Zoë

The focus of Zoë is our open kitchen with its wood burning oven, grill and rotisserie.

When I walked into Zoë, the first thing I noticed was the smell. The aroma was sort of like fresh bread, kind of sweet and yeasty, it contented me to stay for a while. The menu looked a little pricey but their bar offerings were reasonable, so that's where I sat. I later discovered that they have a chef's counter where the culinary team will personally explain what they're preparing and provide tips from the chef! (I don't care if it is technically for kids, I'm going back to eat there.)

From the bar menu I ordered a mushroom pizza, made with a variety of seasonal mushrooms, pesto, bacon and goat cheese. When it came out of the oven it was topped with a good portion of arugula. This whole combination had a wonderful aroma and a great combination of flavors and textures. It was really unlike any other pizza I've ever had. There were several types of mushrooms, which I probably couldn't identify but which were quite tasty and really not that mushroomy. The pesto added a nice garlic flavor and the goat cheese was flavorful but not too chalky which it sometimes can be.

As I enjoyed my dinner I took a look around the restaurant. It seems pretty big for its location, with the open kitchen at the back. The ceiling looked like it was red velvet or some other fabric, and there were interesting "fourteen-foot terra cotta columns" throughout the space. The crowd varied from families to business travelers with several groups of friends meeting up for a glass of wine. The bartender definitely knew what he was talking about when it came to wines. The servers too seemed very knowledgeable and friendly. Sitting at the bar I overheard some of their conversation and I could tell they cared about the customers and treating them well.

Though it was a shade on the expensive side ($25 for my pizza and a beer), I was definitely satisfied and am excited to come back and try more from the Zoë menu and chef's counter.

Jerry's Restaurant

Jerry Joseph took a run down cafeteria and turned it into Jerry's--an upscale diner complete with booths, original stainless-steel fixtures and a counter that is not simply a bar, but a place to eat good food.

V's love of mushrooms and our recent experience with Manchego cheese while traveling in the Caribbean combined in one item I found on Jerry's brunch menu so we headed downtown to try it out. It was very good, but I read an inaccurate online menu and was a little surprised by the higher prices.

The decor was comfortable with cool cow-print (or cow skin) booths and bar stools. I didn't get too far into the narrow-but-long restaurant, but it looked more spacious in the back, where the bar is located. The service was a little pretentious, though I suspect that is normal for the neighborhood.

We both tried omelets, V choosing the Mushroom and Manchego while I tried the Chorizo, Onion and Red Pepper omelet. Our server wasn't terribly friendly, I think he could sense we weren't from SoHo, but came all the way from Queens...such tourists. So when I asked if my omelet was served with cheese, he just pointed at the menu, which said nothing about cheese. I added havarti.

Both omelets were tasty, I think we each preferred our own. I felt like V's was too mushroomy, but to her that is what made it good. For me most anything with onions in any form is good. My dish had a good combination of flavors including the onion, though the oil from the chorizo was a little unattractive on my plate. The home fries served on the side weren't anything special. I did enjoy the light salad of fresh greens served on the side, with a nice slightly creamy dressing that was not too overwhelming, but nicely coated the entire salad.

Overall it was a good meal, though the service could be a bit more friendly and the prices a little easier on the wallet.