Photo By Monica Guthrie | My husband ordered the goat special which he enjoyed. We both said it reminded us of a...... read more read more
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By Monica K. Guthrie
It’s the age-old question that has plagued mankind for a least… 20 years.
“Where do you want to eat?”
That’s what my husband and I found ourselves asking after having to reschedule another OBL trip (its happening next week though and it’s going to be more exciting than free falling – hint! Hint!). We wanted to try something new (not our normal fast food or Olive Garden or Texas Roadhouse – although admittedly, we did drive past and look to see if they were open yet). He’d never been to S&B Burgers, I’d never been to Kimono Steak & Sushi Bar – but neither of us wanted burgers or sushi. After much deliberation, and a lot of driving around, we spotted a sign for Zaiqa Authentic Pakistani Cuisine (Zaiqa Restaurant).
During my time in the Army I had the unbelievable experience of traveling to Pakistan while I was deployed to Afghanistan. In the summer of 2010, Pakistan was hit with one of the worst flood disasters of its history. I was with the 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division (3 CAB,... (Rock of the Marne!) and a small group of us were sent to provide flood-relief missions – flying to places unreachable by any other means and transporting the stranded people to safety. It was exhausting work in the heat, but the most rewarding work I did during my time in the military.
Each day we returned to a meal made by locals. The first day many of us asked one another “what is this?” hesitant to try the exotic-looking dishes, but by the time we left, we simply ate whatever was made because the food was delicious. Many of us talked about how being a Soldier means we get to try new and exotic foods even as we do our job. It’s amazing really the experiences we have and the lessons we learn both about our jobs and ourselves – to include what foods we actually like.
These memories immediately came to mind when I saw Zaiqa. My husband said he was told they have a great goat special on Fridays he would like to try. Since it was a Friday it was a no-brainer: We were having lunch there.
We were greeted by Jameel Zia, the owner, who handed us small menus. I immediately gravitated toward the rice dishes (hey, I’m Asian, I love rice!) while my husband looked at the side dishes that came with the goat special. In the end we decided on the chicken biryani (rice layered with cooked chicken and spices), garlic naan (a garlic flatbread) the goat special with the palak and paneer as a side (spinach cooked with caramelized onion and cumin with goat cheese) and two bottles of water.
While we waited, my husband told me about his experience eating out during his deployment to Afghanistan. He said the décor at Zaiqa was similar to what he saw there – very minimalistic and simple. Nothing to distract from the food. We shared stories from our past and I found myself thinking I was learning something about him I didn’t know before and I was sharing things with him I hadn’t before.
When our food arrived we were excited. The chicken biryani had a little kick (very little to me, slightly more to others) and was flavorful. I loved the naan and dipped it in the palak and paneer, which was delicious. The flavors were different but not unenjoyable. The goat was especially exciting for us. To us it resembled a stew in both look and taste. The meat was soft and it tasted like something I would find at home in a pot with hearty vegetables – except with a goat taste, which is distinct, but again, not unenjoyable. I’d eat it again. We obviously didn’t have any issues with the taste because we ate all of it. And then used the naan to soak up what remained on the plate.
In talking with Zia afterwards, we learned the name of the restaurant means “taste” and that the chef behind the flavors we tasted was courtesy of his wife, Zareen Kousar. Together the couple have been operating the restaurant since 2012, four years after they moved to Lawton.
The restaurant seems to have a good following. During my unofficial research on Facebook I found that friends and strangers of a wide array of taste preferences enjoyed the food there (especially those who enjoy take out). As a veteran, I think it’s telling that many commenters on Zaiqa’s food had a military background, I think because many service members (and other veterans) enjoy trying new foods when they are stationed around the world, developing their taste buds even as they develop their military abilities. The prices are reasonable, making it affordable to try something new.
So if you’re looking for something to eat and aren’t afraid to try something different, check out Ziaqa. And bring a friend with you. You may learn something new and surprising about yourself.
| Date Taken: | 09.01.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 01.23.2017 15:21 |
| Story ID: | 221028 |
| Location: | FORT SILL, OKLAHOMA, US |
| Web Views: | 118 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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