Naples Daily News: ZaZa smokes Mexican food on Marco

Naples Daily News (march 14, 2018) – After dazzling diners with flavorful ramen at Zen Asian BBQ when it launched two years ago, local restaurateur Mike Cardascia has branched out to a fresh city with another fusion cuisine.

Zen is still open in North Naples, but meet its Mexican cousin, ZaZa Kitchen, a Marco Island eatery promoted as a taqueria mixed with Latin fusion street food. ZaZa debuted Feb. 19 in the former space of Kirk’s Coney Island, which closed in November after operating for more than three years in the Olde Marco Square retail strip on Bald Eagle Drive.

Just follow the aroma to ZaZa. The pork, chicken and brisket for its Mexican favorites are slow-cooked for 12 hours in a smokerbehind the restaurant.

“Everything is fresh made all day long,” Cardascia said. “We make guacamole, ceviche, chips fresh all day. No freezer.”

The fajitas added to ZaZa’s lineup last week are already popular, but the top tacos are the smoked brisket and al pastor – pork marinated in achiote spices, guajillo peppers, onions and pineapple.

ZaZa’s tacos ($2.89-$$3.79) are served authentically on soft corn tortillas with cilantro and onions. Other varieties include chicken tinga, carne asada, carnitas, shrimp and grilled or blackened fish.