Zayaka Indian Cuisine - Raleigh

Murky daal, murky customer experience. Ordered simple daal and roti for take out. Picked up order without issue only to later find that the container was only 1/2 full. Further, the daal was watery and tasteless. When called regarding the issue, I was offered a complimentary daal to be picked up. I requested they deliver. 1 hour later, the Manager, Dolly (who I later find is actually not the Manager but helps with delivery brings the daal to my home. She presented herself professionally, took responsibility and stated we missed the mark. But, then she returns to my home (past 10:30 pm now! to pick up the old daal to show to the Chef. When asked how is she going to correct this situation/experience, she offers a refund and a call back the next day by noon w/ feedback from the Chef. No call back, no refund. I call 1 week later to check in regarding the feedback, I am then routed to call the Owner. Owner Kashev acknowledges that the daal was not made to their quality standards and the container (which he has still kept in the refrigerator eek! was in fact not filled appropriately either. When asked why did he not call me the next day with an explanation or apology, he responds he was too busy. When asked about the refund that was offered by his manager , he asks me if I genuinely felt it was needed now. Further, he says his system cannot do refunds, you may return to pick up your check. I decline the check as I perceived that he genuinely felt it was not warranted since they were able to remake it (he says he made it himself the second time . All I wanted was an apology, for them to follow through on their statements, and know that in the future quality will be assured. Zayka and their management missed the mark several times I gave them ample opportunity to correct the simple mistake and each time they blundered.

The food is the blandest Indian food I ever had anywhere in the Triangle. Service was spotty at best. Even though I took great care to point out we had an Open Table reservation and needed to be checked in properly, it didn't happen and I had to contact Open Table for a correction.

Going to Zayka, we knew from reading previous reviews that we would be waiting, so we went there for our Valentine dinner. Our Samosas were served 45 minutes after being seated, and our meal 1h and 20 minutes later. The food was delicious and we will definitely return at a less busy time.

We were early birds at the restaurant, but we were made welcome and given an extensive menu to browse through. We tried the mixed appetizer, which was well cooked. We then had the beef Biryani and chick pea curry. Both were very good. Service was pleasant and efficient. Overall, we enjoyed our Indian experience very much.

For those who aren't familiar with Indian cuisine, most dishes are vegetarian, though not exclusively. They don't serve beef, but lamb and goat are on the menu, along with chicken and fish. Many dishes, like spinach paneer, are meat-free but still packed with flavor, satisfying, and a great deal—the two buffets only cost $30!