October 21-27, 2004

food

French Twist

HOLE IN THE WALL: Zoubi's rustic entrance, overhung with trailing ivy, disguises the outstanding kitchen housed within. Photo By: Michael T. Regan

Andr Lenoble's Zoubi mixes Gallic charm with Moroccan zest.

by Maxine Keyser

This is the season of "mists and mellow fruitfulness," but it is mostly mist that I encounter driving to New Hope on a recent Saturday. The fruitfulness will come later, I guess, because all forecasts promise a year of spectacular foliage and bountiful late harvests. I am on my way to meet friends who have told me repeatedly about a small French restaurant that they frequent and which I am eager to try. By the time we reach Zoubi, on Mechanic Street, the mist has cleared and the evening is full of stars. Set back from the street and approached by a rambling brick walkway, the restaurant seems charming. Within, it has the feel of a French bistro, cobbled together out of haphazard rooms. The lights are low, and there are French cafe chairs at the tables and a gas fire warming the center of the main room. It is all tres cozy, even to the little cat who wanders around the room. There are already a number of people drinking at the outdoor tables, and more are arriving. Not artsy or touristy, this is a chic, young crowd who apparently live in the area. They all know the maitre d', André Lenoble, and greet him warmly.

When I get the chance to chat with Lenoble, who, with his partner, Louis Zanias, is also the owner of Zoubi, I find that he has a wealth of experience in the food world. He is from Arras in the north of France, but he honed many of his cooking skills in Morocco and then in Grimaud, near St. Tropez. Clearly preferring a warm climate, he made his way to the island of St. Barts, where he worked at quite a few well-known restaurants. There he met Georges Perrier and Jeanine Mermet (late of La Truffe), who encouraged him to come to Philadelphia. He came and worked with Mermet for a while and then headed to New Hope. ("Although I do like to return to St. Barts when it gets too cold up here," he confides.)

Francois Morvan, formerly with La Bonne Auberge, is the chef now, although Lenoble does dabble in pastry sometimes. We find something different at the table -- a deep-red, simple menu that has no descriptions on it. It just states the dishes they have that night, and then the waitress fills in the rest. The locals know their way around -- for example, they ask what the brioche is that night, rotated with a different filling every week. Tonight's is a burnished sphere filled with a mixture of sweet crab meat, late tomatoes and the bitter edge of arugula. It spills over the brioche and circles the plate, and the portions are quite large, too. I have nibbled too much on the lentil salad, hummus and olives that were presented with the bread at the start of the meal (a throwback, perhaps, to Lenoble's Moroccan days?). My tuna tartare, though beautifully garnished with pickled ginger, wasabi and a spray of enoki mushrooms, is overwhelmingly oniony. This, I realize, is purely personal, but I cannot taste the lovely, ruby tuna for the onions. A salad of arugula topped with croutons and mascarpone cheese in an astringent vinaigrette is refreshing, and a crab cake that everyone asked for at the meal's start is worthy of the attention. These plump, well-seasoned cakes may also be had as an entree and are very popular.

One entree that does not succeed is the red snapper, dry beneath its melange of vegetables. Otherwise, everything is tasty and interesting, and, as I said, the portions are quite large. The wine list is limited but fair -- the most expensive wine on it is a $72 bottle of Louis Latour Meursault, a bargain. It complements the Hawaiian butterfish (similar to Chilean sea bass in texture), which has a light (maybe pomegranate) glaze, and it is ringed with sweet rice, carrots and string beans. It also goes well with a hefty slice of sole, crusted with panko that keeps it very moist, with a light sauce of butter and capers and mashed potatoes on the side. It does not go with the lamb chops, but no matter, for they are thick, rare and very flavorful with Moroccan spices and are served with a white bean combination that is a perfect companion for lamb.

After a meal of this breadth (and a few bottles of wine), we have little room for dessert, but we cannot disappoint Lenoble. We have a very light flourless chocolate cake and a bread pudding that is creamy and not too dense. After coffee, I still end up with a doggie bag of the Hawaiian fish to accompany me home.

Naturally, we are loath to leave this delightful spot. It is friendly and warm and without pretense, despite the upscale crowd they obviously draw. Zoubi is a very good way to end a day's wanderings around New Hope, especially when the leaves blaze forth and the fire beckons. Or on a spring evening, which, alas, seems so very far away.

5-7 W. Mechanic St., New Hope, 215-862-5851

Hours: Mon.-Thu., 5-10 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., 5-11 p.m.

Appetizers: $8-$22 (foie gras); Entrees: $23-$35

Reservations recommended. Not wheelchair accessible. Visa and MasterCard accepted. Smoking permitted.

-- Respond to this article in our Forums -- click to jump there