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Zazou Restaurant
Categories: Restaurants French Restaurants Italian French, Italian [Edit]
1810 S Catalina AveRedondo Beach, CA 90277
Neighborhood: Redondo Beach
(310) 540-4884
- Hours:
Mon-Wed 5 pm - 10 pm
Wed-Fri 11 am - 2:30 pm
Thu-Sat 5 pm - 11 pm
Sat 11 am - 3 pm
Sun 10 am - 10 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
93 reviews for Zazou Restaurant
Review Highlights
"We split a bread pudding for dessert - divine."
(in 18 reviews)
"It's almost like creme brulee."
(in 4 reviews)
"...and wandered through the extensive wine list and menu."
(in 3 reviews)
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93 reviews in English
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Review from Andy D.
Lomita, CA
2/6/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Went here a few times now. I would say it's a mix of European styles. I like the Chicken w/ Pepper sauce and the Papardella Ragu.
Bread Pudding is INSANE here!
4 stars because the prices are a bit high. -
Review from Georgie D.
West Hills, CA
1/19/2012
In celebrating our 1 yr anniversary we wanted to dine somewhere different to the types of food we usually eat. Zazou was the PERFECT option being French, Mediterranean and Italian and it was super close to our hotel, the Best Western Plus.
The lighting was great and the music seemed very French. Funnily enough it was this french sounding female who was singing modern day songs in a more casual, sultry kind of way (like Don't You Want Me Baby - which I now can't get out of my head, LoL) i liked it.
Contrary to other Yelp reviews the service was actually pretty quick, and what I'd hoped for, and therefore dinner was only an 1hr long experience.
I wasn't crazy about the bread cos it seemed too dry and not very substantial but the tomato, humus-tasting, dip for the bread was yummy.
For starters I had to have the escargot (snails) and my fiance had a chicken, cilantro soup. When the escargot arrived I was kind of surprised it had this green sauce over it but was told it was from the basil (i think); it was still yummy but nothing out of this world. My fiance's soup was also yummy and I helped myself to it quite a bit.
For dinner I had the rigatoni with Lamb bolognese. When it arrived my first thought was that they weren't very generous with the sauce BUT after tasting how RICH the sauce was, I could tell why. It was delicious but I do wish I could have tasted the lamb a bit more and it not having been so rich. I can't remember what my fiance had but I wasn't a fan.
I told our waitress that we were celebrating our anniversary and she didn't seem to care and basically responded "and?" I asked her if they could do anything special for us and she said she could give us some ice-cream.
Overall we enjoyed our dining experience and would probably want to go there the next time we go back. I am going to try the rack of lamb next time. Enjoy! -
Review from Jessica T.
Long Beach, CA
11/7/2011
The food is quintessential California Mediterranean. Fresh and flavorful and beautifully presented. Between my date and I for dinner, including two glasses of wine, an appetizer, two entrees, and tip, our total came to about $50 a person.
Sitting out on the patio is a great way to spend an afternoon in Redando Beach. Your meal starts with a basket of fresh bread and savory tapenade. Orders tend to come out slowly, so be forewarned and don't show up in a hurry. My sister's favorite is the fresh mozzarella appetizer, and it's well worth the $12.
The food is quite good but nothing exceptional.Listed in: Date Destinations
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Review from Sara G.
Hermosa Beach, CA
2/4/2012
Great service, excellent wine list, and even better food! They also have free wine tasting Tuesday nights! A MUST GO!!!
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Review from Stephani C.
San Francisco, CA
10/11/2011
Mom and I popped in here for lunch ... what a hidden gem this place is. :)
Such a traditional "girl's lunch" - glasses of wine [their wine menu is unreal] and the pumpkin raviolini as a starter. The basil creme sauce with diced mangoes was the perfect complement for the pumpkin filling.
I got the croque madame - quite possibly the most rich grilled cheese I've ever had. :) I'm borderline obsessed with bechamel sauce, so that was the selling point for me. I couldn't finish it and it re-heated wonderfully. We split a bread pudding for dessert - divine. It was the kind of lunch that we spent close to two hours at because the food was perfect enough to savor.
