What’s on offer?
Zaatar opened last July, the most recent opening from Palestinian owner Adnan Shabab. He arrived in Ireland 25-years-ago, opened East Café in 2002, established a cash and carry business and opened Umi Falafel on Dame Street in 2013. Now in Zaatar, he is bringing wood-fired manaeesh to Dublin, the Palestinian flatbread that is typically served for breakfast. It’s lighter in texture than pizza and can be topped with a variety of fresh ingredients, the most popular being zaatar (a mix of herbs that includes wild thyme, sumac and sesame seeds) and olive oil; or zaatar with olive oil and cheese. Pizzas are also available.
What did we order?
A lamb kofta and cheese manaeesh, a sujuk (spicy beef sausage) manaeesh, a spinach and feta cheese fatayer (folded manaeesh) and two dips.
How was the service?
Ordering online is straightforward on the Deliveroo site, or you can order on-site. Service was excellent and staff are very pleasant. Everything is cooked to order. You can pick up cutlery and eat there or have your order packed for takeaway.
Was the food nice?
This is very much a pizza experience with Levantine flavours. The hot pizza oven means that the bases are charred and the toppings are good. The kofta manaeesh is sizable with the kofta crushed so it chars more at the edges. Flavours of spice and cinnamon come through with tomatoes, gherkins and a drizzle of garlic sauce. The sujuk manaeesh, which is scattered with fine slices of spicy sausage and mild cheese, is a simpler option. The fatayer, the folded manaeesh, which is filled with spinach and feta, is good, blistering hot and wonderful with the garlic and harissa dips.
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What did it cost?
€40 for lunch for three people – lamb kofta and cheese manaeesh, €13; sujuk manaeesh, €13; spinach and feta cheese fatayer, €11; and a garlic mint and harissa dip, €1.50 each.
Where does it deliver?
The Deliveroo radius is 3-5km, or you can drop in and order on-site. Open daily, from 11-6pm. More locations are planned.
Would I order it again?
Definitely, particularly the spinach and feta cheese fatayer, the folded manaeesh.
