BEST OF....

BEST NEW RESTAURANT (CHAIN).....ZED451

A stunner of a concept (see Best Concept), a stunner in design (see Best Design) and a stunner of a meal, all rolled into one. This restaurant gets just about everything right, from its inventive cocktail menu to spot-on service to all-you-can-eat servings of some of the tastiest and most eclectic food in town. ZED is a small chain — its other locations are in Chicago and Boston (opening soon) — but we’re ever so grateful it’s found its way to Boca Raton.

Thanks Charles Passy, this is sure to be a great Holiday Season.

Wonderful review!

Enjoy bold – and bountiful – Brazilian at Zed451

By Charles Passy | Dining | October 30, 2009

At Zed451, in Boca Raton's Mizner Park, visitors are in for a complete dining experience, including seasonal cocktails, a large salad spread and chef-driven main-course offerings.

By now, the Brazilian concept of the churrascaria — a restaurant that serves an all-you-can-eat feast of meats sliced tableside by strolling gauchos — is common to most Americans. Here in South Florida, a number of good ones have come and gone, with Gol! in Delray Beach remaining a solid survivor.

But at this point, what the concept really begs is a degree of reinterpretation, a churrascaria that thinks outside the gorgefest box of such churrascaria staples as rump roast and giant stalks of asparagus.
Zed451 is such a restaurant. And it’s a winner in every possible way.

For starters, this Boca Raton eatery, run by a California-based operator (Tavistock) with a keen feel for dining trends, matches a bold concept with a bold design.

Situated at the southern end of Mizner Park in the gargantuan space formerly belonging to the International Museum of Cartoon Art, the restaurant has a sleek, modern feel. It’s not so much a dining room as a series of spaces for eating and meeting — slightly dark, plenty cozy (I love the throw pillows) and altogether inviting. Clever details abound, from the walls of wine bottles to the centerpiece of a “water room” with a small table-level “pond.” And natural elements — wood and stone — lend Zed451 an organic feel, too: Call it green chic.

As for the restaurant’s convoluted name, it’s meant to symbolize the complete dining experience — “451” refers to the temperature at which paper burns, meaning a fiery beginning; “Zed” refers to the last letter of the British alphabet, meaning a peaceful conclusion. Go figure.

Actually, the beginnings of my meals at Zed451 were more in a liquid vein. The restaurant has a solid and nicely varied wine list — with wine flights for those who want to sample a few selections — but it’s the cocktails that really stand out. Zed451 is one of a handful of local restaurants that truly understand the modern mixology trend in which drinks emphasize bold, unusual flavors and serve as a platform for inventiveness. As with the dining menu, cocktail selections change seasonally: The cranberry mojito ($12), a Thanksgiving-inspired tweak on the summer refresher, is a worthy pick of the moment. But one of the year-round offerings, the California Crush ($10), is a potent, all-season thirst-quencher — a sun-kissed concoction of vodka, lemons and oranges.

On to the main meal: As with most churrascarias, Zed’s menu is a study in brevity. For a single (and relatively reasonable) price of $39, you get to sample everything the restaurant has to offer, including the extensive soup, salad and charcuterie bars (dubbed the Harvest Tables) and the meats and other offerings served tableside (dubbed the Chef Selections). If you opt to go with the Harvest Tables alone — and, yes, you can easily make an immensely satisfying meal of what’s available — you’ll pay a mere $25.

Why is that such a deal? For starters, the spread is very much a spread — on any given night, you can work your way through 20 or so individually prepared salads, plus an equally impressive array of meats and cheeses, from salami to sopressata, gorgonzola to gouda. To top it off, there are two seasonal soup selections.

But it’s more about the quality: Zed451 makes an art of the salad, looking to deftly combine ingredients of the sweet and savory kinds and present them with an eye for color. Such salads as vegetable saffron cous cous (blended with black-eyed peas, roasted fennel, green onion and Belgian endive) or a sweet corn salad with a cilantro honey vinaigrette amount to imagination on a plate, tasting as good as they look. But some of the best offerings are also the simplest: Take a relatively humble plate of chili-rubbed slices of granny smith apples — a tart, spicy mouthful that almost had me rushing home to re-create the easy-to-assemble dish. Or roasted cauliflower with a toasted pecan vinaigrette — nutty and earthy all at once.

