Zenobia started selling their cuisine at markets around the North-East, including the Quayside Market and Hebburn Market. Their food is loved by many, so they decided to open a permanent restaurant.
The trendy spot officially opened on 8 February, and The Courier were invited to try some of their dishes. As part of the iconic Acropolis family, I knew Zenobia would be good before I’d even set foot inside. Upon entrance, I was greeted by super friendly staff, as well as a beautifully designed interior. The restaurant is small but cosy. It had a nice buzz about it, and the kitchen is open, so you can see the chefs work their magic.
As part of the iconic Acropolis family, I knew Zenobia would be good before I’d even set foot inside
Onto the food… This was the first time both my friend and I were trying Arabian food, and we were open to trying anything! We decided to share batata harra as a side dish. This consisted of potatoes, red peppers, coriander, chilli, and garlic, all nicely fried together. The flavours worked well together, and it was a great accompaniment to our other dishes.
For mains, we both got wraps, which were served in Saj bread. I had chicken shawarma and my friend had halloumi. We upgraded our plates by making them Arabian. This meant that the wraps were cut into pieces, and came with hand-cut fries, tomatoes, pickles, carrots, and homemade garlic and chilli sauce. The chicken in my wrap was perfectly cooked and succulent, with a lovely seasoning. The fries and dips were also great!
The mains were a very generous serving, but we agreed that a meal is nothing without something sweet to finish. We shared a rice pudding topped with pistachios and an almond harissa cake. The rice pudding was thick and creamy, a great palate cleanser after the aromatic flavours of our mains. I was intrigued by the harissa cake. The almonds were delightfully caramelised and the cake itself was just the right amount of sweet. These desserts were the ideal end to our meal.
We had an amazing time at Zenobia, and both said we’d be back for more soon! The food was some of the best I’ve had at a restaurant for a while. And the staff were faultless - so generous and lovely. If you’re looking for somewhere to eat in Newcastle, I’d absolutely recommend Zenobia.