What’s on offer?
Zaytoon opened the doors of its first branch in Parliament Street, Dublin, on January 19th, 2000.
The owners are Azad Shirazi, who worked as a chef in London in the 1980s, where he met an Irish woman, moved to Dublin in 1990, and got married; and Jamshid Kamvar, who studied engineering in Waterford in the late 1970s and later ran a Persian carpet shop on Dame Street, Dublin, where the pair met.
They had noticed that kebabs did not have the reputation they merited in Ireland and decided to introduce the Persian style of preparing and serving kebabs, with tandoor ovens for cooking their naan bread and meats marinated with saffron, fresh herbs and spices. An open plan kitchen was key to their approach, where diners could see their food being prepared and cooked. They now have five branches in Dublin. The fresh naan bread is made daily in their production facility and delivered to the branches to be cooked to order in the tandoors.
What did we order?
Stuffed peppers, lamb doner, classic Kubideh, and chicken shish.
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How was the service?
Ordering online was easy, delivery was on time and the food was hot.
Was the food nice?
If you request your kebab as a plate, all elements arrive separately – the meat, the salad, the sauces and the naan bread, so that you can make up your own. The peppers were stuffed with a nice combination of rice, bulgur wheat, garlic, and fresh herbs, roasted in tomato sauce. This dish also happens to be vegan. The lamb doner – slices of Irish lamb marinated with parsley, tarragon, basil, smoked paprika, turmeric, and sumac – was juicy and tasty. The classic Kubideh, with minced beef and lamb, was good, flavoured with saffron, smoked paprika, turmeric, coriander, onions and garlic.
The chicken shish, flavoured with Iranian saffron, fresh lime juice and salt and pepper, was perhaps the least exciting of what we ordered.
[ Takeaway kebab at home: this chicken shish is delishOpens in new window ]
What about the packaging?
The delivery came in paper bags, in compostable cartons, some of cardboard, with tinfoil wrapping, recyclable if clean.
What did it cost?
€68.99 for dinner for four people: stuffed peppers, €14.50; regular lamb doner with naan, €18; classic Kubideh with naan, €15.50; regular chicken shish with rice €18; and service fee €2.99.
Where does it deliver?
Takeaway daily. Deliveroo within a 5km radius. Parliament Street and Camden Street, open Sun-Wed 12pm-12am, Thur-Sat, 12pm-4am; Ranelagh, Mon-Thur 5pm-10pm, Fri-Sat 12pm-12am, Sun 12pm-10pm; Sandyford, Mon-Sun 12pm-10pm; and Swords Pavilions Mon-Thur 12pm-9.30pm; Fri-Sun 12pm-10pm.
Would I order it again?
Yes, it’s as good as ever, and delivers well.