The same levels of inspiration go into the soups and charcuterie selections. A mushroom walnut bisque made me long for more of a chill in the air, so the hearty bowl of autumnal goodness could fulfill its ultimate promise. And sliced meats and cheeses are perhaps just that, but Zed451 serves them with an unmistakable visual panache — not to mention a wonderful assortment of inventive spreads (chipotle peanut butter, anyone?), roasted veggies and rustic breads.

Then, there’s the main meal of Chef Selections. Zed451 makes the point of emphasizing that these are truly chef-driven offerings, presented tableside by the actual chefs behind the dishes, rather than just grilled hunks of beef sliced willy-nilly. I’m not one to disagree with that point: When you taste a slice of four peppercorn-crusted prime New York strip, it’s like a whole steak au poivre in a single bite. Other meat selections, including a buttermilk-marinated cut of steak, similarly marry tenderness and explosive flavor.
But I’m also impressed at how the Chef Selections go beyond the usual meats. Fish is on tap — with some of the tastiest Ahi tuna I’ve had in a while, not to mention a brilliantly conceived dish of mahi mahi fried in a tempura batter (it sure beats ho-hum tempura shrimp). So is chicken — a fragrant Moroccan chicken, to be exact. Even sweet, sinfully fatty slices of Asian pork belly make it to your table.

Suffice it to say, you’ll meet your daily caloric requirements — and gleefully so — in about a hour’s worth of dining. And I’m not even mentioning some of the separately featured side dishes or desserts, including a bizarrely decadent S’more Pie, that are offered for an additional charge.

And yet, what’s key to the Zed451 experience is that you’re likely to linger for well more than an hour. This is the meal as a well-paced night on the town, full of opportunities for quiet conversation or celebration-stoked socializing (the restaurant is perfect for an “occasion” dinner). Servers recognize that fact from the start — waiters and strolling chefs aim to please at every turn, but keep the mood sophisticatedly informal. Not sure what glass of wine to order? Your waiter will let you try a couple of sips of anything on the house. Want to know what goes into a particular dish? Just ask the chef.

As I said, Zed451 is a winner in every possible way. One of Palm Beach County’s big-statement new restaurants also happens to be one of its very best. Go and indulge.

R E V I E W

Zed451

FOOD: A

SERVICE: A

ADDRESS: 201 Plaza Real (in Mizner Park), Boca Raton

TELEPHONE: (561) 393-3451

WEB SITE: zed451.com

PRICE RANGE: Moderate to expensive

HOURS: 5 to 10 p.m., Monday to Thursday; 5 to 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday; 5 to 9 p.m., Sunday. Sunday brunch is offered from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Bar stays open later every night.

CREDIT CARDS: MC, V,
AmEx, Disc

RESERVATIONS: yes

WHEELCHAIR ACCESS: Yes

WHAT THE GRADES

MEAN:
A — Excellent
B — Good
C — Average
D — Poor
F — Don’t bother

Unplugged!

Join us tonight for Zed Unplugged, where we host Unplugged music, food, and drinks (starting at just $2!) from 6-9pm on the patio. What could be better??

Server Interview

Meet Vince, one of our awesome servers who has been with us from the beginning!



How long have you with here at Zed451?
10 months… since the opening

What position did you start in?
Started as a server, now a trainer

What do you enjoy most about working here with us?
The connections that we are encouraged to make with our guests… no canned presentations!

What do you enjoy most about the unique guests at Zed?
I can be myself and have fun with our guests… the way I would with a friend in my home.

What is your all-time favorite dish that has been on the menu?
The Morrocan Chicken

What about a favorite current dish?
The Ancho BBQ Ribs… they are sweet and spicy and very tender

And your favorite cocktail?
Cucumber Strawberry Mojito… I explain how 10 Cane is made with virgin sugar cane and distilled like cognac. I then explain how well the rum blends with the fruit and vegetable for a fantastic and refreshing cocktail.