The service was also amazing. Mom wants to take Dad on a date night. :) -
Review from Jessica Y.
Los Angeles, CA
10/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
Went out to dinner with the family for my mom's birthday. Nothing too fantastic, to be honest.
Ambience was nice, but for an expensive restaurant, I didn't understand why there was paper over the tablecloths and tacky halloween decorations.
Started out with the beets appetizer and crab cakes.
The beets were disappointing. Beautiful display, but 4 slices of beets for $12?! Crab cakes were good, light fried and served with lots of guacamole!
I had the roasted duck with mushroom risotto. I did not particularly enjoy this dish. The duck was dry, skin was not done well ...and the weirdest part was that I could not identify which part of the duck I was eating. The mushroom risotto was mushy and tasteless.
Dad had the ahi tuna, which he enjoyed. Mom had the short rib, very soft and well-cooked, but the veggies on top were way too salty. Aunt had the lamb shank, which she said was very good as well. The entree portions were pretty large.
Drinks were good, but pricey. The tirsamisu was light, but nothing special. We also got some vanilla ice cream because it was my mom's birthday.
All-in-all, decent food, but won't be coming back again. -
Review from Brenda K.
Los Angeles, CA
12/12/2011
Despite the peculiar tablecloth choices, this is a quaint little restaurant with great bread. Try the savory lamb.
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Review from C Y.
Hermosa Beach, CA
9/26/2011
So glad I decided to try this place out. What a little hidden gem. Food was fantastic, bread was delicious and let me tell you it's hard to find "real" bread in the South Bay. I can't really complain about a thing except...........you knew there would be something...............service was a little on the slow side. This dining experience turned out for be a 2hr experience and the place wasn't that packed to the max. So maybe a pre-warning if your in a hurry, allow lots of time.
Other than that no complaints, would definately go back again. -
Review from T.J. G.
Sacramento, CA
1/12/2012
Very good place to eat.
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Review from Katie G.
Torrance, CA
8/9/2011
One of the few places to get a really nice meal in the South Bay.
I came here a couple of years ago, but the experience wasn't amazing. The bread pudding I ordered had an extremely bitter taste that made it borderline inedible, but the staff didn't seem concerned with our complaint.
Then I went back the other night. So good! The pumpkin raviolini with basil cream sauce is downright orgasmic. Delicious pasta. I also tried the braised short ribs with mashed potatoes and spinach. The meat was tender and flavorful, but the potatoes were a little runny for my taste. More like a puree.
Dessert was the floating island, meringue sitting in creme anglaise and drizzled with caramel and almonds. Though others at our table mentioned that the meringue wasn't buoyant or light enough, I thought it was both light and rich. It was my first floating island, and I liked it.
As for the ambiance, the restaurant is a bit jam-packed with tables, but it's nice and lively. Parking can be a pain. And my only other complaint- a bad mixed drink! For a nice restaurant, you'd expect them to use topshelf liquor in their drinks- either that was the problem, or the drink was mixed incorrectly.
The food makes this a 5-star place. -
Review from Robin W.
Updated - 5/9/2011
Sorry, Zazou. Without your to-die-for beet & goat cheese napolean, Mother's Day was a sub-par occassion at Zazou and further cements my belief that one shall not go out to dine on Mother's Day. But I digress.
Party of 8 on Mother's Day. At least the waiter warned us that the food was taking a very long time to come out. He wasn't kidding. He brough out some bread but just once - no refills. He did try his darndest though to check in and he was sweating from the effort to please all the large parties.
Then, the shoe dropped: No goat cheese & beet napolean. Waaah. But I'm a mom!
The skinny on the dishes: Hamburger with gorgonzola was great as always. Short rib sliders were happily devoured. Kids chicken fingers -- which came out dead last for the the 6 year old - were $8.95 and devoid of flavor completely. Even he would not touch them. Shoestring fries always a nice touch.
The vegan at the table had a plate of vegetables over couscous for $16 -- the most expensive dish on the table.
I would come back on a non-holiday if just for my beet & goat cheese naploean -- but would check first to see if they had it.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/30/2010
Everything I ever ordered at Zazou has been good but there is one standout -- the Beet & Goat Cheese… Read more »
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Review from Marlene P.
