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Mon-Thu. 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 5:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sun. 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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My sweet friend, Bonnie suggested this place when we're looking for dinner. She did her homework well when I was at my conference. She said that this place was in Dine Seattle and had the pre fix meal... SWEET.... So, after running around in the rain coming back from the space needle and gotten my socks wet, we decided to walk here.
We came here on a Monday night. The girl in the front asked if we had reservation. We didn't. She asked if we're okay to eat at the bar... HHmm.. I guess so after eyeing at least 5 empty tables in the dining area....
So, we sat down at the bar, and ordered the 3 for $30 meal. My friend had the salad + steelhead + ginger molasses cake. I had the gnudi, whole hog, and the pineapple sorbet. Let me tell you about gnudi. It was soooo good. I had no idea such thing existed. Our bartender described them as warm cheeseballs soaked with orange marmalade and beet emulsion. The whole hog was good too, but I couldn't get over the gnudi.... ha ha... My friend's steelhead was really good. She let me have a bite. The skin was crispy and yummy.
Our bartender, Lucas, was very knowledgeable about the food and wine. He was also very friendly and chatty. He was just awesome. I would definitely come here again. As we were leaving, we saw all the tables that were empty earlier has been filled. On a Monday night!! I guess you DO need a reservation here...
The best part of dining at Restaurant Zoe was watching a gaggle of earnest activists protest the chef's serving of foie gras. The plucky do-gooders held up scathing signs towards the windows and played presumably disturbing images of geese and ducks being force fed on their laptops. (I wasn't close enough to see the details, but I assume they were gruesome). And they have a point. Viciously jamming corn down the throats of birds is ridiculous. There's really no excuse for that. Nor is there an excuse for serving it.
Sadly, the joykill owners brought the show to an end by wrapping brown paper across the storefront window, blocking the view. It's too bad, the huge windows are the one part of this space that aren't ruined by the aimless, eclectic design that immediately dates this room to the dark year of 2003. The place is, frankly, a mangled aesthetic nightmare, marred by a staggering lack of creativity, complete with cheesy blown glass light fixtures and iron work that wouldn't be out of place in a fern bar. Hopefully, the food won't be so uninspired ....
When they're not torturing geese and bankrolling the veil industry, it's all about the pig at Restaurant Zoe. (Ugh). A little variety on the menu would have been quite welcome. What a painful cliche that everything tastes better with pork. They even put pork sauce on their one fish dish, which is unforgivable considering that their menu is dominated by four-legged beasts. It would be helpful to give people who don't want pig, veal or beef an unadulterated alternative. A little originality would go a long way with their ill-conceived and uneven menu.
Meanwhile, I'm shocked at the praise for the gnudi. Dry and sickly sweet, it was essentially inedible. We left half of it on the plate. The pear salad - again with the ham - was adequate, although the pears were somewhat bland. The steelhead with rissotto was actually rather tasty (even without the bacon vinaigrette) and highly recommended. Meanwhile, the service was excellent. Our waitress was the one consistent bright spot.
All in all, though, I doubt I'd go back. There are a so many great restaurants in the big city and Zoe has a lot of catching up to do before it can even be called one of the good ones.
I have been a loyal patron for years and I stopped going to Zoe about a year ago after they served me a piece of fat that they called pork belly. I decided to go back again because there were signs of the restaurant is coming back. I have to say what a disappointment!
The baby lettuces salad is just OK. The short rib is fork tender but has no beefy taste. It seems like they over braised the short rib and all the flavor are gone. The gingerbread cake has a hard shell on it and the texture is off. Chef Scott is at the restaurant tonight as the owner/host. To be honest, I rather see him at the kitchen cooking to make sure the food come out correctly.
One major plus is the service is A++ as usual and the wine is always good.
For this visit, I gave 4 stars for the service and one star for the food. That averages to 2.5 star.