What are your most and least favorite parts of your job?
My favorite thing is management is awesome, very personable and the GM is easy to get along with. I would love for more people in the community to know how great we are as a restaurant.

Say "hello" to Vince next time you come in!

Summer Recipe

Chef Bobby is excited to share with you the secret recipe for his Spicy Mango Slaw recipe for the summer! Following are the ingredients and the simple recipe, so try it out yourself, and let us know how it goes!)

TOOLS: Chef Knife, Mixing Bowl
Yield 2.5 quarts
Purpose: For a Hot Summer Day and A Barbecue!

Ingredients!
4 Mangoes, Julienne
2 cups Carrots, Julienne
2 cups Red Onions, Julienne
4 Jalapenos, Julienne
1 cup Fresh Lime Juice
1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1 tbsp Kosher Salt
¼ cup Fresh Cilantro, Finely Chopped

Dressing:
1 cup Light Corn Syrup
2 tbsp Crushed Chili Flakes
1/3 cup Fresh Lime Juice

How do I make it?? Simple...

1. Gently toss all the ingredients together.

2. Serve the dressing on the side, serve immediately.

Wine Tasting!

Cheerful group of people wine tasting with Greg Gauthier!

Chef Interview

Here is a fun little blog about Chef Bobby! Enjoy:

Chef Blog

Being a Chef is something I have always wanted to do since I was little. I received my first chefs knife when I was eleven years old and still have it with me today. The first kitchen I ever worked in was on an Island in Lake Erie called Put-In-Bay this is where I fell in Love with cooking. It was really life changing because after this job I moved onto a culinary school in Providence, Rhode Island called Johnson and Wales University. There I received my associates degree in Applied Science, which was Culinary Arts, and continued on to achieve my Bachelors in Foodservice Entrepreneurship. I would have to say my greatest Mentor (mentors) are my parents, as they have always supported me in any decision I make. If it were not for them I would not be where I am Today. I grew up cooking all the time with my Mom and my Dad we always cooked and I always helped out because I loved it.

My overall philosophy of cooking is Simple yet Elegant Food driven by California Cuisine, and great wine. California Cuisine is fresh, seasonal, local paired with Great Wine there is nothing better. The Best Part of my career so far has been the accomplishments I have achieved, and the ongoing learning process in becoming even a more successful Chef. The worst part of my career so far maybe all the moving around which I have done over the past three years, but yet so very important in my life because of the great people you meet along the way. I love traveling and there is no where I would not want to go in this country but the sunny skies, palm trees, and oceans are the best places to live in my eyes. There is nothing like waking up every day in paradise.

I love cooking at home because it is much more relaxing, you’re really not on a timeline and you’re the one eating the food, so if something is not perfect which of course it always is.. It can just be much less stressful. My favorite thing to cook at home is a 16 to 18 ounce Strip Steak, with caramelized balsamic onions and mushrooms, a loaded baked potato (fresh bacon, scallions, butter, sour cream, cheddar cheese), grilled asparagus, nice fresh baguette toasted to perfection on the grill. Nothing like a summer day after going out on the Golf Course, to come home eat this meal and watch the sunset. This is a picture perfect day especially when your house is on the beach! This just made me hungry!

Summer ingredients I traditionally like not only in the summer but all year long are: Cherry’s, Apricots, Stone Fruit is the best on a hot summer day, Vegetables on the other hand are particularly not my favorite but I do love asparagus, spinach, and sweet corn. If I was not a Chef Honestly I would want to own and operate a Catamaran in Costa Rica, take tours and cruises around for tourists to enjoy while providing them with Fresh, seasonal, and local cuisine. So I guess I would still be a Chef who gets to Play with Knives, Fire, and Food all day long no one I know, unless you’re a CHEF! There really is nothing I could honestly think I would want to do, I love my Job and have a lot of fun doing it. If I could cook for anyone in the world It would be hard to say, but if I could have someone cook for me I would totally choose Chef Ramsey because that guy is awesome and I would love to taste his Food! Take Care- Chef Bobby Out!