Redondo Beach, CA
6/15/2011
Zazou's is a snazzy place. On a Thursday night, we were seated right away. The dinning area is airy and clean, and our waiter was already at our table when we arrived.
Escargot is the the first thing on their dinner menu. I was really excited to get my first try of snail, and even had my phone readied in camera mode for the event. It ended up being anticlimactic, unrecognizable and fully submerged in a parsley butter jus. I could've put rubber bands in that broth and no one would have told the difference. The actual plate was unintentionally hilarious. It looked like a deviled egg serving platter (replete with divets) that had been shrunk down, reminding me of the plastic pictures I cooked in the oven when I was a kid that, after about a minute of oohing and aahing over the miniature version, went promptly unnoticed (and soon later in the trash).
Ramon marveled at his Cesar salad, a loose pile of whole lettuce stems piled neatly on his plate and equally dressed. Being a somewhat judge of croutons, he chomped happily on the bread chips brushed with pesto and I particularly enjoyed the baked Parmesan nibs.
One Maker's Mark (neat) and a Delirium Ale later, our entrees arrived. I have to admit that my companion's crispy duck looked much more appealing than my scallops and noted to myself that once he dug in I would have to steal a bite (or three), which he hates. Actually, I think all men do. The scallops were wading in beurre blanc that tasted more like creme brulee, overly sweet but not necessarily in a bad way. Perhaps the bourbon had dulled my senses, or awakened them, but I licked that beautiful-but-too-big-for-my-food-and-my-cupboard plate clean.
What else? Oh that duck. Having arrived in a prom dress, by the end of the meal it was bare naked and laid out all over the plate. The crisping had been done so overzealously that the top layers of the meat was tough and nearly inedible. Still, the generous portion left him satiated, and we didn't forget to ask our waiter for a doggie bag. We have a pup at home who I know would have given those chewy bits 5 stars.
I almost never do this, but we passed on the dessert. I hear the lava cake is worth the extra calories, but I was too full - and happy - to risk finding out otherwise.
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"Three be the things I shall never attain:
Envy, content, and sufficient champagne."
(Dorothy Parker) -
Review from Jeff G.
Redondo Beach, CA
9/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
It was good. Not OMG! good. But ok. The Pumpkin Raviolini in a basil cream sauce was better than the Papardelle wild boar ragout and portobella mushrooms. Both might have been a tad luke warm. When we ask not to be rushed, we expect that means the food will not sit getting cold in the kitchen which is I suspect what happen. Service was good. Ambience fine. Noise level moderate to quiet. Wine list looks interesting and varied with some reasonable and some unreasonably priced offering. One criticism. The 50% off wine list has NO descriptions whatsoever... and does not correlated with the regular wine list. So you have no idea... I don't want to sit and ask about 15 different wines! Will I go back? Yes it's worth trying again... and explain what I mean when I say we don't want to be rushed. :) Maybe on Corkage Free Sundays. :)
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Review from Michael M.
Manhattan Beach, CA
10/19/2011
Went here with family for a birthday, left feeling disappointed. Zazou is a newish restaurant and they have a ways to go before they find their groove (if they ever do).
They market and price themselves as decidedly upscale, and while wait staff was mostly attentive, the quality of the menu and food really kills it. Outside of the wild boar with mushrooms, there really isn't anything very unique in the menu. The menu felt a bit confused.
Tried/tasted several things on the menu:
Poulet au poivre -My entree. Roasted chicken is a classic on French menus; this, like many of their other dishes came with pomme frites (fries, shoestring variety). It is a dish that any respectable restaurant billing themselves as "French" should have perfected. Their version is served with a creamy red pepper sauce. The half chicken was cooked perfectly, but completely drowned in sauce, to the point that all I tasted was overly rich and salty pepper sauce. Pomme frites WAY over salted, dried parsley didn't contribute any flavor.
Melted Brie -Crostini way too long (7"), limp, and VERY stale.
Slow cooked short rib -Cooked well but drowned out in the over overly rich marinade. Taste nothing but sauce. Mashed potato served along with it way too rich and salty.
