2008 Woodie Awards
Healthy Hangout No.2: Zoe's Kitchen
Amber Chemam
Issue date: 1/29/08 Section: A & E
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Mon-Sun 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Zoe's Kitchen is the latest addition to the Montrose-area's quirky restaurant archive, and it fits nicely into the current trend of healthy-eating and counter service.
Convenience is key at this small, independently owned café, as table wait-time is non-existent and the line is pleasantly short and fast-moving, even during the noon-time rush. The food arrives within minutes, making this an excellent lunch-hour stop-off and a good choice for fast and easy take-out.
The menu is an appetizing fusion of Greek cuisine and standard American deli fare. Family-style dinners are available any time of the day, for a reasonable cost, and feed up to four people. Side dishes like pasta and potato salads are available in to-go pints and look fresh and tasty.
Typical lean foods like grilled chicken and salads make up most of the dinner options, and are actually very good. The kabobs, made up of chicken breast and an assortment of fresh vegetables, are served with a generous helping of well-seasoned rice, a traditional Greek salad and pita bread and make a hearty but light post-workout meal.
The atmosphere in Zoe's is pleasant, with bright and colorful décor and a laid-back vibe, and the staff is friendly and helpful. The food is served on disposable paper plates and with plastic utensils, which provides optimal clean-up convenience and seems to be a great way to keep up kitchen-staff efficiency, but is also likely to be the one complaint for some patrons.
Not only do the flimsy plates barely hold up under the weight of the abundance of food piled on them, but using paper and plastic instead of reusable dishes and silverware seems to be decidedly non-environmentally conscious, which is a little disappointing seeing as how healthy-living and going green seem to generally go hand-in-hand.