Came here last night for my birthday. I had only previously been once before and proclaimed it my favorite restaurant in Seattle. I was very impressed by the whole experience. I'm sure the other reviews cover the positives so I'll do top 10 reasons/small details/reason to come here to keep it short and impactful:
10) 3 for $30
9) Slyly added ice to everyone's water glasses upon request
8) Prices aren't in the stratosphere
7) Very knowledgeable waitstaff
6) Great atmosphere
5) Very accomodating of special requests
4) No nickel & diming
3) Rich taste without overdoing it
2) Desserts to die for
and the number one reason to come to Restaurant Zoe:
Gnudi
I had the cauliflower soup which was great and the lamb which was very good. The lamb was incredibly over salted and I didn't card for the potatoes it was served with. However, the quality of the food is definitely excellent but I wasn't blown away by this meal to give it 5 stars.
The food is OK, the location is very good. The married owners are a split: one is nice, one is less nice. The setting is OK.
The bottom line is that dining here is fine, but no big. After many visits, that's the skinny on Rest Zoë.
Don't get me wrong. I would give a 3 and half stars if I could.
Service definitely deserved 5 STARS. Our server Chris was simply perfect. You can't get anyone better than Chris. He was attentive, informative, funny, witty, helpful and professional. Restaurant Zoe is fortunate to have Chris has an employee.
Food is definitely a 3 stars quality. We were more impressed with the appetizers than entree. We had beef tongue, which was the best dish of the night. It was moist, tender and perfectly seasoned. The entrees were not bad, but they were not great either. The scallop was good, the lamb loin was a bit on the tough side, and the hog we definitely under seasoned and dry.
I would go back just to give them a second chance. After all, we all need a second chance.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am pleased to announce that my favourite gnudi are back on the menu! Tender, creamy, delicious gnudi in beet with orange peel marmalade and tarragon sauce. *gulp*
As a gnudi freak, I officially state that these gnudi are the best gnudi out off all the gnudi creations by the genius Chef.
Also, my favourite drink La Pommette is back on the menu. Not that I cared much when it was gone, the bartender still made it; but I, feeling suddenly altruistic, want to hint to the newcomers that this is what you should get.
And, if you're feeling indecisive about the main dish - get the steelhead on the bed of pear salad.
All of the above guarantees sending your taste buds on a short, but memorable trip to heaven.
Zoe is my kind of place from head to toes. First of all I'm really proud that I discovered Zoe all… Read more »
Everything was great, except the food flavor.
We had three dishes and they all tasted exactly the same and it was a wired flavor that left my wife with a bad after taste (she had to get some tea at home to remove it)...looks like the chef found a combination with squab, olive oil and somethign else that he just had to shove into every dish without any contrasts. Too bad, the place is perfect in every other way, and the meat was cooked perfectly.
I also suggest you avoid the the pork belly appetizer, it was in the borderline of delicius and you want to puke because its pure fat.... we coudnt finish it and we love bacon and derivates....
Zoe is a fun restaurant in a fun part of town (Belltown) with a great menu. I ordered a cheesy (in a good way) mushroom risotto and savored every last bite. The bread with sea salt was so tasty! I ended with a chocolate crepe. Every bite of that was a pleasure, too.
The wine list is pricey, but we ordered the cheapest pinot noir on the wine list. It was fine - not the best pinot noir I've ever had, but it served its purpose.
This is one of my favorite restaurants. Other than being the place where I have gone with close friends or significant others, I love the food, service and atmosphere at Zoe.
The last few times I went I had the whole hog(which was pig/boar prepared in a way that I can't describe but was delicious), lamb loin(this was a bit of a miss as the flavor wasn't really there) and the diver scallops(perfectly cooked). In addition to the main entrees, the kitchen will send out small bites or random things they construct(last time was a gazpacho and a small oyster shooter thingy). BUT THE BREAD. I think it comes from the Columbia bakery; wherever it comes from, I have to restrain myself from going to the main table in the center of the restaurant and serving myself.
Overall a great restaurant and a Belltown gem away from the main 1st ave strip and all the bustle. Go with a significant other or a few good friends, order a bottle of wine and have a great time. Now to walk by and ask the hostess where the bread comes from...
So delicious! I underestimated the size of the dishes (for some reason I thought they would be tiny). My husband and I ordered two appetizers: the coriander seared tuna and the fois gras. I was stuffed after the appetizers! Admittedly, the fois gras is really rich and it came in a huge slab (like a slice of pate). I think one appetizer between us would have been perfect.
They also brought three surprise mini courses between our orders. That's always a fun surprise. I loved the wild boar pappardelle. My beluga lentil salad was amazing and quite rich. Loved the chantarelles in that salad too!
