Zaiqa Indian Cuisine owner Adnan Ali said opening a new location in Ridgefield was an opportunity to bring new flavors to a community he felt was lacking in diverse dining options.
Ali, who spent about eight years working as a software engineer before entering the restaurant industry, said his decision to open a restaurant in Ridgefield came after spending time exploring the community.
“One day, I was just over here and I went to the river,” Ali said. “I was just driving around and I really liked the community, honestly. I saw that it's a really nice community but there are not enough places to eat.”
Ali said he also noticed a lack of diversity in the local food scene, which encouraged him to look for an available space.
“There is no diversity for the food,” Ali said. “I think people really appreciated it when we came here. I started looking around for the spaces available.”
That search eventually led Ali to the location for Zaiqa Indian Cuisine, which opened in the newer Legacy Trails Retail development in Ridgefield on Friday, Sept. 11.
“I found this one and I started getting the least appreciation,” Ali said. “Then I opened here. I think it's great. I think people are very appreciative. People love the food, and it's a great community. I really like the people of Ridgefield.”
Ali said the response from the community has been positive since the restaurant opened.
“Honestly, very supportive,” Ali said. “I think it's going great so far.”
Zaiqa is the latest restaurant venture for Ali, whose introduction to the industry began with encouragement from his father after he moved to the United States in 2020.
“My background is in software engineering. I worked as a software engineer for about eight years. I've been in the restaurant industry for about four years now,” Ali said.
The first restaurant Ali opened was Sultan in Sherwood. From there, he expanded the business with several Zaiqa locations, including the first Zaiqa in South Waterfront in Portland, followed by locations in Wilsonville and Lake Oswego.
The Ridgefield location is his latest effort, and one of its purposes is introducing Indian cuisine to people who may not have experienced it before.
“We have a lot of people who have never had Indian food,” Ali said. “Especially in a retired community, they never had Indian food.”
Ali said customers have been willing to try different dishes, including curries, rice dishes and appetizers.
“When they come, they try different curries and rice dishes and appetizers,” Ali said. “They really like the taste.”
One item receiving particular attention from customers is the restaurant’s naan, a traditional flatbread served alongside many Indian dishes.
“We get a lot of feedback about the naan,” Ali said. “It's not spicy at all. It's just very crisp. You can try it with anything. With curries, you can just eat as appetizers.”
Among the restaurant’s most popular entrees is butter chicken, which Ali described as the key highlight of the menu.
“The key highlight is the butter chicken,” Ali said. “It's with a tomato creamy sauce. I think this is the top-selling dish.”
A similar dish, Chicken Tikka Masala has an interesting history, noting that the dish was developed in the United Kingdom rather than originating as a traditional Indian dish.
“This was originally started in the UK. This is not an Indian traditional dish,” Ali said. “That was in the UK. The English people were like, ‘we need something mild.’ That's how the creamy tomato dish, butter chicken, started.”
Biryani, chicken masala and chicken curry are also among the restaurant’s top sellers. The menu includes rice dishes prepared with chicken, vegetables, lamb or goat, as well as a barbecue selection featuring chicken kebabs, lamb kebabs and mixed grill.
For customers who prefer lamb, Ali said the restaurant offers lamb chops marinated with Indian spices.
“People who love lamb, they really like the lamb chops with the Indian spices,” Ali said.
The restaurant also offers options for customers with different dietary preferences.
“A lot of people have dietary preferences. For example, vegan, gluten free,” Ali said. “All of our curries are gluten free. We have a huge menu for the vegan community. A lot of people like that because we have options for almost everybody.”
Ali said an important part of the restaurant’s mission is giving customers an opportunity to experience Indian cuisine and what he described as its native flavors.
“A lot of people say we're getting the original Indian taste,” Ali said.
Zaiqa’s chef has worked in the restaurant industry for years. Ali said he has worked with the chef for more than two years and brought him to the Ridgefield location.
“I think the people who are exposed to Indian food are really appreciating the native taste of Indian food,” Ali said.
As Zaiqa continues establishing itself in Ridgefield, Ali said he wants the community to come through the doors, try the food and form its own impression.
“I think we will definitely ask everybody to come try and give us a shot,” Ali said. “You're definitely going to like the food.”
Ali said the restaurant’s atmosphere is intentionally simple, keeping the focus on the meal itself.
“I try to keep the ambience very simple,” Ali said. “Not too many decorations. I think our request to everybody is just come and give us a try. Support us. You will love the food.”
Zaiqa is located at 536 S. Royle Road #145 in Ridgefield. It is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week. For more information, visit zaiqapdx.com.
