by Benjamin Nunnally
F
or all the things Zoe’s on the Lake is,
one of the things it might not be is
what you'd expect.
Nestled into a Weaver hillside, Zoe’s looks a
little intimidating at first glance, like the sort
of place where a suit and tie are required just
to step in the door. That can be ascribed to
the building’s pedigree; originally built as a
sister site for Anniston’s Classic On Noble, the
restaurant is a sprawling structure just beside Angel Lake, with large, white columns,
a pavilion for dining on the lake and — the
surest sign of affluence — a long driveway.
Come through the front door, though, and
new visitors can breathe easy, surrounded
by wood paneling on the walls, decorations
with earthy, warm colors and surrounded
with space enough to keep from bumping
elbows with other diners through a meal.
Menu prices are on par with other local restaurants without sacrificing quality, keeping
an upscale atmosphere without fine dining’s
commitment to emptying pocketbooks.
A quick conversation with Slade Boothe, the
friendly, gruff-voiced owner of Zoe’s, and it
becomes clear that he’s built his restaurant
to provide a place for unwinding, with or
without a tie.
“We’re trying to be more of a destination, a
place where people can come out and spend
a couple hours or so,” said Boothe. “Somewhere to go outside and sit on the patio and
have a few drinks, relax and listen to some
music.”
That same contented, relaxed style stretches
to the entrees, with comfort foods like chicken and biscuits, boneless pork chops and
chicken and waffles settled next to more adventurous choices like Desperado Chicken,
grilled chicken with fire-roasted vegetables,
and Bourbon Street Scallops, blackened
scallops over rice cakes with cheese and Cajun sauce. The Cajun connection, provided
by head chef Dre Deshotels, is another of
Zoe’s unexpected distinctions.
“We strive to do everything from scratch
here,” said Deshotels. “We don’t try to overcomplicate the food, either, just do it simply
as possible and the right way.”
Deshotels has a Cajun background, born in
Louisiana and trained in his grandmother’s
kitchen, where he says he found his passion
May 2015
INSIGHT