Review: Zaoq 100 in Hicksville
A mixed rotisserie platter at Zaoq 100 in Hicksville. Credit: Linda Rosier
There’s fusion cuisine, and then there’s Pakistani-Brazilian rotisserie barbecue ... plus Canadian prime and Australian Wagyu steaks ... plus karahi ... and gelato. One of the amazing things about Zaoq 100 is that all these elements come together as a seamless — and delicious — whole. For owner Ahmed Khan, the concept arose naturally from his passion for live-fire grilling.
Zaoq 100
Range of entrees: $20 to $140 (though under $30 is the norm).
Handicapped accessibility: No stairs
Attributes: Celebrations, Family-friendly, Halal
Reservations: suggested
100 Broadway, Hicksville
An inveterate collector of Weber Grills before he opened Zaoq 100, his first restaurant, in 2023, he now focuses on the enormous churrasco rotisserie that is the centerpiece of his kitchen. The Brazilian import features a layer of charcoal above which are suspended three rotating spits that bear lamb chops, chicken wings and all manner of seasoned "tikka" meats such as russet-toned chicken, lamb and beef tikka; cream-bathed chicken malai tikka; verdant chicken green chili tikka. A Big Green egg smoker handles the chicken "lollipops" (plump drumsticks), porterhouses, T-bones and rib-eyes. According to Khan, the grilling is easy; procurement is hard. Zaoq 100 adheres strictly to the dietary laws of halal and it took a year before he found a halal supplier for prime and Wagyu beef.
The chicken karahi at Zaoq 100. Credit: Linda Rosier
The third jewel in this culinary crown is karahi, the famous curry named for the iron vessel it is cooked and served in. Compared with many South Asian dishes that rely on masala (a complex mixture of spices), Zaoq 100’s karahi has a tiny ingredient list: chicken or goat (called "mutton" here) plus tomato paste, salt, black pepper, green chili and garlic.
"When you eat the meat," Khan said, "you should taste the meat, not the masala." For vegan customers, he has created a very creditable daal karahi, made with tiny mung beans.
Credit: Linda Rosier
Notable dishes
Mixed grill platter, prime porterhouse steak, karahi (chicken, mutton or vegetarian).
Tip:
If you don’t have room for dessert after the meal, come on back any time for gelato — the gelateria has a separate entrance.
Zaoq 100’s elegant dining room is almost shown up by the gorgeous copper platters, casseroles and pitchers that grace the tables. The mixed platters, an assortment of grilled meats arrayed around a mound of rice and garnished with charred peppers and tomatoes, induce gasps when they are presented.
And the gelato? Khan’s daughters were the driving force behind Zaoq 100’s adjacent gelateria, many of whose flavors (pistachio halvah, rosewater) are familiar from South Asian desserts. And it is a truth universally acknowledged that every meal is best concluded with ice cream.
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