Ziga Zaga - Grand Hyatt Hotel

Address: 2F No.2 Songshou Rd, Xinyi District, Taipei .  信義區松壽路2號2樓

Telephone: (02)2720-1200 Ext: 3198 or 3199

Hours: Tues-Thurs: 6:00PM-1:00AM ; Fri-Sat: 6:00PM-2:00AM (after 9:30 they stop dinner service)

When my mom first told me where to go, I was certain that (sorry mom) I simply didn't understand what she had just said because of her somewhat flawed English pronunciation skills.  As it turned out, it was a combination of that and the weird nature of the name itself.  I'm not sure exactly what zigging and zagging have to do with an Italian restaurant, but at the very least, the name will surely be memorable.

Ziga Zaga is an upscale Italian eatery/bar/club located on the second floor of the posh Grand Hyatt Hotel in Taipei's Xinyi District.  It was this venue that I found myself on a Monday night.. a night that they are typically unavailable to the public.  We were here celebrating some birthdays, and the joint was rented out to serve that purpose.

Trust me when I say that my main motivation in attending was to snap up pictures of the food while only occasionally listening to what the party goers had to say.  Let's get to it.

 The booths were lovely and very comfortable and offered nice views out into the city.

 Part of a nice dessert station set up along the bar.  Macaroons.  Small, but packed some delightful flavors.  Pop them easily handfuls at a time.

First course.  Some carpaccio.  I thought it was a bit heavy in the use of the olive oil and lacked a lil bit of flavor.  Some more citrus would have been nice.  Goes well with the bread to soak up some of the oil.

The food that I had here during this special occasion seems to be an accurate representation of the type of choices that are typically offered at Ziga Zaga.  It's casual Italian cuisine that has all the necessities that one would expect.  Appetizers, soups, pizzas, pastas, and a selection of proteins are available on the menu.  I felt that our preset menu (except for a few choices) gave me a relatively clear picture of what one could expect at Ziga Zaga on a nightly basis.

 Warm salt cod, potato brandade, and roasted peppers.

Calamari.

Pumpkin Soup.

It seemed to me that the flavor profile used by the chef here at Ziga Zaga is one that is not too heavy, and instead they like to let the textures of the food be the main attraction instead of over spicing the food.  I'm one that is partial to a slightly heavier handed use of flavoring, so I found the food to be a little on the bland side.  But I realize that not everyone shares the same opinion as me on this, so I felt it prudent to state that I did find the smells and visuals of the food to be intoxicating, and the aforementioned texture of many of the dishes such as the calamari were right in line with what one would expect.  

Of the three dishes above, I enjoyed the cod the most, and definitely found the other two to be lacking a little pop.

 Really enjoyed the pasta.  It was cooked al dente, and the chewiness of the pasta was fantastic.  

 I believe this was the first pizza I had since returning to Taiwan.  I would simply say that it was just okay.  I was very happy to sit there and eat it.  But i found the pie to be a little limp and the crust a bit substandard.  It was a perfectly fine pizza, but not a great representation of the pizza i would expect to find in Italy.

Ziga Zaga is a very large space that comes equipped with a stage for live acts and a dance floor for you to burn off those calories.  Typically the transformation from formal dining establishment to bar/club occurs at around 9:30PM.  The decor has a very modern feel, and the large and very clean kitchen is in view from the main dining room area.  I must say that the service we had was exemplary and they were both extremely attentive and at the same time amazingly friendly.  If these are the servers who typically work at Ziga Zaga, then you won't be disappointed by the level of customer care that you receive.  

 Risotto entree.  One of the three options presented.  In my opinion was just average.  Like a lot of risottos, it was very rich, but I felt it was lacking a little in flavor and could've used a few more ingredients to spice it up.

 Fish dish with potatoes, olives and tomatoes.  Fish was cooked very well, but like most things.. was a bit on the bland side.

Beef dish that was one of the three options available.  Didn't get to try this one.

As you might expect of a restaurant located at the Grand Hyatt, the prices are a little bit inflated for the food that you receive.  I am unaware of the cost for the evening that we enjoyed, but looking at the menu, you can expect to pay 400NT and up for appetizers/soups/pastas/salads, and 800NT and up for entrees.  In terms of Taiwan prices, these price tags can be considered to be astronomical.

But that should surprise no one, as the people who dine here are typically businessmen who are in town briefly or vacation seekers who might not be aware of cheaper fare out in the city.  It is a place to mingle with others who have probably reached a certain age and level of status in life, and people under 30 will most likely find other places to dine or partake in a drink.  

Ziga Zaga isn't for everyone and I highly doubt that I would have ever stumbled onto it if it weren't for this one time event.  I thought the food was well done, but definitely on the bland side.  As always, the ultimate litmus test is if I can immediately see myself returning, and for Ziga Zaga I would have to say that a return trip is most definitely not imminent. There is a lot to like at this restaurant, but I just don't believe I am located in its prime demographic.  Take that for what it's worth.

Overall Ziga Zaga receives: 

-Til Next Time-