Fritto misto calamari -fried calamari was fresh and tasty, if a bit oversalted. Dipping sauces were good. Standard appetizer.
Scallops -cooked perfectly, but tasted as if they were poached for a little too long in butter, and then seared in more butter. A little too rich/overpowering. Taste more butter than scallop.
Crab cakes -Again, too salty. I don't understand why, but they serve their crab cakes with guacamole, and their guacamole is super salty. There is nothing really special about their guacamole, uses the standard recipe.
My father had a steak, which while cooked well, also suffered from being over salted and drowned out by their cream sauce.
It's the damnedest thing. They cook their meats perfectly, but it is completely ruined by the over seasoning and over salting. This isn't even hyperbole, but I've had more subtle and less salty dishes at Cheesecake Factory. I'm not sure why there are so many good reviews for this restaurant, perhaps the normal head chef was out the day we went?
Unfortunately for me, their pricing is a touch high for second chances. Massive seasoning screwups on relatively simple dishes is hard to forgive. -
Review from Elle C.
Redondo Beach, CA
10/19/2011
Over priced for what you get! It's too bad that this is very true. I've given this restaurant numerous chances and finally written them off. Here's a recap:
1.). Order a steak dinner Togo as had a rough day only to get home and discover I spent $50 just to get a steak cooked the wrong way, how hard can it be to get it right.
2.). Went there one Monday night, 3 of us, with a bottle of wine prepared to buy another, even told the waiter this. Since it was Monday night, a relatively slow night in the restaurant business, there was not many other tables besides us. The waiter told us he would not be able to open the wine as it was on the wine list. I read this as rather than be happy we were out to spend money on a Monday night when many restaurants close because it is so slow, he was going to scrutinize this opportunity. He then discovered it was a different year and opened it. I worked in the restaurant business for over 15 years, whatever happened to wait staff being humble and appreciative of the business in hopes of getting a good tip? Honestly my problem was his attitude, he could have handled this so much better.
3.) Recently ordered the pumpkin ravioli and the Black Cod to- go, was shocked we were charged almost $60 for both entrees neither one accompanied by a salad. The ravioli was served with nothing ($20) and the Black Cod came with a mashed potatoes (around $35), just strikes me that they are charging quite a lot for practically single entries.
I have no problem shelling out money for good food, I truly am a foodie. One of my favorite restaurants is Five Crowns in Corona Del Mar, well worth the drive, service and food!
The food at Zazou is simply just sub par, too bad!! -
Review from Joan S.
9/27/2010 5 photos
My Saturday brunch this past weekend: short rib sliders. http://media1.px.yelpc...
A 'lil pricey at $15 for three, but they truly melt in your mouth.
They're topped with gorgonzola & caramelized onions.
I was allowed to sub a salad for the fries. Then I saw someone else's delicious-looking order of skinny fries being delivered to their table....next time I'm getting the fries.
This meal was so good I almost went back again on Sunday.
This meal was so good I'm still thinkin' about it on Monday.
Service? I don't even remember my server. I remember those sliders.Listed in: Fancy Schmancy Restaurants
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Review from Rachel C.
Santa Monica, CA
9/28/2010
I would not schedule a large group event at Zazou in their private room. Granted the food is slightly above average but they are extremely difficult to do business with. It's mostly their communication and customer service skills that need improving. They hardly ever answer the phone, they're unorganized with paper work and they're consistently incompetent with information.
For example, I booked a 40 person corporate event two months ago and left a detailed message confirming the reservation two weeks later. I found out a week prior to the event that they had removed my name and booked another party. I was told that I called to cancel, which I most certainly did not.
Instead of working with me to find a solution the owner argued with me in an incredibly demeaning manner insisting that I was at fault.
In short, there are a dozen restaurants in the South Bay that are better equipped at handling large parties; I wouldn't take my chances on this one. -
Review from Cesar R.
8/24/2010 4 photos
PORK AND BEER!
Another beautiful day in the South Bay leads me to lunch with a pal at Zazou...zazou? ZAZOU! oohhh that's fun to say.
Courteous servers, clean place, flat screen playing some "futbol"...order up the Franziskaner Hefe Weisse ($5.75) to take the edge off...cool, wheaty goodness my friends. http://www.yelp.com/us...