Their drinks are really tasty (even their non-alcoholic drinks; try the Clear Conscience for a fresh, clean tasting drink). The bartender was super great, and was happy to help us figure out some drinks to make with some new liquor we brought home.
Zoë is my all time fave. They got me at the Bombay Cooler. This is where I go on my birthday. Nuff said.
dinner tonight here was nothing short of spectacular.
after going through 4 different restaurant choices, i finally decided on restaurant zoe for date night with my boyfriend. despite having early reservations at 5PM, the ambience was still romantic, even though the sun was still high in the sky. our server Derek was fantastic and offered great details on some of the more vague menu items.
our meal consisted of the baby organic salad, pumpkin risotto, a dish called "the whole hog," an order of the scallops, and a side of brussel sprouts. as starters, the salad and risotto were both generously portioned and delicious. our server also periodically brought over little mini "bonus" treats including a tasty amuse bouche, a pumpkin soup intermezzo, and two mini biscotti (after we paid the tab).
the scallops are simply perfect. the top and bottom are seared just enough to offer a slight firmness, but the scallop itself is soft (not chewy), and melts in your mouth. their dessert menu looks equally decadent, although the both of us were way too full to consider ordering anything else.
until further notice, this is my new favourite "special occasion" restaurant, and i'll definitely be back.
The setting totally reminds me of my favorite little South End finds from Boston. We came here for our final group dinner in Seattle. The space isn't huge, but it can accommodate a large party well, and it's not so quiet that we felt like we disturbing other patrons.
We started out with an amuse bouche of tuna and fresh tomato on crostini - good hearty texture and balance of tart and savory. We also had a butternut squash puree soup in a cute espresso cup - with just a bit of sea salt from the table, it was really smooth. The focaccia is also really good with the olive oil, balsamic, and sea salt.
For starters, I had the crab salad, which was nice, fresh lump meat crab (a lot of claw meat still whole), lightly dressed, over mache and on top of a brioche crouton. The citrus sauce had a slight hint of honey and was really light, so it complemented the dish well. I opted out of the accompanying melon that the dish usually comes with.
For my entree, I got the full size portion of the risotto. It had lots of hearty lobster and trumpet mushrooms, a generous portion of sharp cheese, and the rice was not mushy for once. I enjoyed it a lot. I also tried the paparadelle with pork bolognese, which was fresh - I love the texture of fresh pasta. The veal was a bit fatty (the waiter had warned us beforehand), and it's mostly breast. It's tender, but it didn't blow me away. The accompanying root vegetables were sweet and not overpowered by the sauce, but they weren't spectacular. Other dishes ordered at the table included the short rib, salmon, and cod. Everyone seemed to enjoy their dishes, but I think the portions may have been a bit small for the guys.
There are lots of super reasonable bottles of wine for around $30, including a crisp and fruity French Viognier, perfect with seafood, and a very light Pinot Noir - almost translucent, very smooth.
The server definitely knew the menu well, and water was refilled quickly. The whole atmosphere is very unpretentious. We decided to skip out on dessert, but there was a nice chocolate brownie bite that perfectly satisfied my sweets craving (on the house).
Overall, great for a group of 10. Nothing super spectacular and unique on the menu, but I enjoyed the experience
This is one of my top favorite restaurants in the country. Exactly one year later and I was able to go back for another glorious meal (we live in Atlanta).
This trip I had the Wild Salmon served with corn and local heirlooms as the base. I'm pretty sure it had a little pork belly in it. Which, hello, I never met a pork belly I didn't like. It was fabulous. I really wanted to try the Beef Short Rib and the Wild Boar Pappardelle too. It was definitely a hard decision.
My daughter and stepdaughter had the Gnudi and it was super good. They ordered a side of the Corn and Heirlooms also. We couldn't get enough of the stuff.
The Amuse Bouche was a Polenta and Pepper bite that was pretty good. I will say their summer soup tasting stole the show though. Yellow Tomato and Cantaloupe served chilled... mmmm... perfect for a warm summer evening.
