Zoe's is a big ship with manifold quarters and multiple levels, all devoted to seafood.
A vast menu matches the meandering layout and covers all the bases of ordinary ocean fare. Oysters, shrimp, scallops, calamari, lobster, crab, clams, mussels, salmon, scrod and cod are all available in many of the usual forms and permutations, and a few less standard choices like wild Alaskan salmon and trout are offered as specials.
This is not one of those restaurants decked out in fishing nets and buoys so you can hardly find the walls. Zoe's strives for more sophistication than that. But a few fish-related paintings and pinups of prize-winning catches do hang proudly, as does an incongruous collection of museum prints of 19th century child portraits in a back hallway.
The barroom is the best choice for an early supper, since its light-filled windows create a feeling of dining out on a deck. The bar carries a full wine and cocktail list as well as an extensive martini menu and a few taps from local breweries BBC and Paper City.
The main dining room is more spacious and sedate, replete with roomy, curved leather booths and a mezzanine level edged by a brass banister. Despite the fact that Zoe's is an independent, chef-owned operation, this room has a distinct Red Lobster vibe complete with an all-you-can-eat salad bar and a constant stream of light tunes from the '70s and '80s. Unfortunately, the salad bar cooler was broken the evening I dined.
The beauty of a restaurant specializing in seafood is the increased odds of a fresh catch arriving every day. Raw oysters on the half shell are not something you want to mess with in any other context. Zoe's features different oysters each day, served by the half dozen with a trio of sauces. I sampled Malpeques from Canada and smaller ones from Potters Cove in Maine. The Maine oysters proved far superior as they were plump and creamy and swimming in salty brine, whereas the others were chewier and drier.
I could have been satisfied by a meal of appetizers, which are plentiful and fun to choose from. Southern fried oysters are crunchy, cornmeal-coated mouthfuls dipped in a lightly spiced Cajun remoulade. Coconut battered shrimp are covered in sweet shreds of golden, meaty coconut and big enough to require several bites each. Crab-stuffed mushroom caps are topped with a savory crust of salty cheese that was more prominent than the crab but lip-smacking nonetheless.
When it comes to fish, I find the specials are often the best choice. A straightforward preparation of seared wild Alaskan salmon served with lemon beurre blanc and fresh dill was an appropriately simple way to savor the delicate texture and flavor of this high-quality filet. Whole boneless trout stuffed with crab and breadcrumbs was expertly cooked to highlight the fish's moist, tender flesh.
A more involved dish of pan-roasted cod and lobster in a tomato and sherry cream sauce was less successful, since the lobster bits were tough and rubbery and the sauce too strongly flavored and reminiscent of a rich cream of tomato soup.
Zoe's also offers a vast fried repertoire, pasta dishes, and a full selection of steaks, lamb, pork, and duck entrées. Notably, the St. Louis pork back ribs are among the best I've had. The meat is succulent and slipping off the bone, and an intensely peppery barbeque sauce complements a deliciously charred crust.
On the whole, Zoe's exercises admirable restraint in creating simple recipes that demonstrate respect for the fish—and the diner. "
Zoe's Fish and Chop House
238 Northampton St.,
Easthampton, 527-0313
Hours: Mon.-Thu. 4-8:30 p.m.; Fri.-Sat. 4-9 p.m.; Sun. 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. and 4-8 p.m.
Entrées: $13.95-$24.95.
—carolinepam@gmail.com
