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Provided by Citysearch
Great place to have dinner
Posted by ranatoliy on 10/03/2009
Check out my pictures
picasaweb.google. com/rakalin/CafeZol#
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An Angel Kissed My Food
Posted by Poo on 08/25/2009
If the culinary gods struck me down and took me from this earth today I would like to think they would send me to a little place called Cafe Zol.
I am not a food critic. I am not in the food industry. But I know a damn good fillet when I have one! I would put that big fat juicy hunk of meat up against any in town!! I know... I know... that is saying a lot. I LOVE V&A's fillet. Their fillet was the greatest in my book for many years. I am afraid to say that my beloved V&As has a bit of competition, and said competition's name is Cafe Zol.
I also partook in the "beef-something soup" (sorry that I forgot the name). It was the perfect blend of meat, broth and a touch of salt. I would almost consider the broth as an aperitif. It was the perfect opening act for "the Phantom of the Cats at Chorus Line" that I was about to witness.
I cannot speak of the other choices on the menu. I like to keep things simple before trying a new fillet.
As for the ambiance... It was great. The restaurant itself is a nicely lit, sophisticated yet comfortable atmosphere. The bar is absolutely beautiful with the exception of these stupid looking teapots that are completely out of place. The tables were nicely placed and minimally ornamented. It was very nice.
The waiter was the best. If I remember correctly, his name was Thomas. He was very informed of the menu and had great recommendations for my wife (I was set on the fillet). He was also very informative about the wine selection. The selection in and of itself was very impressive.
All-in-all I would highly recommend this restaurant. I feel confident that one of the Montrose restaurants finally got it right... No more obnoxious trips to downtown. Cafe Zol has finally brought the meat to Montrose.
If you don't try the fillet at Cafe Zol... you might as well eat at LJS.....
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Absolutely Amazing!
Posted by pedimd1975 on 08/22/2009
My partner and I went here last night and will definitely be back. An amazing restaurant with, hands down, some of the best food in Houston. We had a chance to meet the owner and chef both and were told that the original Scandanavian approach they had taken didn't go over so well, so they've changed the menu to a more American fare - and a great decision it was.
We started off the meal with a bottle of St. Michele Riesling and the Semolina-crusted Calamari with Chipotle Aioli. This calamari was not greasy at all, rather a perfectly fried crust that did not fall off when you pick it up. The calamari has enough taste to stand on its own, however the aioli was fantastic.
We asked about the soups and opted to both split a small cup of the Cream of Leek soup. The only regret was that we didn't opt for a larger portion by getting a bowl. I have never had any type of leek soup before, but this soup was amazing.
I ordered the Coriander Duck Breast atop rice noodles and asian slaw in an asian soy sauce. On the first bite I literally put my fork down and said "wow!" The duck was juice and succulent with a sweet/savory combination that just fills your mouth. The soy sauce it was cooked in is amazing. Went perfectly with the slaw and rice noodles. My partner had the Braised Short Ribs with a Cream Cheese Polenta cake. I had to steal a taste and was very impressed. Literally melted in your mouth. The polenta cake was cooked with a touch of thyme that added a really nice flavor.
We ended the meal with a handmade apple tart with fresh blueberries and ice cream and my partner had the Blueberry Shortcake with fresh blueberries, both of which were nothing short of fantastic.
We have visited hundreds of restaurants in Houston and this is now in our top 3 favs. Elizabeth the owner, Jimmy Peterson (formerly Lancaster Hotel) the executive chef and our server Gideon made this a fantastic experience. You'd be doing yourself an injustice not to experience this place.
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Provided by Citysearch
Great experience!!
Posted by chloe30 on 05/28/2009
What a wonderful experience all around!! I have to admit that the lack of cars in the parking lot and the Dino out front made us a little unsure about what the restaurant was like but we tried it anyway and were so happy we did. The service, food, decor were all wonderful. I just think this place needs some better marketing.
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Provided by Citysearch
Nice atmosphere and friendly service
Posted by iReview4you on 10/28/2008
The restaurant has a great interior design. The dark colors and brass finish create a very warm enviornment. There were not too many tables filled and the service was very attentive. The spinach artichoke dip was very well done and tasty. I had the filet and the meat was very tender and the taste was great. We had a bottle of wine (very decent price).
Overall the prices are decent and the food and service was great.
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Provided by Citysearch
It's not the worst meal I've had out, but it's in the top 5...
Posted by Carlosbob on 10/07/2008
Whoa, that was a foul dinner! I can't believe Crostini closed down in this location but Cafe Zol has been here for 9 months!
Where to begin... I like the atmosphere. They have stained glass and a nice decor. The bar area looks quite nice and there is a pleasant patio (although, we ate inside). I was curious about the idea of Scandinavian Tapas, so I was ready to eat. We started off with the Danish Cheese Pocket w/ Toast and Jam (i.e., deep fried brie). Interesting idea, I love melted brie, but I think a lot of the brie ended up in the bottom of the deep fryer. Also, one of the wedges was over-ripe (very ammonia-y). We next had cups of the lobster chowder. This was brilliantly awful! Absolutely inedible. Fishy tasting dishwater. Yuck.
We had already ordered tapas, so unfortunately we could not leave yet. We got the Swedish Meatballs (dry, with odd sauce), Mini Burgers (very dry, with decent homemade fries), and the Duck Fingers (ducks must have small hands full of cabbage). A very disappointing meal. The server was very apologetic, and very nice.
I will eat ANYWHERE before I eat here again.
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Provided by Citysearch
Lovely restaurant for Saturday Brunch~
Posted by melvinhsie on 06/06/2008
A lovely restaurant! My friend and I went there for the Saturday brunch. The meatball and omelette taste wonderful! The waitor is cute and welcoming. The owner even showed up by the end of the meal to greet us. Definitely going there again~
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Provided by Citysearch
Not so good
Posted by vanessath on 05/12/2008
I took a colleague from NJ to Cafe Zol. I was completely embarrassed and the both of us laughed throughout the whole dinner.
The crab fingers were **tiny** little crab claws dripping in olive oil. I saw a comment about putting Scandinavian bread on the menu....YES, please!!!..And stop serving wheat toast with everything including the escargots. The shrimp and spinach filo was cold and over cooked on the inside to the tune of dried shrimp but undercooked on the outside so the filo was still raw.
The owner came by and asked us how the food was and we told her the shrimp and spinach filo has no taste. She said, ?Most Scandinavian food is bland.??What???!!! So visit Cafe Zol if you like bland food.
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You have to try it!
Posted by laurankerr on 05/03/2008
What a relaxing dinner... Great ambiance and delicious food! The duck fingers were my favorite, and it's fun to get several tapas to share with friends.
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Provided by Citysearch
Notable Addition to the Houston Scene
Posted by 177345 on 04/15/2008
Cafe Zol?s Scandinavian tapas concept is loosely executed; the menu is very accessible and includes dishes like open-faced sandwiches and omelettes. Traditional meatballs (which were perfect) are well represented, as is duck, seafood, and pastry. Our food was ridiculously good and the offerings are both unpretentious and surprisingly unique. Service was great, too ? attentive & friendly, but low-key. Cafe Zol fills a refreshing niche in a city dominated by barbeque, sushi, Thai, and Tex-Mex.