When it was time for dessert, we couldn't decide. We shared the Blueberry Crepe dish that featured corn in the crepe. I was expecting a cornmeal style crepe. In other words, adding more texture, etc. This had chunks of corn in it. It was strange and totally didn't work to me. It was served with a Panna Cotta and fresh blueberries. The Panna Cotta lacked depth. All in all I felt like the dessert lacked the components of being a perfect dessert if just a few things could have been "tweaked". It needed that crispness and a little more flavor.
We really wanted to try the Pots de Creme, but the featured was raspberry (which isn't my favorite).
Service, as always, was fabulous. I definitely enjoyed having a nice later dinner on a Sunday here when it has more of a "neighborhood" feel to it vs. the high energy of a Friday or Saturday. I can't wait to come back again and again. Congrats Seattle, you have a real gem of a place here.
Now, I just need to check my calendar and see when I can fly cross-country again.
My husband and I (and our 7 month old daughter) were visiting the Pacific NW last week. We got into… Read more »
While in Seattle this past weekend, we dined at Zoe with our friends from Mercer Island. And what a fantastic experience it was. It seems like the high end restaurant biz is better in Seattle than Portland, because the place was packed. Despite that we were seated at exactly our reservation time. The service was impeccable, and the food was eclectic and delicious. The Star Pear salad was one of the best salads I've eaten in a long time. All four of us had a great meal, and when we return to Seattle Restaurant Zoe will be on the itinerary
The Food here brought music to my ears...11 months after our visit we still can't stop thinking about and talking about the Fresh Ricotta Gnudi.
***Memorable***
*Worth the trip
*Great Food & Wine
*Attention to detail
*Elegant Ambiance but not frou frou (I wore jeans & a nice top)
*Highly recommend:
Fresh Ricotta Gnudi, Wild boar bolognese
Not a food expert but I think Gnudi should be classified as its own food group :) We couldn't quite describe how good it was and what we were experiencing. Silence is required when experiencing this dish. It melted like butter in your mouth but it had a slight crisp to it, the flavors were just divine. We loved it so much that we ordered more.
So what's the fuss all about? Is it OK? Yes. Is it wonderful? No. Does it deserve all these 4-5 ratings? Absolutely if value and delicious food take a back seat to an "in" place.
If I hadn't ordered lamb, I wouldn't have known the salty pink meat I was served was indeed lamb. It was tasteless. Whatt there was of veggies were lukewarm. My wife loved the Oregon black cod but considering it was about 5 oz served on a bed of non-descript greens for $30, it was more appropriate as an appy than a main course. Felt rushed because our total bill for 2 was only going to be about $120-turn those tables right boys?
The best part of the dinner was the martinis and the wine-never a good sign if you call yourself a restaurant rather than a bar. Why was this place packed? I have no idea other than everyone is reading the reviews here that are obviously being left by people who think "in" is more important than value.
This place is 5 stars there is no doubt.
The flavors and preparations are awesome. Our meal rolled out like this.
Wine and Cocktails
Basalmic and Foccacia for the Table: Awesome presentation, really well put together mixture of oil and basalmic with sea salt. The foccacia was awesome.
Salmon Tar Tar Amuse Bouche: Awesome pallet cleanser which include sashimi style salmon and cream fraiche. Would have liked it as an appetizer.
Nudi, and Dungeness Caneloni: Nudi is a wonderful texture dumpling that sort of melts in your mouth, was glad to have tried it but the dungeoness plate was really where it was at. Came with a mushroom reduction type of sauce that really hit the spot.
Coliflower Almond Soup: Served Chilled, another great pallet cleaner, very clean and fresh, the candied fruits and almonds were a nice touch.
Beef Shortrib for me Veal for my guest: My beef shortrib was as tender as meat can get, and not overly stringy. It was dripping with moisture and wonderful to eat. I enjoyed it and the accompanying blue cheese salad a great deal. My guest loved his veal and the presentation was one of the most strikingly vibrant veggie presentations I have ever seen. Golden Beets, Red Beets, Artichokes, Onions and Carrot Puree. Closest thing to art I have seen on a plate.
No Dessert
Service was great, prices were good. My only reservation comes from the fact that I am a 6'4 tall guy with a BIG appetite. Therefore, although I enjoy the flavors of fine dining a great deal, but I never leave these places feeling full. The portion sizes were small (for me), but not small for this genre of establishment. It will keep me from raving on and on about the place though because there is an equivalence between my overall sense of satisfaction and being "full."
