Cuisine Review

Well, all the pretty people have a metropolitan place to eat. Among the trove of Springhill ladies shopping in the “oh-eight,” Zoë’s kitchen has set up shop.

Zoë’s is a change of style from the same old sandwiches and salad trios. Yet not too far away. The area’s first Zoë’s opened up in the Eastern Shore Centre, but to my surprise closed not too long before the Mobile location began operation.

The new Legacy Village development off Dauphin Street behind the Claude Moore/Hannon Williams building is a mini Eastern Shore Centre without some of the lower rent stores in the mix. This, along with the banks, brokerage houses, gyms and “the club” almost ensure Zoë’s success. I enjoyed Zoë’s very much the few times I found myself at the Eastern Shore Centre.

Zoë’s is a chain, albeit a small one, but they are out of Birmingham, which fits my definition of local. According to their Web site, Zoë’s recipes come from the founder Zoë Cassimus’ kitchen using “simple, close-to-the-garden ingredients and finds its expression in deliciously fresh food that promotes good health.”

It is fresh, and if you don’t eat too many chips or slabs of “ya-ya’s” chocolate sheet cake, it can be healthy. Zoë and her son John first hired a nutritionist who reviewed and added to the nutritional content of the recipes – making sure they were kept simple, yet “geared to today’s common dietary needs”.

The restaurant décor, menus and attitude are open, friendly and colorful without jumping out at you. The staff is laid back without the hippie, “I got stoned before I came to work” aura. Helpful, attentive and on the ball. There are many pretty people eating in the expansive dining area and comfortable brick patio to the side. Four-and-a-half of us had a leisurely Saturday lunch outside just after the holidays.

The menu is heavy on chicken variations and slaw, but is plenty varied. All sandwiches come with chips and one side. The grilled chicken ($6.45) is a boneless breast with caramelized onions, lettuce tomato and feta on a sesame seed bun; there is the chicken and slaw pita ($6.45) – their slaw is unique and addictive if you love feta and vinaigrette. Shredded cabbage, scallions and fingernail sized crumbles of feta are tossed in light vinaigrette.

My wife selected the chicken roll-ups ($6.45) two crisply grilled tortillas with slices of plump grilled chicken, lettuce, tomato, feta and caramelized onions with salsa on the side. They are like little cigars, light, sweet and pungent with the feta. The salsa actually works, a bit of slight fire to the Greek combination. The chicken salad sandwich ($6.45) is all white meat, served on seven-grain bread, and mostly meat with mayo – more about that in the kid’s meals.

Egg salad ($6.45), grilled cheese ($5.95, choice of American, Swiss or cheddar on white); tuna salad ($6.45); grilled feta ($6.45, with tomato, basil and caramelized onions on rye); Mediterranean tuna ($6.45, water-packed tuna with capers, red onions and calamata olives served in a pita); a veggie pita ($6.45 mixed seasonal veggies with Zoë’s dressing) – well I guess chicken is not the dominant force on this menu after all.

There are many others on the menu. There is a Greek Salad ($6.45), chicken or tuna salad sampler served with slaw, pasta salad, potato salad, cucumber and tomato salad with pita bread ($8.45) and five hot plates. I will just reference the ones I have tried before. The chicken kabobs ($8.45) are quite good and not bad for you. Two people who are not ravenous could share this one – two kabobs with green peppers, cherry tomatoes and red onions are marinated in Zoë’s mild olive oil and red vinegar with Greek seasonings and served over moist rice pilaf with a Greek salad. I highly recommend this one. The quesadilla ($6.45) is a nice vegetarian option with tangy spinach mixed with feta, scallions grilled on soft tortillas and salsa. I added chicken to mine for some extra protein.

To share, we ordered a grilled pimento cheese sandwich ($6.45) with marinated slaw. Zoë’s pimento cheese is the closest to mine I have ever had. Extra sharp cheddar is coarsely grated with a plethora of pimentos and mayo – you can buy a small cartons of it and while expensive is worth it, unless you get me to make some for you.

I chose the red chicken sandwich ($7.45); a grilled chicken breast on grilled French bread topped with Greek marinara and melted Parmesan cheese. While the French bread was not what you typically find, this bread was plumper like a good sub roll. The marina is light and this is a tasty sandwich, I might recommend you try some of the other menu items before you come to this one.

My daughter ordered the kids chicken salad, which is served on white bread with the crust cut off. I have never been able to taste it, she is quite stingy, which should confirm its quality. The half with us was a feisty two-year-old who had a creamy peanut butter sandwich on crust-off white bread. The gruben ($6.45) is one I have eaten several times before and enjoyed. Our recuperating society lady friend did share some of hers with me and I had forgotten how this turkey Reuben with Swiss, slaw and spicy mustard is such a delicious combination of flavor – the spicy mustard is a welcome after-bite.

The sides other than slaw are a pasta salad with shells diced tomatoes, basil and feta – the pasta was cooked al dente, not mushy with the basil bringing just a hint of almost peppery taste when foiled by the feta. The red potato salad looks good, chunky with dabbles of scallions and Zoë’s dressing, but I have never allowed myself to eat anything other than the slaw.

So, remember, while you may be among the pretty people, practice up on your “hello dawlins” and don’t think people won’t talk about you if you are in any exercise clothing other than a short tennis skirt. You’ll be OK – just focus on your food.

Kinnon Phillips is Lagniappe cuisine editor. Contact him at kphillips@lagniappemobile.com.

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