Restaurant Zoe
(206) 256-2060
2137 2nd Ave
Seattle,
WA
98121
47.6132
-122.3442
Neighborhoods: Belltown, Downtown
What People Are Saying About Restaurant Zoe
The Editor
Contributor
Citysearch
The Scene
High ceilings help the small space feel less crowded, but tables are slightly cramped; happily, the crowd is too busy smiling and eating to get too loud. The casual feel is dressed up slightly with white cloths and heavy tableware, but it's clear that food, not fancy decor, is the focus. Servers are supremely dedicated and informed, offering personalized suggestions with every course.
The Food
The menu changes often to accommodate what's freshest. A starter to share is the ricotta-stuffed raviolo; rich and herby, it feeds six people nicely. The seared scallops are an ideal version of this simple dish: smoky bacon, peppery watercress and sweet, perfectly cooked meat. Braised veal cheeks are lean and tender, a textural complement to crisp pea vines and chewy spaetzle. Of the desserts, the tiny fried apple pies topped with creamy house-made ice cream are the hit.
User Reviews
Anonymous
December 19, 2008
We had excellent service and the wine list was delcious...cocktails too. I don't think we were expecting such a fancy menu though most of us looked it up on line ahead of time. The food was good - what we tried but we ended up leaving for something a little more familiar. If you like fancy - you will love this place. If you don't, I would suggest another location.
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nudibranch
December 01, 2008
Having heard great reviews of Zoe, I tried it out with some friends during the Dine Around Seattle 30 for $30 special. Dinner got off to a promising start with a nice glass of house wine, the large Garden Greens, the pleasant Celery-D?Anjou Pear Soup, and the rich, tasty Fresh Ricotta Gnudi. Unfortunately, the meal took a turn for the worse when our entrees arrived. I received a plate of Butternut Squash Risotto that was so underdone as to be crunchy, and had to send it back. Even then, the arborio rice was inconsistently cooked (risotto requires constant attention to get a consistent texture), and the flavors were more overwrought than bold. One of my companions had the Local Arctic Char, which sat on a deliciously marinated bed of cauliflower, but the fish itself was of poor quality. The third member of our party had the Braised Beef Short Rib, which was the best of our entrees, though still somewhat overpowering to the palate. Dessert should be the highlight of even a mediocre meal, but at Zoe our desserts turned out to be the nadir of our experience. My companions ordered the house-made Passion Fruit Sorbet, and Mint Cocoa Nib Ice Cream. Keeping with the theme of the night, the mint of the ice cream was too strong, blowing away what little remained of our palates. The cocoa nibs were a nice idea, but were either of poor quality or were poorly roasted -- they were far more bitter (unpleasantly so) than what you may have had at Theo or Fran's Chocolates. The passion fruit sorbet somehow managed to be even more overblown -- it was like eating frozen passion fruit juice concentrate. The upside being that the mint ice cream seemed subtle after a mouthful of the sorbet. I made the best choice with a wholly unremarkable (but refreshingly subdued) Maple Vanilla Panna Cotta. This was far and away my worst dining experience of the seven 30 for $30 restaurants I patronized this year; perhaps it was an off-night for Zoe, but I will not be returning.
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JHoward88
November 15, 2008
The music isn't relaxing and the service is formal, but seems a bit awkwardly conducted; the decor is medocre - a sort of mix between a low-end downtown storefront restaurant and faux-luxury. That said, alot of nice, well-mannered people seem to enjoy the place, so I won't be too hard on it. My biggest gripe is the price and menu; for $25 each, I and my dinner partner recieved bite-sized "meals" which, in my opinion, tasted only mediocre. The menu was very small and was filled with things that most people avoid - like octopus and tongue - and while I'm all for luxury and the high-end lifestyle, if you're expecting a normal-sized meal, don't go to Zoe; also, if you want a nice, quiet atmosphere, don't go. Cheesecake Factory and Nordstrom may not be as high end, but as far as my experiences are concerned, they're both significantly more rewarding. That said, I do understand that there are some restaurant connoseours who may enjoy the place, and when you get done they do provide a pleasant little box of matches. As a matter of fact, in my opinion the matches were worth more than the meal. Synopsis? If you enjoy eating tiny helpings of octopus and tongue to the tune of wierd music, then by all means... check it out.
read full reviewThe Details on Restaurant Zoe
Parking:
Street parking is hit-or-miss. Pay lots abound in Belltown and there's a drop-off point out front at Second and Blanchard.
When to Go:
Multigenerational families dine before 7pm; the crowd gets steadily more homogenous--and single--as the evening wears on.
What to Drink:
Before diving into the elegant wine list, sample the specialty cocktails. Built around fresh juices spiked with sage and mint, all offer sophisticated, unusual flavor combinations.
Category:
Traditional American, Restaurants
Payment Methods:
Check, American Express, Visa, MasterCard
Restaurant Special Features:
Local Favorite, Romantic Dining, Quiet, Online Reservations, Date Spot, Dine At The Bar, Bar Scene, Notable Wine List
Cuisine:
Notable Chef:
Scott Staples