Full I was not, but happy with my meal I was. Great gem for Seattle, top 10 culinary experience for sure.
And here I am again, breaking up the monotony of high reviews for Zoe. Came here for my (first) birthday dinner this year with a good buddy of mine, and ordered a private danzka and sage magarita for drinks, lamb loin and boar bolognese for entrees, and raspberry pot de creme for dessert. And while we didn't order this ourselves, one of the waiters came by and asked us if we wanted the seared tuna appetizer that another table had mistakenly ordered - and of course, who would say no to that :)
The drinks were great, the seared tuna was awesome (the softness of the raw tuna against the crunch of the side seared with sesame seeds was a neat contrast), and the lamb loin was good. Unfortunately, the boar bolognese tasted an awful lot like Hamburger Helper. Now, don't get me wrong, I love Hambuger Helper, but it's not the kind of dish one expects at this sort of restaurant. And neither of us were fans of the tomato cantaloupe soup. Dessert was pretty good as well, the rich smooth creme pairing well with the chocolate chip cookies (more like brownies, though I wish they'd been as soft).
Atmosphere was nice, service was great, no wait with the reservation we made, and prices were as expected for a place like this. Giving Zoe 3.5 stars because, while the food is good, I'm not convinced it's worth the price.
Based on some previous reviews and the restaurant menu, I decided this would be a perfect place to have a romantic dinner during our honeymoon.
The restaurant is located among other local eateries and bars along a beautiful tree-lined street. When my husband and I walked in, we were immediately greeted by a friendly host and were seated within a dim and nicely decorated interior.
Our server (wished I remembered his name--he worked on 4/24/09 around 9pm) was very knowledgeable of the menu items, and he was friendly and energetic. He's definitely someone who should be one of the judges on The Iron Chef show!
On to the food...
The server highly recommended the Wild Boar Bolognese with arugula pappardelle. I was hesitant at first, especially since wild boars are hideous creatures. Anyway, I felt like being on the wild side myself, so I ordered it. OMG, it was very flavorful with the right amount of spice in the sauce. The meat had a slight gamey taste to it which complemented the sauce. Each bite went well with the fresh pasta.
We also enjoyed the beef tongue dish to our surprise. The meat was so soft and tender that it felt like biting into a small cloud of cotton candy.
The slightly crispy pork belly was a delight as well. It came with a drizzle of sweet fruity sauce and dried fruit.
I'd have to say that this restaurant currently tops my list! A++.
Everything about Zoë is delicious, just don't order too much because it'll fill you up.
The atmosphere is open and breazy with tons of light.
The food is good from the starters (foie gras w/ cherries, tuna w/ cucumber and broth) which filled us up to the entrees which pushed us over the edge (short ribs w/ watercress, fennel salad and wild boar bolognese).
I also like that they give little plates here and there between courses to keep you happy.
Also, the cocktails are really good and unique. I had the Wolfhound a little lychee and rum number.
Delicious, delicious, delicious and very attentive and friendly staff.
Try the wild boar bolognese, it is amazing! To drink I had one of their non-alcoholic drinks (as I was trying to recover from a nasty cold). I forgot the name but it is has cucumber, soda and lime and is served shaken in a martini glass with a slice of Persian cucumber ;-)
For desert, oh yeahhhhh, my all favorite desert I have had in a long time (and I do eat desert frequently as I have a sweet tooth): the thin crepes with fresh blueberries and THYME !!!! panacotta (did I write that correctly?). Anyway, a dream, it is a kind of slightly savory and sweet combination and the crepes are oh so delicious. Yum!!!
Absolutely pleased from start to finish! The decor is fun, clean and swanky. We made reservations, which I recommend but we were warmly greeted and immediately shown to our table. The server was knowledgeable and friendly and made the dining experience fun. Our server brought by a sample of a cold vegetable soup that was pretty tasty and cracker with shredded rabbit meat that wasn't too bad for Thumper!
I ordered the bolognese- it was the best yet. Freshly prepared wide noodles with a hearty wild boar sauce- delish! My BF ordered the Beef short rib, it was so tender the meat fell off the bone and the flavor was finger lickin' good!
I would highly recommend this place for a fun and romantic night!