Prosciutto is the ONLY word I seem to pay attention to on the menu and I get the Panini Genovese ($13) Buddy gets the Mediterranean Chicken Salad...
The food arrives shortly and the skinny fries are great! http://www.yelp.com/us... One bite of the Panini and I'm a happy boy....perfect balance of ingredients...rich, tasty mozzarella, not too much tomato, tangy basil pesto, plenty of quality prosciutto housed in some soft but crunchy ciabatta.
I left full and happy but not quite comatose....that's a good thing.... usually. -
Review from Chef D.
Stevenson Ranch, CA
8/28/2011
Had a very nice dinner yesterday. The pumpkin ravioli was amazing. The appetizers were yummy too. Nice private dining room up stairs. Service was awesome.
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Review from Victoria M.
Los Angeles, CA
3/19/2011
Went here for Saturday brunch around 2pm (not really brunch time, I know).
This place has a nice ambiance and really nice design inside. We were given a crusty baguette and a tomato, garlic, garbazno, white bean dip to start.
I ordered the AMAZING Filet Mignon Eggs Benedict - amazing, tender filet with a lemony hollandaise and two nicely poached eggs on top of an English muffin. This also came with beautifully seasoned potatoes, which had a perfect balance between crispy and tender. I would LOVE to eat this every Saturday, but my arteries would say otherwise!
My mum ordered the Pan Fried Polenta Diablo, which was very similar to the Filet Eggs Benedict, except instead of hollandaise it was coated in a spicy tomato sauce and absolutely just as delicious.
These both came with a side fruit salad - watermelon, blackberries and cantaloupe.
They brought out the dessert tray when we were done, which seemed odd because it was brunch food? But I indulged with the Lava Cake, which was exactly what I wanted! Gooey, creamy and oh-so-choclaty!
The service was great, our waitress was very articulate and helpful!
Thank you Zazou for a great brunch. -
Review from Cyrille K.
Redondo Beach, CA
11/17/2010
I've been to Zazou several times, and most of the items on the menu are very good. Especially their filet mignon with gorgonzola merlot sauce. Yum! The ahi appetizer with potato chips is also excellent.
When we went here the other night, we decided to try a couple of things we hadn't had before:
Fritto Misto - the smelt was a nice added touch, as was the harissa dipping sauce. The aioli was a bit heavy, though. I would have preferred a tomato or citrus-based dipping option along with the harissa.
Mixed green salad with goat cheese - pretty basic, but nicely done.
Duck breast with a nice, crispy skin - the duck was dry in places, there wasn't enough of the wine sauce to flavor every bite, and the risotto was undercooked. Not the best!
Also, we decided to have a couple of glasses of their house red wine. It was served VERY warm, and when we told the waiter, he basically said there was nothing he could do about it. Even though he was holding the bottle, and could have chilled it down right there at our table. It was a decent wine, but not very drinkable because of the temperature.
Oh well! I will still probably go back - so few good places to eat in the village! -
Review from Karine L.
7/4/2010
Fantastic place to go for happy hour.
I call it the "divorce" bar....it is always full and very happy!
You are sure to meet someone siting there....
The staff is super friendly, they have always some sort of special, make sure you are added on the mailing list and you will be receiving their specials.
My fav appetizer are the beets (napoleon)! -
Review from Krystal L.
Redondo Beach, CA
10/17/2010
Zazou is a great restaurant for a special occasion or a date night. A strong 4.5 stars. I've been to Zazou probably a dozen times over the years and have always had a fantastic experience. I was just here for for a bridal brunch. My folks look forward to Zazou when they are in town.
Zazou's menu is upscale and there is something for all palates. Their brunch menu includes crepes, omelets, eggs benedict, salads, and gourmet sandwiches. They also have $3 mimosas, and $4 bloody marys and sangria.
Their dinner menu is absolutely delicious. In addition to their regular menu, they also offer an extensive seasonal menu. Their Spaghetti Livornese, Seared Scallops, and Lamb Osso Bucco are exceptionally good.
Next time you are looking for a nice restaurant, I recommend giving Zazou a try. -
Review from Amy T.
