Cuisine - American
Price Range - Low/High - As an all American diner Zak's really prides itself on it's US classic's and it's gut busting burgers. When browsing at the menu it's obvious that the beef patties and beef dogs are the real pride in the USP department. The cheapest complete meals that you can chomp your jaw on are the hotdogs which are only a feeble £8.95 and include a hearty dog with a variety of toppings and a side of potatoes. On the expensive plates, it's obviously the steaks again as they posted up a heafty fourteen ounce prime ribeye at £18.45. For sharing or for one single hungry, belly buster they showcase an ultimate meal; a heart stopping meat combo containing literally every meat on the menu and two sides, be warned though as the bill will burn your pocket just above the £30 mark. Quenching your thirst at Zak's is a lip wetting treasure because you can get any refreshing pint of beer or cider for an average of £3.60 and soft drinks are £1.85 for a regular or £2.25 for a large.
Service - 7/10 - First impression and it was clear to see that they were busy on a Saturday night, so we were told their would be a possible twenty minute wait on a table by our genuinely friendly hostess. Menus already in hand, being blindly read through we were appointed to a table within a quick ten minutes where we continued to browse on what would boost our dinner time diets. When it came down to taking our order the waitress' were faultless because nothing was too much; they adjusted the meals to our requirements by changing the side orders and even ask how we wanted a burger cooked which is a basic, yet rare occasion in today's eateries. Orders placed and it was time to wait but before we knew it the onion ring starter flew to our table from out of the kitchen and they were fresh, hot and luscious to the eye. Within another perfect time we had our mains infront of us but there was a slight mix it up it has to be said. My fellow diners requested a specific side order but the meal seemed to have a completely different one but after quickly addressing the issue the waitress fix the problem. At no point was anything too much to ask for and I was somewhat impressed with the patients and persistance to make the customers time a enjoyable one.
Atmosphere - 7.5/10 - A slight buzz loomed the atmospheric surroundings and at no point did I feel uncomfortable at all. Even the background music which was an upbeat, post war, American playlist slotted in nicely to set a cheerful tone when I was eating my grub. Even though there was some minuscule issues with the servicing, the staff remained calm and looked as though they had full control of every situation at all times. Some restaurants suffer on Saturday nights because of the weekend busy boom but credit has to be given because the Zak's crew nailed it. As soon as you walk through the door you can get a gentle whiff of the grill working meat which is always welcoming and makes hunger screaming that little bit extra.
Decor/Theme - 8/10 - American, oh so American. Everything about the establishment from the moment you walk in just screams the U S of A, even in the entrance hall they have a life size traffic light. It's big, in your face and nails their style to a pinpoint. Pillars and walls were plastered in collectible sports cards, it had a hanging basketball net and also behind the bar they trophied some genuine American football helmets which all fitted the theme perfectly, not forgetting the vintage car grills hung up. My favourite piece of property was by far the Mobil gas pump which was placed neatly in the corner next to dining table, it was larger than life, quirky but had every element you recite when you say born in the USA. The booths and tables could have had more of an authentic American diner feel but the plain Jane table set up didn't take to much away from the rocking status. Even the beverages on offer were nostalgic being burly U.S ales by the bottle and stereotypical buds on tap. Neon coke signs and tin metal number plates will certainly make you want to do the jailhouse rock.
Presentation - 6.5/10 - I think I need a bigger plate chef. The already large, oval plate was absolutely brimming, for starters the sweet fries were jumping the brim and starting to flop on the table then the corn was seemedly dumped on top if the colesaw. My chicken didn't exactly yell appealing either because to be honest it was hard to tell looking at how it was placed which part of the bird it really was not forgetting to mention the bacon strips that just laid on top if it. I'd like to have seen bubbling golden batter piercing the eye, partnered with a small side order of fries so you actually get a decent idea of what's going on. Finally the bones from the chick proved to be a certain annoyance because after I tore off the meat they were lifelessly getting in the way on the plate, in the end I had to put them on a side plate because knowing me I'd have scooped one into my gullet.
Food/Value For Money - 7/10 - Give a man a healthy meal and you can feed him for the night, but give the man a hearty, mountain high meal and you can feed him for the weekend. A key factor that really saved Zak's food was that they were oh so generous with the portion size. At £12.95 I settled myself a pile up of food, all be it not the most expensive to create but a tasteworthy meal to say the least. My plate contained a farms worth of sweet potato fries, half a deep fried chicken, a couple of bacon strips, an ice cream scoop of coleslaw, corn and a tidy little side salad to balance the health element. The plate had both positives and negatives but overall it was definitely on a level playing field with other US dining imitators. Firstly my chicken, the bird sunk my heart from the moment I saw it and at my initial bite it didn't change much either. The batter was dry, hard and so paper thin that you could see the bones beneath in some place and the flesh of the chicken wasn't great as well. Don't get me wrong it was seasoned well and the meat was prominant in some places but I felt the need to douce the dryness with condiments, it was extremely taste killing how overcooked the bird was. On the other hand you had the fries which took up most of the plate and they were spot on. Decadently bubbly, crisp and sweet with a lengthy, fluffy pop beneath the skin that I could indulge on for hours. The bacon again was to die for; unhealthy, had a solid, crunchy snap to it and the saltiness just kept me craving more of that piggy American breakfast goodness, I'm such a huge fan of strips rather than the classic back bacon. To summarise it I'd say the meal was mediocre if not a little bit below par but the portion size really brought it to a new ball game leaving me to score only averagely.
Overall - 7/10 - Zak's stations three restaurant/diner retreats around Norwich and has a sterling reputation for being one of the cities fine business developments serving up burgers and shakes for many of years. Pretty much faultless service, fast food and a great Stars and Stripes experience can be had at Zak's because of the rare props they do have on show, you could literally spend hours looking around spotting different signs and counting the quirky quotes plastered on the all American tin billboards. When it comes down to food, it's the burgers and hotdogs you should really be having; Zak's has built itself on the pride of it's patties for so many years and the creativeness of the combinations on the menu can leave you pondering for hours on end and let us not forget the meal sizes. Mountains of food at an affordable price, it's a great place to take the family for a welcoming bite to eat and not forgetting to mention if you're hungry some US comfort food loving. Don't expect fine dining and luxurious food just throw on a bib, get messy and leave with waddling belly without breaking the bank. There's obviously always room for improvements but it's a true place for tummy topping food and in'n'out style meal, enjoy and eat on.
http://www.zaks.uk.com
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