Naked, drizzled in orange sauce with a beet reduction....Does it get any more perfect than this?
Than ricotta gnudi, anyway....Gnudi is naked gnocchi, meaning pillowy sweet fresh ricotta without the potato starch shell, left to sit on its own long enough to form its own tender barely-there crust. Several little rounds of this decadent treat, every mouthful a delicate explosion of subtle textures and rich, bright flavors on the palate. One of the nicest things I've ever done for anyone was to order this for the man, and only take a tiny half-bite leaving the rest for him to savor. It was all I could do to restrain myself....
And then temptation and perfection reappeared for dessert, in the guise of a peanut butter brownie covered in gold-flecked banana ice cream drizzled with caramel sauce. Again, I ordered it for him. Again, I savored two tiny bites, the salty sweetness such a perfect culinary pairing.
Again, I cursed myself for being so generous.
Now you know, if I take you to Restaurant Zoe, and bite my lip while I watch you indulge in such perfect little plates, that can only be my way of saying you are special enough for me to keep my appetite in check. This once, anyway....
Zoe's is delicious, with a young, hip vibe. While I'm as carnivorous as the next guy, Zoe's is that too-uncommon restaurant that does vegetables well. As an appetizer I had a ramp torte -- ramp is like a spinachy, garlicky leafy-green vegetable. The ramp was sauted and mixed with a creamy sauce, and baked under a light crust. Delicious. I also sampled my wife's beet, arugula and citrus salad, which also was really good -- e.g., they kept the dressing simple, an olive oil / citrus zest dressing, that allowed the flavor of the underlying vegetables and fruit to really jump out.
I had the fresh-made papardelle with boar bolognese sauce -- in honor of this swine flu "pandemic" that people are fussing about ... and because, well, fresh pasta is one of those things that's great to get at a restaurant b/c it's just a pain in the butt to make at home. I also sampled my wife's halibut dish. Besides making halibut (usually a bland fish) yummy, they dressed it up with rough-mashed peas that were really fresh-tasting. Again, the vegetables really stood out.
Throughout the meal, they provided little "amuse bouches" and even a sample triple-creme cheese with candied cherries. Finally, the wait staff was extremely knowledgeable and you could tell that our waitress really enjoyed food, as well! (Thank you, Keri! And kudos to you, too, Carlos!)
It's pricey, but still a bargain because the food is really good. Enjoy!
A no-brainer.
By far the best meal and service we had while on our Pacific Northwest trip!
For starters, hubby and I had the Shaved Green Asparagus salad and the Fresh Ricotta Gnudi. We picked the gnudi based on all the yelpers reviews. My husband enjoyed, but I actually ended up liking the asparagus better. The salad was fresh, crisp, clean and very tasty.
For our main dishes we had the Spicy Wild Boar Bolognese and the Painted Hills Beef Short Rib. Absolutely loved both dishes! The bolognese was very flavorful and rich. The short rib was cooked to perfection where if you stick it with a fork the meat just falls right off.
And finally, my fav part of meals dessert! The waiter recommended the chocolate brownie ice cream bar. If you're a chocolate fan you will definitely enjoy thing. The chocolate ice cream was covered in a hard chocolate cover shell wasn't really sweet, but very creamy and there was a fudge brownie bottom to it that was the sugary part. The salty caramel that was drizzled around it made a nice contrast. I think we would have tried one of the other desserts instead. Nicely done, but maybe it was just not our thing.
The waiter was super friendly and nice and asked if we would like a replacement dessert since we didn't fully enjoy the one we had. We will definitely be going back if we're ever in Seattle again!
I had no idea where Okanagan is, so i decided to try the Okanagan Steelhead. I assumed it was a local area where this steelhead was from.
So its the area from the Columbia river to the Snake river, duh!!! And where the f**k is that for us ignorant Californians, British Columbia!!!!!! This steelhead salmon was simply marvelous. Rarely do you find the skin featured on the top, if you like the skin.
Some friends and I came to eat here before seeing Tony Bourdain and Mario Batali at the Paramount. Earlier in the week we were discussing where we wanted to dine before the show, and somewhat on a whim I randomly chose Restaurant Zoe.
Service was great. Adam, the bartender, kept us entertained while we waited for the rest of our party to show up. I recommend the Private Danzka - very good on a hot day.
