One of our favorite Columbia, SC haunts is Zoës Kitchen. There's
currently only one location, over in Forest Acres by Trenholm. This
is the num-yummiest place around! I'm not a big chicken salad fan,
and what originally got me in the door was the design and decor. I
didn't know if it was a burger joint, a veggie place, or what, but I
didn't expect it to specialize in chicken. The menu is somewhat
extensive, but they keep their ingredients to a minimum.
My favorite thing, hands down, is the coleslaw. None of that
mayonnaisey, watery, limp stuff you get most places. They shred
cabbage and toss it with feta, chives, oil, and spices to give you the
freshest tasting slaw ever. They put the slaw on the Gruben, a
grilled sandwich featuring turkey, swiss, spicy mustard, and slaw on
rye. I do not like rye in the least, and this sandwich is phenomenal!
I usually get the chickensalad sandwich. The first time we walked
in, they gave us a free sample since we were new. Oh my goodness.
It's like no other chicken salad I've had. Once again, no watery mayo
with chunks of chicken floating in it. This stuff is shredded to
perfection, mixed with the right amount of everything, and spread over
bread with lettuce, tomato, and mayo. They use a nice whole grain
bread where you can taste the grains. And personally, I'd hold off on
the mayo because it's already in the salad.
Each table has salt, pepper, and a yummy oil-vinegar mix which I
am compelled to put on the chickensalad sandwich because I like my
sandwiches a little moist and I find the bread sucks up the moisture.
This is the de facto dressing for the pitas and salads.
There are a couple misses on the menu: Corey ordered some chicken
roll-ups one time that were blah. I think it was chicken, cheese, and
marinara in a tortilla that was tossed on the grill for a minute. I
also dislike the chocolate cake, but that may be because I'm a cake
purist. The kabobs and salads are big hits, though.
It's a franchise located out of Texas and the franchise-owner in
SC is looking at opening one up in Lexington, but I think they could
be well-served in the Vista. They have a drive-thru for phone-in
orders only. This serves mostly families who will order family meals.
What better clientele than the government and downtown employees who
are heading home? Meanwhile, they could serve the college kids in the
dining room. Perhaps a bit unorthodox for this company, but good food
and fun decor would be appreciated, as well as the price.
http://www.zoeskitchen.com
