This college town’s bustling University Avenue welcomed a stylish new Indian eatery Sept. 9.
Zaika, which features an extensive menu of North and South Indian dishes, including one of the most affordable thalis in town, welcomed guests at a ribbon cutting ceremony attended by restaurant owner Ganesh Sanap and members of the Berkeley Chamber of Commerce and Berkeley Downtown Association.
Sanap is the owner of another popular restaurant, two-year-old India Garden in downtown Pleasanton, and describes himself as a huge cricket fan — he is also the president of the Northern California Cricket Association. The Mumbai native came to the U.S. to work in information technology and spent 17 years in the field, including 10 years at Oracle and three years at Solyndra.
“Opening a restaurant is not easy,” the affable Sanap told India-West. “It takes serious commitment.” He says he gets a lot of support from his wife, Bashobi, and son Joy, 10.
The restaurant’s best-loved items so far, he said, are Zaika’s lamb shank ($9) and tandoori lamb chops ($11); while the veg thali ($7 lunch/$8 dinner) and non-veg thali ($8 lunch/$9 dinner) earn rave reviews on social media sites.
Sports lovers, too, should embrace the restaurant, which features several big-screen TVs (one always set to an Indian sports channel) and Berkeley’s only 110-inch projection screen for major televised events.
Situated in the space formerly occupied by Plearn Thai restaurant and Meridian International Sports Café, Zaika is convenient to BART and is one block away from a public parking garage.
The Downtown Berkeley Association has recently approved a $1.2 million plan designed to attract more visitors to the area. The Property-based Improvement District initiative, or PBID, will help merchants to work together and will introduce “ambassadors” to walk the streets to offer directions and monitor safety and quality-of-life issues. Merchants are definitely on board with PBID, said DBA executive director John Caner, with 71 percent voting in favor of the initiative.
Berkeley City Council member Jesse Arreguin said the location of Zaika will be key to its success. “University Avenue is the gateway to the city and to the campus. Having a great Indian restaurant and sports bar will really fulfill a demand in this city.”
Zaika is located at 2050 University Ave. in Berkeley, between Shattuck and Milvia, and is open Sun.-Thurs. 11 a.m.-10 p.m. and Fri.-Sat., from 11 a.m.-1 a.m. Closed Mondays. For information, call (510) 705-1343 or visit www.zaikaberkeley.com.