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Family food review: Zeera Indian Restaurant

About Us: We’re a Persian-inspired family, passionate about exploring diverse cuisines and sharing our delightful food adventures.

Zeera restaurant in South Shields

Find out what we thought of Zeera Restaurant in South Shields

As those of you with fellow little humans will appreciate, it’s often easier to order a baby-friendly takeaway pizza for dinner than tackle toddler tantrums in a public place eating out. It’s a very different picture on home turf in Iran where mamans and babas (mums and dads) do not shout or get frustrated with their little sidekicks. Toddlers eat adult meals rather than fish fingers and chips and chucking their dinners around is a no-no.

Keen to discover the secrets of success, H and I decided to take our toddler out to the award-winning Zeera Indian Restaurant in South Shields which has earned plenty of plaudits over the years for its cuisine.

Now fast and casual are usually the two words H and I usually associate with dining when our toddler has had no sleep all day, but sometimes we just want the food we eat to taste good too. We were met on arrival at Zeera by Shah Choudhury, the restaurant’s friendly managing director and he was quick to show us to our table.

Now this is very important when dining with small children in a den of temptation which can prove ripe for toddler tantrums. Tasty treats Now you don’t get colouring books and crayons at this exclusive Indian establishment, but little C is an adventurous eater and did get plenty of little dishes brimming with tasty treats.

Think Poppadoms, Mango Chutney and Mixed Pickles and then a starter size portion of Chicken Tikka. Our pint-sized partner in crime was prepared to try everything. With so many options, there were a few palate-pleasers – particularly the sweet Mango Chutney, which was in his words ‘very tasty’.

As for the space, it was open and opulent and it’s great for parents who want to throw back a couple of glasses of wine. The Montepulciano D’Abruzzo DOP Colle Cavalieri, Cantina Tollo 2016 comes highly recommended! Although I had a Diet Coke as I was driving. Super king prawns H and I ordered our starters.

I opted for the warming Garlic Mushroom on Puri, while H chose the fiery Neembu Chingri. A beautiful special dish, these were super king prawns prepared in a spicy hot sauce, flavoured with tangy lemon, naga chilli, tomatoes, peppers and garlic.

Both dishes were probably the best we have tasted in terms of Indian cuisine for some time and we were really looking forward to our mains. H ordered Adraki Dhaniya Lamb, Pilau Rice and a soft and huge Plain Nan. A North Indian dish of cubed lamb, soft on the tongue and rich and delicious with slow-cooked with spices, infused with pickled ginger which gave it a kick, green chillies and whole roasted crushed dhaniya seeds, garnished with fresh coriander. Mix of spice My mains was a hot contender to H’s.

The Chicken Karahi dish was cooked to perfection with a special mix of spice, including garlic, ginger and coriander. It went splendidly with the Mushroom Pilau Rice and Peshwari Nan, although one Nan would have been sufficient.

Rafael and the waiting team impressed us with their care and attentiveness throughout our visit. This was particularly evident when little C had run out of poppadoms and cranberry juice and needed refuelling. No one was fazed when he started playing with my napkin ring. Although I was probably the only one who noticed!

The restaurant certainly lives up to its reputation with a great variety of dishes. It proved to be a prime spot for our mini-me and we will most certainly be back for more. The bill was a reasonably priced £69.70. It was a date-night where little C could eat (and play) while we dined in peace (almost). A great place to take family and friends. 10/10

Top 5 Family Tips for dining at Zeera Indian Restaurant:

  1. Arrive early to secure a comfortable spot for your family. Beating the dinner rush ensures a relaxed dining experience, giving little ones plenty of space to explore new flavours.
  2. Request a “Tiny Taster Platter” for your adventurous little eater. Zeera’s friendly staff is happy to create a special assortment of kid-friendly delights, introducing your toddler to the world of Indian cuisine.
  3. Bring along your toddler’s favourite sippy cup and snacks for the little moments between courses. Zeera’s accommodating staff is more than happy to assist with refills and treats to keep your tiny diner content.
  4. Pack a small, quiet toy or distraction for moments when little ones need a break. While Zeera isn’t equipped with colouring books, a familiar toy is worth taking along.
  5. Conclude your meal with a shared dessert. Zeera’s dessert menu offers delights that both adults and kids will enjoy. Share a sweet ending to your family feast and create lasting memories.
Family dining
Dishes served at Zeera Restaurant
Lamb shank at Zeera restaurant

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Saffron and Cyrus is a Newcastle-based family lifestyle blog, covering health, wellness, days out, travel, reviews, recipes and more from our family life.
The blog is written by new mum over 40, Aranda, with input from hubby H and son, Little C.

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9 Comments

  1. Cristina Petrini
    March 29, 2019 / 9:42 am

    The dishes seem really delicious and besides I like to try different cuisines and this Indian seems made with care.

  2. Samantha
    March 30, 2019 / 2:17 am

    I can’t wait to have kiddos some day. This place has a very modern atmosphere and looks like it has great food!

  3. Brittany F
    March 30, 2019 / 3:31 am

    This place looks like it has creative and delicious food. It always makes me happy to find a friendly place for my toddler to go.

  4. Natalia
    March 30, 2019 / 8:54 am

    I don’t have kids, but I’d love to have them in the future. It’s great when we can take them to the restaurant to enjoy our time spent together. Everything looks so yummy here! 🙂

  5. Cindy Ingalls
    March 31, 2019 / 5:57 pm

    My parents always encouraged us to try different foods when we were little. It wasn’t always a success, but I do appreciate that sense of adventure as an adult.

  6. Courtney Buechle
    April 1, 2019 / 3:16 pm

    This is so funny, my boyfriend and I were just joking about this last night. Saying since I hat veggies our kids probably would too. Such great tips here!

  7. April 1, 2019 / 4:40 pm

    We have super adventurous eaters too. But one of our way to ensure they’d eat everything was to never compromise. There is one meal cooked at each meal period, and if you don’t eat, you’ll run hungry…

  8. pooja Malkani
    August 3, 2019 / 6:53 am

    my son is very picky when it comes to food… this is great to know. We do encourage him to eat anything but still he doesn’t experiment

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