(Image: CHS)
When you visit the reincarnated Restaurant Zoe in her new Capitol Hill location at 14th and Union, some of the look and feel might be familiar to you. Like a big sister turning to her cool younger brother for inspiration, the new Zoe feels a little like her sibling Quinn’s.
The Belltown-escapee debuted Wednesday night to show off her new look, new menu and new spirit.
When we talked to Scott and Heather Staples about the Zoe move, they told us to expect a refresh. “We changed everything. The look. The logo. Even the music. Everything has loosened up. As well as the price point,” Scott said a few weeks back. Wednesday, the final touches on the new Zoe were being put into place a few hours before the debut. “We’re going down the punch list,” Heather said.
The new space adjacent the Oola Distillery and Lucky 8’s is larger than Quinn’s and will play lighter during the day and into summer as “the coop” all-weather patio area comes into play. A copper-top bar and set of high tables in the middle of the action is very much sibling restaurant Quinn’s-inspired. But the rows of tables cozied into “the snug” area of the dining room is purely a Zoe touch.
Here’s a look at the “loosened” menu. More pictures from opening night are in the slideshow. Learn more at restaurantzoe.com
UPDATE: We didn’t have time to shoot any dishes coming out of Zoe’s kitchen but we found a friendly face in the crowd who was willing to help out. Thanks to local food and drink entrepreneur Laura Olson for passing along a few images of dessert from her table. We included Olson’s rather breezy descriptions of the plates on the Flickr page. As she told us, check the menu.
But, I’m less excited about the “loosened” menu. Seems heavy handed and more like Quinn’s than the former Zoe. I loved how inspired and light the Belltown Zoe menus were, but then again, I could only afford to go there on very special occasions. I assure you those gnudi really don’t need lamb sausage! God I sound like a snob, I’m sorry!
14th and Union has got to be the most dense corner in Seattle now if you’re looking for pork belly, foie gras, $19 hamburgers, and everything covered in butter or cream. Also, if you have zero vegetarian friends.
When I look at that menu, I see Quinn’s. And that means meat, meat, meat and more meat. Fatty food. Heavy food. I stopped going to Quinn’s for this very reason. I am NOT a vegetarian, but I like the options. You can’t eat vegetarian at Quinn’s and apparently you can’t very well eat vegetarian at the new Zoe either. And I don’t need so much heaviness in my food. It’s just overpowering and rich. I can’t for the life of me figure out why the same owner would want a replicated style of menu for his other restaurant less than 4 blocks away.
I just looked at the menus for Quinn’s and Zoe, and they don’t really seem that similar. Bring on the pork belly.
I walked past the old Rosebud space tonight and wondered when the new biz had opened because they were PACKED. Thx for the update and I can’t wait to check it out.
I’m excited for Zoe but Quinn’s is so bad that I’m a little scared….
I’m more interested in the staff. Zoe servers always earned my respect and highest tips. The service was the perfect balance of total invisible-till-you-want-them poise, and unstuffy warmth. Please tell me they’ve kept that tone in the new space.
I was there for the soft opening last night – it was packed all night. Had the signature burger – delicious!
I liked Zoe the way it was, except for the fact that it was in Belltown. Still, I’ll give it a try.
The menu is actually a lot lighter than it was in the Belltown location. Less salt, cream and butter, more vegetarian options than before… have you looked at the new menu?