This 'n That Thursdays: Zoë's Kitchen

From Athens World

Earlier in the week I met a friend for lunch in nearby Athens, Georgia.  She suggested eating at a relatively new casual restaurant called Zoë's Kitchen, which I had noticed but not yet tried.  It was an excellent choice!  The focus is on healthy Mediterranean food with just a couple of Southern favorites on the menu as well (their motto is "To deliver goodness from the inside out.").  My husband and I love Mediterranean/Middle Eastern food, and have always lamented the fact that there were no restaurants offering this type of cuisine in the Athens area.  You would think that a town named after a classic Greek city and supporting a significant Greek community would have at least one Greek or even Mediterranean restaurant, but sadly that has not been the case.  Now, however, Zoë's Kitchen has at least brought a taste of this cuisine to our location, and with a healthy spin that is an additional advantage.  The restaurant makes a point of letting customers know which menu items are vegetarian, vegan, and/or gluten-free, and also provides a list of options for under 500 calories.

My friend recommended the Gruben Sandwich, a leaner version of the classic Reuben, and we both ordered that.  The sandwiches come with a choice of one side dish, so I got the Roasted Vegetables while my friend had a Greek Side Salad.  Interestingly, we both have the same preferences for a Reuben variation, preferring turkey to pastrami or corned beef and mustard to Thousand Island dressing, which is how the Gruben is served.  Zoë's Kitchen also substitutes their marinated slaw (made without mayonnaise) for sauerkraut in the Gruben.  The combination is quite tasty, and I would happily order this sandwich again.  Next time I think I will order the Braised White Beans as a side dish (as pictured below), because the description on the menu sounds intriguing.

Gruben Sandwich with Braised White Beans
(from Foodspotting)

I am already planning a trip back to the Athens location this week with my husband, as I know he will be as enthusiastic about this new restaurant as I am.  For those who need their Southern food fix, Zoë's Kitchen also serves chicken salad as well as pimento cheese sandwiches, and you don't get much more Southern than that for lunch!  Check out the menu here for the Athens location, or enter your zip code and find the menu for the one nearest to you here.  If you are lucky enough to have a Zoe's Kitchen nearby, stop in and give their food a try.