Zoe Restaurant

02/26/10

pretentious, high prices, average but odd food

by phogenson at Citysearch

I am surprised at the number of high ratings this restaurant gets.

Go online to review their menus but the prices are not listed and I think for good reason. They are high. How about 5 Alaskan Scallops for $28. And there is nothing special about how it is prepared and served that would command that kind of price. The menus have very unique (odd) choices and again, small portions.

In Seattle, with so many really good "hole in the wall" restaurants serving great food at fair and reasonable prices I see no reason to go back to Zoe.

• Pros: good location, nice ambience
• Cons: portions are small for price, food is so so, service average

01/25/10

Great service, cool atmosphere, good food

by CypressGal at Citysearch

Yummy cod meal and wild boar bolognese was surprisingly great to my non-foodie hubby. We really enjoyed the experience.

• Pros: Awesome service from host, to server to bread guy!
• Cons: mostly seafood...few meat dishes

12/01/08

All-around disappointment during Dine Around Seattle

by nudibranch at Citysearch

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.

• Pros: Good house wine
• Cons: Completely unsubtle flavors

11/15/08

Wierd Service, High Prices, Small and Mediocre Servings

by JHoward88 at Citysearch

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.

• Pros: Formal Staff
• Cons: Small Helpings, High Prices, Mediocre Atmosphere

11/09/08

Still at the top of the list

by res03hrk at Citysearch

One of the best resturants in town. Food is excellent. Try the gnudi appetizer. The celery/pear soup is well executed. Squash risotto fantastic. The dining room is small and inviting. Service was top notch and unobstrusive. Go for the food, relax and enjoy your dining experience.

• Pros: Food, Service, Cocktails
• Cons: Parking in Beltown