Let's Go Vegetarian at Zayka

I can count on my fingers the number of vegetarian (or at least veg friendly) restaurants in Cebu that I know of. Two to be precise: Zayka and Persian Palate.

Zayka is located at Juana Osmena St, near Baseline and St Theresa's College. The place is quite simple but would stand out from its surroundings thanks to its Indian themed facade.

The place is deserted tonight. Or maybe because it's a weekday? 

Tonight we are having samosas for starters. A samosa is a fried pastry stuffed with vegetables like potatoes, peas, onions, carrots. Kind of like empanada. What made this unique though is the sweet mango sauce. Sounds weird? The combination is actually pleasant on the taste buds. A must try!

 

I am not sure how this can be a "starter"...it is quite filling.

Bacon as we all know is pork. So what in the world is a veggie bacon? It is marinated (I don't know if that's the right word, I am no cook, just an eater) tofu cut to look like bacon. Sounds simple and boring? Hey, it was good enough for me, a bacon lover (though the real thing will always be number one in my book).

 

Bacon wannabe

Not entirely ready to go vegetarian (and so is Zayka), Indonesian nasi goreng is on the menu and then on my table. Nasi goreng is fried rice with chicken, vegetables, eggs, and shrimp paste. Anything that's a mix of meat and veggies is a good choice. Nothing beats a satisfying meal that's both tasty and healthy.

A serving good enough for two

And lastly, lassi, an Indian yogurt drink. They had four flavors for the drink: mint, apple, mango, and strawberry. Being a strawberry lover, I just had to order strawberry. When I saw the server bringing the lassi, I thought there were real strawberries in it. Turns out it was only the ice creating a reddish-strawberry-ish effect on the glass. With or without real strawberries, this one was a delight.

A tall glass of strawberry lassi.

There are so many I want to try from their menu: roti (I love roti), the thai foods, and their veggie combo curries. If you click to enlarge the menu below, you will notice there is only one choice per day for the veggie combo, but you can, in fact, order it any day as long as they have the ingredients.

I am not sure of becoming a full vegetarian, but with Zayka, one thing's for sure...I shall return!

Zayka

Juana Osmeña St., Cebu City
(032) 236 0443
Mon - Sat 11AM - 11PM


How this semi-vegetarian meal bore a hole thru Mustachio's pocket:
Samosas Php 75
Veggie bacon Php 65
Indonesian nasi goreng Php 140
Strawberry lassi Php 95