A lot of reviews are mentioning the ricotta gnudi, and I must concur, it's really very good. For dinner I had the braised beef short rib (always a favorite) and it was wonderful. Perfectly done - very tender, but not liquefied.
I look forward to coming back!
Remember when you turned 25? That quarter century mark was a big deal, so what better place to treat a friend for that "entree" into true adulthood. I'd heard a lot of great things about Restaurant Zoe, so thought it was time to check it out on this special occasion, and treat my friend.
Everything looked fabulous! Wonderful presentations.
But... with one exception, the food felt uninspired somehow. The potato soup was a bit gritty, and not incredibly flavorful. The octopus appetizer was strange, with a meaty texture, but surrounded by a kind of charred crust -- not burned, but it was a bit strange. The oxtail was delicious, but it's hard to do a bad oxtail. The pork loin entree was good, and melded well with the vegetables and sauce surrounding it, but it lacked a certain inspiration -- kind of a standard dish around Seattle right now, too. I felt like I've had it before, ya know?
The one real standout was the scallops (there's a photo of them here). With the bacon and vegetables in the middle, the sauce, and the 5 scallops spread like a star around the plate -- they were perfection in our mouths.
The pineapple sorbet was exactly what you'd expect pineapple sorbet to taste like. Good, but nothing special. Kudos to the staff for remembering to put a birthday candle on top. But what about the "clap your hands, sing a song and dance" routine? Actually, I'm really glad they skipped that part.
We ordered a bottle of champagne that I can't remember the name of because it was ok, but forgettable. And at $80 for the bottle, I would skip it next time and stick to glasses of wine.
Our service was pretty good, the waiter was polite, and knowledgable. But he lacked a certain spark or excitement about the food.
Overall, we did enjoy ourselves, and it was a treat, but I think I was expecting something more from Restaurant Zoe. I'll pick another place for next year's 26th birthday -- and maybe then I'll get the song and dance -- ha!
Went into Zoe after having it recommended by multiple unrelated people. The service was impeccable. Prior to the meal, bread and a mixture of Olive Oil, balsamic vinegar and spices were provided for dipping. The mix is like crack for bread. I wish I had written down the ingredients so I could make some sort of effort to recreate it.
The GF had the the Copper River Salmon and it was the best Salmon I've ever tasted. Perfectly cooked in a simplistic manner as to not overwhelm the flavor of the Salmon. The skin was blackaneed and crispy. So damn good. I was instantly jealous I hadn't ordered it. Fortunately she shared a good portion of it!
I had the local Washington Lamb. It was excellent but I had ordered medium to medium well and the center appeared raw. A bit undercooked for my tastes.
Overall though an excellent experience and I would recommend Zoe's to everyone I know. I guess that it is why it was recommended to us by multiple people.
The food perhaps one of the best places comparable to The Market or Whisknladle if you're from San Diego. Perfect blend of modern and rustic for certain dishes.
For appetizers we had the sweetbreads, perfectly executed in tenderness and flavor. For salad we shared their asparagus salad which had a nice dressing. Interesting enough the oil and vinegar that perhaps they make themselves was quite unique and tasty with the earthiness of herbs.
All our entrees were great and we finished off our plates. I had the rabbit, so tender, with vegetables and sauces that balanced the meat out in tune. Others had the short ribs and bolognese which were all good.
For desserts we shared was so good, I don't recall which ones we had.
Will definitely return here if I'm ever back in Seattle.
This was a great little restaurant for a pre-Benaroya Hall show meal. We found parking around the corner at 10 minutes to 6, and figured anyone that may ticket us for not paying for 10 minutes worth of parking must be a really sorry human being. Well we didn't pay the quarter and did not get a ticket. :) It was a cold, windy, and rainy evening. I was wearing a dress under my coat, and most men would have no idea what it's like to have January Seattle wind on bare legs.
We opened the door and made our way through the velvet curtain (which fends diners from the cold, I guess). The drinks (Ruby, My Dear and Minty Lime Press) and appetizers were lovely. The Fresh Ricotta Gnudi was definitely worth it. I wish we ordered another. I had the East Coast Scallops. They were okay. My beau's Washington Lamb Loin was definitely better. I can't remember the name of the dessert, but, goodness, I wanted more!
