[gallery td_select_gallery_slide="slide" ids="36218,36219,36217"] Nisma Rafiq Saudi Gazette If you are a fan of classic Indian food, Shezan Restaurant is the place to be. Unofficially known as the center of South Indian food, Shezan has three branches in Jeddah; one at Andalus street, another on Saari street, and a third on Rawdah street. The Andalus branch is wonderfully decorated with a combination and green and white, giving the feeling of entering a traditional, royal doorway. The green neon lights do a great job of attracting families and singles, as the restaurant has both sections. Staff are ready to serve, but the table layout was not up to the mark; there were no basic utensils such as spoon or plates ready on the table, as a waiter brings them over after the order has been placed. Starters offer prawn puri, samosa, different kinds of soups and chicken pakora, a dish of hot, scrumptious boneless chicken dipped in gram flour and deep fried. Mutton and chicken specialties include mutton nilgiri, mutton masala, achar ghost, butter chicken, chicken 65, chicken karahi and chicken tikka masala. They offer a spice scale from ‘not hot' to ‘very spicy' so that everyone can enjoy the food on offer at the intensity they prefer. Butter chicken is a bit too buttery and creamy, whereas tikka masala tastes marvelous when ordered at the ‘very spicy' scale. They also offer a unique variety of sea food dishes as well such as Shezan lobster masala, butter prawn, fried fish and fish curry. The tandoori menu includes mutton tikka, chicken sashlik, and the must-try hot, deliciously rich, satin beef seekh kabab. The shezan special biryani has the right amount of spice and tastes wonderful. In addition they also serve mutton biryani, vegetable biryani, prawn biryani and peas pulao. The sweet section and drinks complete the whole dinning, and everyone should try the mango lassi for a perfect finish to a memorable feast. Despite its good reputation, service gets thumbs down. Dishes are not served properly on suitable plates, meaning food often drips on the tablecloth due to the small plate and bowl sizes. The staff will probably remind you that food may take time to prepare, which can make customers anxious. They also lack friendly and welcoming staff. Prices range between SR45-75, which is a little higher compared to some other Indian restaurants, but as the Spanish proverb says, "the belly rules the mind," so no one has a say in it. Your cravings for South Indian food will guide you to your destination.