Redondo Beach, CA
8/4/2011
I was pleasantly surprised with this place!! This is not exactly the fist place you think of when dining in the South Bay, but my paperdelle dish was to die for. Unfortunately, I left my leftovers at the table that night :(.
I am a dessert person (yes please!) but I remember not being too impressed with it, unfortunately. I had a great time here with my friends and am looking forward to giving it another try again when I'm back. -
Review from Eric S.
Redondo Beach, CA
5/10/2010
I visited Zazou a while back with my wife and a friend for happy hour and appetizers and we were all pretty disappointed with the food quality and price. Given the cost, we expected a little better.
May give it one more shot to be sure, but given the quality of restaurants in the area that are less expensive, it may be a hard sell. -
Review from Roni R.
Los Angeles, CA
4/18/2011
Yum ... great for Sunday brunch! The food is great and the drinks are even better. Mimosa's and Bloody Mary's for $4, too. Only drawback is that you can't drink alcohol outside which is typically the ideal situation in a beach town.
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Review from laurie b.
San Pedro, CA
3/5/2011
This place has everything going for it except the service.
The only reason it is getting 2 stars is because the food is pretty tasty.
Here are my complaints: my husband and I came here for a valentine's day dinner. We knew this place was a little hoighty toighty from the get go, so we dressed up. I wore a cute cocktail dress with heels, and he wore some slacks with a buttoned suit shirt, and dress shoes. As soon as we arrived it looked as if they had overbooked. We had to wait about 10 minutes before being seated. There was a couple next to us who had no reservation, and they got seated at about the same time.
This place is pretty classist. When you walk in you notice the rich "on the hill" types with their diamonds and gucci. I didn't realize they had an upper floor until we were seated. The couple mentioned above got to sit on the ground floor with the rich ones. When I walked up stairs I noticed how this crowd looked more low-key, some people were wearing hoodies and jeans. So basically this establishment segregates where it seats its customers. I felt like I had stepped into the Deep South. I guess in the words of Pulp my husband and I look like "common people," even though we were dressed 10x nicer than most of the people seated upstairs.
This is just the tip of the iceberg. Our waiter was this 40-something GQ wannabe who had better things to do than serve people meals. My husband said he felt like we were in a football game, because everytime the waiter came to our table he would slam things down and rush through with everything. But before were actually got waited on, they made us wait forever for water, bread, and drinks.
The food tastes good, but it's not worth the $30 a plate they charge. They could've done better. To top it all off we ended up ordering a dessert to split, which came highly recommended by Mr. GQ...except that when it came to actually delivering our patisserie, he failed.
We waited for a long time, thinking he forgot the order, and then he comes out saying that they had accidentally given our dessert to someone else, and there was no more left for us to have. They comped our dessert, but that didn't matter.
I don't like a restaurant that thinks it's better than me...Zazou you have permanently lost my business. -
Review from Alex H.
Redondo Beach, CA
8/28/2010
I ate at Zazou recently such that the experience is fresh in my mind. I had Pumpkin raviolis and a number of app's which were all good to excellent. Service was fun and our waitress made some great recommendations. The wine selection was excellent... however I am not enough of a wine guy to really tell the difference.
Only downside is the price.... bill should be about 20% less for bistro style food. For the South Bay this quality food is few and far between. -
Review from Cassandra S. K.
Redondo Beach, CA
2/16/2009
mmmmmmm! I am officially in love with their bread pudding.
This was our official "Valentine's Day" dinner. We waited a couple of days just to beat the crowd. I gave my hunny an assignment to surprise me for a nice dinner, and I have to say, this place hit the spot!!!
We started with an escargot dish. It was ok, nothing to be too impressed about. It was very simply cooked with garlic butter and herbs. Drenched in melted butter, it was bit on the salty side. However, the remaining sauce with herbs went perfect with their bread, better than the dip they gave us. The dip went well with their olive bread, tho.
My hubby ordered Pork Tenderloin with pea risotto and I ordered roasted duck with mushroom risotto. I liked my dish better, especially with the duck skin. It was an amazingly well balanced meal. It got to a point that I couldn't help but blurt out, I really missed the flavor of duck. And really, the flavor of duck was brought out very well with the perfectly roasted duck with crispy skin outside.