Our waitress was knowledgeable and helpful. She explained what the dessert was since we zeroed in on the one dessert item that sounded the most exotic. It reminded me of a cross between flan and creme brule, but this had blood orange syrup drizzled on it with two cute little cookies.
Like the previous reviewers, they did come around the dining room to sample out other items from the menu. I was tempted to order the soup. I think it had yellow squash with a hint of ginger. *mmm*
We took a chance on Restaurant Zoe for our anniversary, and it turned out to be very pleasant. The windy assault was worth it.
Restaurant zoe is one of if not the overall best restaurant in the city. Has it all top notch service, excellent food/drinks and great ambiance. I've been here a few times and it consistently delivers. Great place to take guests to. Im always amazed by the incredibly tentative staff. HIGHLY recommend! Way to go :)
Restaurant zoe's is the epitome of what pacific northwest cooking is suppose to taste like, and I highly recommend making reservations to dine there. I've pretty much tried everything here a while back for their 3 for 30(even though I ordered more on top of the 3 for 30), and when I came back to visit home my girlfriend insisted we dine here again .. I must admit, I am a sucker for pork belly anything, and their pork belly here is to die for, and their fish is delicious as well, so I had to say yes to zoe's... AGAIN.. AMAZING!! go go go for a nice dinner with close friends, or family. It's quite lovely :)
Meeeeh.
The scene:
I liked the space; small but open, classy beige-ish color scheme, and the tables were close to each other... but not so close that you're bumping elbows. Older crowd, tasteful electronic music.
The food:
Apparently Zoe's policy is to torture as many (baby) animals as possible -- foie gras, veal sweatbread, lambshanks... egads. As an ex-vegetarian, I still have a hard time with certain food items, and this menu was a minefield of liberal guilt. I ordered the scallops, which were drenched in some kind of honey mustard/shellfish sauce. It was... kinda weird, but not bad. The apple salad was good, wine selections were also good (Tempranillo by the glass -- yum). Dessert selection was unexciting.
The service:
Ok, but I dislike it when waiters try to be your BFF. Yes, a little banter is fine, but I don't want to know your likes, dislikes, and ultimate life goals. A description of the wine is quite enough, thanks.
I wouldn't go back, but I don't sorely regret going once.
Great atmosphere in the heart of Belltown. Loved the seared Foie Gras! Staff was fun and friendly. Will definitely be going back.
So, I had seen this restaurant on my last visit to Seattle about 3 years ago and have had it on my to-do list for whenever I returned. It was definitely worth the wait!!
First, I screwed up the reservation as I had accidentally made it for the wrong night. The hostess was fantastic and got us in to a great table, that even included a space heater since it was near a drafty door, with a really fabulous server, Keri! The bartender, Adam, was so welcoming and generous as we waited just a few minutes as well!
We were informed that they had a $15 corkage fee for any bottle not on their list, so we brought our own from a small vineyard we had visited earlier in the day. There was no problem with that and away we started!
The amuse set the tone for the rest of the meal, just as it should! The bread and olive oil/balsamic was super tasty and I for sure could have made a meal out of it!
For the food we ordered, we started with the appetizer scallops -amazing - then went on to the beet salad...very innovative and delicious!! Absolutely great! The BF and I shared the lamb loin, which was an awesome preparation with yummy sun chokes plus, since we always like variety, we tried the polenta, risotto and the savoy cabbage. Everything was fantastic and Keri did an awesome job of coursing everything out, but the cabbage!!?! Who knew it could taste that rich and delicious!
In the midst of the meal, we also had an intermezzo of a great yam soup and then at the end, we were treated to a muscat and fabulous creamy cheese with apricots! To die for!! It inspired us to try one of their stinkier cheeses (which we love!) with their cherries and some ice wine! A perfect ending!!
Needless to say, this is a wonderful restaurant that I will certainly recommend as a must visit while in Seattle, especially if you get to sit in Keri's section!
Oyster Hour Weekdays 5 -7pm!
Neighborhood: Columbia City
Thanksgiving Day at Sazerac
Neighborhood: Downtown
Neighborhood: Belltown
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Queen Anne
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Belltown
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Belltown
Category: Steakhouses
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: French
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