It’s Mediterranean food with a little Southern flair added in.
At least that’s how the manager at the Austin Arboretum described the menu at Zoës Kitchen, the first of its kind in Texas.
“It started out in Birmingham, Ala.,” he says said of Zoës. “So it’s definitely a Southern take on Mediterranean-style food.”
It’s Mediterranean-style fare that includes soups, salads, sandwiches, pita sandwiches and kabobs. And there’s a lot of feta cheese being tossed around here, too.
We started the meal off with a plate of hummus and pita. The olives added a nice acidity but I wished the pita bread was toasted.
According to Zoës’ website, the menu is inspired by restaurant founder Zoë Cassimus’ family recipes in which ingredients are fresh and simple. Nothing is fried or microwaved here. Food is grilled and the ingredients include fruits and vegetables cooked in fresh herbs and olive oil.
Sampling of Zoe’s different pita pairings – hummus, chicken, tuna, and egg salad.
Tabouli salad with ozro “tabouli”, baby spinach, mixed greens, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, feta cheese and lemon vinaigrette.
Steak stack sandwich with sliced steak, portobello, mozzarella, caramelized onions, feta spread, tomato, sourdough and rosemary oil.
Steak roll-ups with sliced tri-tip, swiss, sauteed mushrooms and caramelized onions
Steak, salmon and shrimp kabobs with red bell peppers, onions, grilled potatoes and roasted vegetables.
Zoe’s Kitchen
What To Order: For lunch, try the tomato bisque, it’s made from scratch. The steak sandwich and pita sandwichs are perfect for a quick lunch. For dinner, try the tabouli salad with steak kabobs.
Hours — Zoës Kitchen is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
Information — There are two locations in Austin at the Arboretum and Sunset Valley. Guests can order online or download the Zoës Kitchen app for smart phones to order take-out. For more information visit, zoeskitchen.com.
Description — Simple, tasty, fresh. That’s the motto at Zoë Kitchen, Smith said.
