Savannah Vasquez
| svasquez@thedestinlog.com
Zoes Kitchen is a favorite among many in my circle of local friends, so I was excited to have the chance to try the newly expanded location in the Destin Commons.
With the physical expansion of the restaurant came a menu expansion as well, and I was overwhelmed at first by the amount of scrumptious-looking Mediterranean dishes to choose from.
THE FOOD
When it comes to Mediterranean food, Zoes Kitchen is the jackpot. Made fresh every day with healthy ingredients, Zoes is a haven for those with food allergies or who otherwise enjoy tasty, yet healthy food choices.
Starting with the appetizers, my guest and I went back and forth deciding between the Mediterranean lamb kafta and the French baked feta. In the end, I won out with the French baked feta, but I will have to return for those lamb meatballs in the near future.
The French baked feta was good. It was simply feta cheese topped with grape tomatoes, olives, peppers, basil and olive oil. My only complaint was there were not many pita chips served along side it, and, as far as appetizers go, it was a little on the small side.
As for our entrees, my guest made up for his lost lamb meatball starter by ordering the Rustic Lamb Pita. This pita was stuffed to the brim with lamb and beef meatballs, house-made tzatziki, salsa verde, Mediterranean relish, cabbage, feta cheese and dill.
This is one of the new offerings at Zoes Kitchen, and when I stole a bite of it, it had me wishing I had ordered it myself.
A was going to go with my tried-but-true Greek Chicken Pita, or even the Moroccan Chicken Piadina, but instead I allowed my guest to influence me to order something out of the box for me, the Steak Stack sandwich.
The Steak Stack came with thinly sliced steak, portobello mushrooms, mozzarella cheese, caramelized onions, feta spread, tomato and rosemary oil on thick-cut sourdough bread. The flavors went well together, but I was slightly disappointed by the chewy quality of the steak.
Both of our meals came with a choice of side dishes. My guest chose mixed fruit and I chose pasta salad. Both were delicious choices.
As for dessert, we chose YaYa’s Hand-Made Chocolate Cake and the House-Baked Zesty Lemon Cookie. When they came out, I was sure I would just devour the cake, but the lemon cookie took the cake … literally! The cake was a bit dry, but the icing was delicious. As for the cookie, it reminded me of lemon meringue pie, scrumptious!
THE ATMOSPHERE
Walking into Zoes Kitchen, the first thing that hit me was how clean it was. The modern décor added to the clean-cut feel, and the menu was easy to read and decipher. The new location in the Destin Commons offers outdoor seating and spacious indoor seating.
The restaurant operates in a fast-casual style where diners come up to the counter to order, then the food is brought out to the table when ready.
THE SERVICE
Once we placed our orders, grabbed our drinks and silverware and sat down, it wasn’t long before our appetizer was brought out, followed shortly by our entrees. The service was appropriate for the fast-casual style dining.
A FINAL TASTE
When it comes to thinking outside the box, there are fresh, wholesome family dinners offered on the menu and snack boxes and sides that can be ordered to-go for a healthy home-cooked meal to take home after a busy day of work or the beach.
When looking for a quick and healthy meal either to dine in or to go, Zoes Kitchen offers the perfect option.
QUICKBITES
Zoes Kitchen
Location: 4357 Legendary Drive, Destin
Telephone: 850-650-6525
Hours: Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.-8 p.m., Friday-Saturday 11 a.m.-9 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
Reservations: not needed
Children’s Menu: Yes, $3.99-$5.99
Price Range: Starters, $4.99-$7.89; Soups & Salads, $3.59-$12.99; Pitas & Piadinas, $8.29-$10.59; Sandwiches, $7.69-$8.59; Bowls, $8.59-$12.59; Kabobs, $9.39-$12.49; Family Dinners, $32.44-$42.99 (serves 3-6 people); Desserts, $2.59.
Payment: Credit Cards accepted