A French Fancy Zola adds a liberal dash of imagination to classic menu at Palo Alto’s quintessential Parisian bistro. 82 South Bay Accent NATHAN LEWIS REVIEW B y S u s a n H a t h a w a y One of the many delights of living in Paris is the sprinkling of little local bistros where folks from the ’hood gather for spirited talk, plentiful sips of wine and affordable, sustaining food—nothing precious. Downtown Palo Alto once had such a spot, L’Amie Donia, that was beloved and always packed. A decade after this restaurant’s perfect pommes frites and pan-roasted cod made their last appearance, a new French bistro has captured the fancy of Palo Altans seeking that comforting Gallic experience. It opened last September on the very same block. Zola, named after the 19th-century French writer, quickly attracted a happy crowd and zoomed to the top on social media rankings. Zola might be trés French— young owner-chef Guillaume Bienaimé is a bilingual French- American—but it’s modern in its attention to seasonal ingredients and creative techniques. Classic dishes like a chicken and pork terrine are given a contemporary twist—in this case, house-made pickled mushrooms. Other starters are equally alluring, such as beef tartare with shaved black truffle and yummy fingerling potato “crisps,” and oh so en vogue roasted marrow bones served with an herb salad. When Bienaimé wanders away from the classics—as he frequently does—the results are also scrumptious. He pairs barely seared slices of tombo tuna with grapefruit and lemon to cut the richness, accenting the meat with a touch of chile, avocado and hearts of palm. Having run the kitchen during the final stretch at esteemed Marché in Menlo Park, Bienaimé has a packet of killer recipes to augment his whimsy, such as that restaurant’s fantastic ricotta gnocchi, crisp yet tender, here served in a brown butter sauce with a barely poached egg oozing on top. The chef ’s market-driven approach is particularly evident in a corner of the menu that’s easy to overlook given the other tempting categories available. But do check out his seven imaginative vegetable sides like roasted beets with citrus, feta and harissa pistachios, or outrageously divine mushrooms done like escargots. T h e D i s h o n H o t L o c a l E a t e r i e s
South Bay Accent - Apr/May 2015
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