But the real highlight of the meal came at the end with the bread pudding. The bread pudding was just heavenly. The flavors were omg.... just amazing. I don't know how else to put it. (and yes I am still a bit tipsy with the bottle of chianti we ordered with the meal. And yes, I am the one who drank most of it, being a wine freak)
And no, it's not like we spent a lot for a nice, romantic dinner. The whole tap, including appetizer, two main courses and dessert, along with a bottle of wine and two cups of coffee came to about 80 something. Pretty good for a high tier restaurant like this one. The chianti we drank was actually on the list of wines that Zazou was offering at a market price, and there are several good bottles of wine that they are offering for a very good price. The place has a couple's night every Wednesday, with the whole tap 20% off. Couples, remember to come down here for an awesome meal. The place is very romantic with candle lights and they serve great food that is not only good for your pallet but also awesome in the aesthetic department. Beautiful, tasty food at a very romantic spot. Great for a date!! What more do you need??Listed in: Gems in the Deep Deep…
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Review from Yoko M.
Sherman Oaks, CA
5/7/2010
Cozy yet sophisticated restaurant in a quiet beach town. This is my new favorite restaurant after one visit. Extensive wine list will fancy eyes and taste bud of any wine enthusiast.
Of all people, a visitor from Japan took me here. I live in LA. He lives in Tokyo. He knows more about LA fine dining that I do...
Appetizer:
Beet Napoleon: Colorfully choreographed and layered with yellow and red beets with bright yellow sauce. Fresh beets are perfectly matched with creamy goat cheese in texture and taste. Makes you wonder how good the main dishes are going to be if a simple beet appetizer is this good.
Main:
St. Tropez Mussels, Clams and Calamari: Steamed seafood cooked with white wine, garlic and a touch of butter. None of the ingredients is too overbearing and and everything is perfectly blended. Seafood is fresh, plump, and cooked just long enough so they are still tender and sweet. Do dip the French bread in the sauce. Heavenly.
Roasted Duck: A good portion. Served with rich wild mushroom risotto. I'm not a big foul fan, but the pinot noir sauce is to die for.
Overnight Braised Beef Stew: The tender black beef chunks served on slightly orange color mashed potatoes. A wonderful, wonderful dish with great harmony. Highly recommended.
We had a wonderful server who was knowledgeable, attentive, friendly but not too pushy or clingy, and cute but not too cute to interfere with your food.
A long drive for a Valley girl like me, but it's worth a drive for a special occasion like a visitor from Japan ;) -
Review from Carrie S.
Palos Verdes Estates, CA
4/17/2008
I usually love this place, have never had a bad meal, until yesterday. I went with my mother, who also loves the place, and it's usually packed for lunch, but there were only 3 other tables with customers. Very strange. Our waiter was completely indifferent and ignored my mothers request to hold the sauce and topping on her filet mignon. It came with the butter on top, and stood there as she scraped it off. Duh. I had to ask for ice tea refills and we never really saw the waiter after he delivered the food.
I'm hoping it was just an off day - I'd hate to see this place take a dive. -
Review from Vera d.
Queen Creek, AZ
6/15/2010
This is a must to go to if you are in the Redondo Beach area. I hosted my son's rehearsal dinner here on May 15th, and they did a fabulous job. They were very accommodating and did everything to please me and offer me whatever I wanted.
The food is delectable, it has a wonderful flair of Tuscan and Provencal. We used their upstairs room, which overlooks the shopping area, but from the balcony you can see the Pacific and the sunset is absolutely beautiful! The waiters were wonderful and very attentive to my every need.
Prior to the Wedding Rehearsal dinner, we had checked it out to see if it was even in the running for the rehearsal, it was a hands down vote, by the groom, bride and my sister who was with us. The food had such unique flavor and they also took good care of us because they knew we were considering them for the event. They even gave us a so scrumptious dessert that we insisted on serving it at the Rehearsal dinner.
Ask for Stephan he was the most helpful and so caring about how everything was. The place has a atmosphere, a taste of Europe and the service of those who really care. -
Review from Peter B.
