Brian and I returned to Zanzabar last night to check out the food( after our fantastic experience with Their Country Ham Ice cream on Tuesday). Folks- the kitchen team there has some serious skill!! The place is of course a dive- bar and their menu is largely well-executed bar food, but their specials are at an entirely diffent level. ( kind of two restaurants in one place) This was some seriously good food at extremely reasonable prices.
We met Ryan and basically put ourselves in his hands for our choices after Matt F suggested doing just that. Between the two of us we had two apps and two entrees plus dessert. Way too much food but it was all so amazingly flavored we couldn't stop. We like our food highly flavored, so at Ryan's suggestion we shared the Roasted Tomatillo Gazpacho (amazing flavor!) and the Head+Trotter Cheese ( both were very,very good and not something we would have ordered on our own) . I had the Surf +Turf Tacos: fresh tortillas with Chorizo, Octopus, Whipped Burrata and mint. Really interesting combination and a perfect level of spice. Brian's smoked Brisket was OMG good! A large portion of Brisket cooked to perfect tenderness with unticious melted fat( cooked 50 (!) hours- smoked for 8 them, sous- vide for another 42) . Served over Puree of Pomme de Terre with Asparagus and Green Peppercorn gravy, it was one of the best dishes I 've had in recent memory. And extraordinarily well-priced at only $15- easily $7-10 less than it would be at other tables in town.
Dessert was their "Schafly Cheesecake with Robert the Bruce 3 Floyds beer gastrique". ( did I mention their specials are truly original?
) We loved the two bites we had of it last night- but were so stuffed we brought it home to enjoy tonight. This is some seriously good food, executed by a crew who clearly know great food and is having fun playing. Do yourself a favor and go check them out soon!
Deb
