Tucked away on the corner of Berry Street and McCart Avenue sits Zam Zam Cafe, a small Mediterranean eatery with a surprisingly extensive menu.Zam Zam’s menu offers nearly everything a starving college student is, in fact, starving for – and for a reasonable price.
Co-owner Hossein Tabaei, who previously owned the Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins restaurants that once occupied Zam Zam’s spot, started the restaurant so he could offer more products than the franchises would allow.
“Whatever you like, we have it: breakfast, lunch, dinner, ice cream, smoothies, cappuccino,” Tabaei said. “We serve it all.”
If you’re on a breakfast run, stop in for donuts (59 cents) and coffee (89 cents) – or choose from one of Zam Zam’s omelets ($4-$5). For lunch, try a gyro ($4.99), burger ($2.39) or stick to that New Year’s diet by ordering the Zam Zam salad ($3.19).
Zam Zam is also open for dinner, so when the sun is low, you can enjoy the chicken Parmesan ($4.99) or grilled trout ($6.50).
Zam Zam offers better quality and 30 percent lower prices than its competitors, so TCU students can afford to eat out more often, Tabaei said.
And as far as paying goes, bring your plastic, because Zam Zam Cafe not only offers a 10 percent student discount but also accepts all major credit cards, debit cards, gift cards and, of course, cash, but sorry, no personal checks or bills larger than $20.
As for the ambience, Zam Zam hits the nail on the head when it comes to a small cafe near a college campus.
Its casual atmosphere is brightly decorated in eye-catching colors. The design concept was his own, but Tabaei consulted many friends and restaurant owners to get the perfect touch, he said.
Tabaei said he made sure to decorate the cafe using TCU colors and is excited to fly a TCU flag at the restaurant.
If sporting TCU colors isn’t enough to make you run to support the local cafe, maybe the free wireless Internet that is on its way will lure you in.
Zam Zam Cafe is open daily from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. and will soon offer international groceries as well.
Tabaei said he plans to open the other side of the building in two months. The international grocery store will specialize in Greek, Indian and other ethnic foods.
Tabaei said “zam zam” is a common saying in the Middle East that means “pure water.” Zam Zam Cafe is a little oasis – a small cafe that has the potential to be a tasty and affordable hangout for TCU students.