XL Dining Guide 2003 - Top Ten Restaurants

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Austin's Top Ten Restaurants Zoot

Photo by Kelly West For AA-S

A change in owners prompted some changes at Zoot, but don't fret -- the coconut-buttermilk tart with tropical fruit sauce is still on the menu.

Zoot
509 Hearn St.
(512) 477-6535
Wine: 38 by the glass ($5-$15), 70 by the bottle ($17-$685)
Rating:

No. 6: Zoot

The salmon terrine demonstrates the new Zoot, a blend of the older Zoot and the newer Wink.

A domino-sized slice of terrine, made from house-smoked salmon and goat cheese, rests at a sharp angle against another slice, accompanied by an avocado remoulade and pickled red onions.

It offers a delicious marriage of contrasting flavors, a hallmark of the old Zoot. It also comes in a small portion, which is emblematic of the newer Wink.

That melding occurred this year after chef-owners Stewart Scruggs and Mark Paul bought Zoot and installed Michael Hall, who had been sous chef at Wink, as the chef de cuisine responsible for the daily menu.

In another way, however, Zoot hasn't changed at all: the outstanding service. There are four waiters who have worked together at Zoot for several years, operating seamlessly as a team (a real rarity in Austin).

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