Hermosa Beach, CA
2/7/2007
Let me just say right now that my Mom is a very picky person. She is an amazing chef and she likes her Cosmopolitans a CERTAIN way. Not only that but she expects 5-star service whenever she comes to visit me.
This is where Zazou comes in. This place is never very crowded, has a wonderful atmosphere and great service. The dishes are always amazing and they have a constantly changing seasonal menu that never leaves us wanting for more. The portions are the right size and the wine selection by the glass was just what the doctor ordered. I have gone by time and time again and never had a bad visit. It is hidden between some mediocre bar food restaurants and I feel like it is a diamond in the rough in the village in Redondo Beach. -
Review from Jack K.
Redondo Beach, CA
7/25/2007
Zazou gets four stars for sticking it out in Riviera Village. My wife and I are consistently mystified at why there aren't places like this all over the South Bay. It's not like people down here don't have the disposable income to support nice restaurants and the market abhors a vacuum, eh?
Zazou's menu is somewhat limited but that's OK because the quality of the dishes is always quite high. It's clear that they take great care in selecting and preparing their ingredients. The ambience is what you'd expect to find in nicer restaurants to the North. Bring your checkbook, though, because an evening at Zazou ain't cheap. How come I keep talking about money when I'm supposed to be talking about food? Oh well. Keep up the good fight, Zazou! -
Review from Cheri. A G.
Los Angeles, CA
5/17/2007
I came here for lunch with a friend and I have been wanting to check this place out. I had the ahi tuna salad which was incredible and definitely a filling meal for me. My friend, with a heftier appetite had the filet mignon with cognac sauce and french fries...oh I am sorry pommes frites...but I believe you have a choice of sides. Apparently, he eats their all the time and loves all of their food.
My office had a holiday party upstairs in the banquet room which was very nice too. -
Review from Tory D.
Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA
10/24/2011
Wow what a great place to eat. The food was so yummy!!! A little pricey but will definately go back.
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Review from Laura B.
6/13/2008
A good date place... at least it was for me! :) We arrive for a late dinner and wandered through the extensive wine list and menu.
We had the melted brie, wild rice salad (big portion - beware), the risotto special, the.. uh.... the braised pork? Crap, I don't remember what it was called, but I called it AMAZING. Carrot gnocchi to garnish and a fabulous reduction of... something else awesome. It's off their seasonal menu so I can't look it up, either!
We didn't save room for dessert, but the tray looked scrumptious. We were there for 2 hours - the service was slow enough to allow us enjoy each course separately and we didn't even notice when they took away plates. Food coma, I guess.
On the higher end as far as prices, but that's ok when he pays. :-P -
Review from cheryl r.
Long Beach, CA
12/7/2007
The bar...stay in the bar.
They have one of the best fruit infused vodka martinis around. they infuse the fruit themselves.
The bar food seems better than the dining room food. The last time i was there they served the ahi poke stack with an Italian spin to it. A side order of the pommes frites was tasty.
And if you stay for dessert, try their bread pudding. It's so creamy. It's almost like creme brulee. -
Review from Vanessa T.
Redondo Beach, CA
3/22/2011
I have been coming to Zazou for years. I am a regular at this place which I often have business dinners here. They offer excellent food, portions and quality. The staff is professional seems to have the same waiter, year in and year out a good sign as far as I am concerned. They have a great bar and amazing happy hour specials for really gourmet appetizers. Try their salmon quesadilla....scrumptious! I loved the stuffed zucchini blossoms...yummy! This place is a must. You can dress up or wear nice jeans and a casual shirt. I would not go here in shorts...even though it is blocks from the beach. Enjoy!
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Review from Stephanie W.
Venice, CA
7/5/2008
Zazou is the cozy neighborhood bistro to find good food. Everything on the menu sounds good, looks good, or is good.
I started with the green salad with a lemony vinaigrette and sliced beet. Then had the sea scallops which were sweet and tender and served with ravioli in a champagne beure blanc sauce. The desserts looked delicious, but, to everyone's shock, I had to pass this time (OK, confession -- I had cupcakes waiting for me at home).
The place gets busy, so dine early if you can. Service is so-so.
