiri pulao, saffron rice, roti and a selection of naan. Desserts include gulab jamun with vanilla ice cream, gajar halwa and kulfi, while chai, mango lassi and mocktails provide non-alcoholic drink options. With individual curries, shared platters and vegetarian choices, Zaiqah suits solo diners, families and groups. Its catering and listed event services may also appeal to people planning a larger gathering, although the venue information should be checked directly when making arrangements. Zaiqah is located at G04/21 Challis Street, Dickson.