Archive for February 27th, 2007

Located next to the Virginia Beach convention center, Zoe’s serves upscale food in a comfortable, eclectic atmosphere. Our waitress was excellent—she was dynamic, had a sense of humor, and provided great wine service. Too many times nowadays I like a restaurant, but the service is a let down. Here, the service met the level of cuisine.

Appetizers ordered for our large party included a trio of hummuses, a “take” on Japanese/Chinese dim sum, clams, and shrimp tempura, Chinese style. The eclectic menu matched some of the decorations, crossing borders and conveying interesting interpretations.

The appetizers were good, but not particularly great. I admired the inventiveness and the play on food (little mini sea urchin-type fish balls or the shrimp served in a Chinese-style take-out box). The entrées were less daring in interpretation, but more solid in flavor and execution.

It took some time for all entrées to come out in unison for our party, but the wait was worth it. The orders varied from rockfish, to steaks, to an interesting new item: duck and ricotta balls. Gnutti, they were called, they were a new take on a gnocchi, and while bland, they were combined with cubes of duck breast and fig. It was a different entrée and one that I much enjoyed. Everyone seemed amply satisfied with their meals.

The desserts included a triple-layer cheesecake (dense, tart, rich) and crème brûlée. The custard was just right, in ample amounts, with copious amounts of fresh vanilla bean. The cheese cake was presented in a rounded shape, delicious, but was ultimately too rich for one person to consume alone.

Zoë took above average food, inventive flavor choices, and combined it with excellent service in a warm atmosphere. Great conversation capped the meal making it great.

Recommended; near the strip, valet parking available.