This year Valentine's Day was celebrated the day before and at the cozy and understated
Zelko Bistro. My previous attempt to dine here with friends was unsuccessful after finding out the wait would be almost an hour. Luckily for us, there was just enough room to get seated right away.
Their culinary fare is a refined take on Southern favorites. Bryan and I started off with the Parmesan Truffle fries, which was all the rage on
Yelp. And yes, Yelp is truly a godsend when deciding on what to order. It gives you a great starting point when everything looks so good on the menu!
Besides the fact that truffle oil makes everything better, the shoestring fries were flavorful, surprisingly light on the grease, and cut to perfection. Needless to say, we licked the plate clean.
Although it was difficult to skip over the well-reviewed Shrimp & Grits, we decided that we had indulged in our year's worth of the dish during our trip to
South Carolina. So instead, we opted for the meatloaf and crab cakes. Both dishes were
very good.
ZB Meatloaf
The juicy and slightly sweet meatloaf was topped with pieces of garlic and sat on a bed of tender sauteed spinach and creamy mashed potatoes.
Blue Crab Cakes
The crab cakes, described by the waiter as lovingly hand molded by the cook, came out perfectly seasoned and with the right amount of texture. The frisee salad and crispy potato hay were a carefully chosen complement to the dish. For the intimate ambience and quality of the food, this restaurant met and exceeded our expectations. The food was filling yet delicate on the palate and didn't break the bank- everything I look for in a nice restaurant that gets me coming back for more.
