The Weekly Entrée 6-24
Zoubi
Rating: 
After an exhausting day of work or sightseeing, it was nice to refuel the body and pamper the palate with a glass of French wine and local cuisine.
I mention this because Zoubi, named after Greek-born and Belgian reared co-owner Louis Zanias’ boyhood nickname, brought back memories of such visits.
Although it is located on a narrow, hilly street in New Hope, its simple décor, modernistic paintings, covered deck and walled patio took me back to France. It has a certain understated chicness that is very warm and comforting.
The atmosphere was very romantic, and I remembered those trips to France when I wished my spouse were there with me. Little did I know that we could experience the feeling so close to home.
Zanias’ business partner, the very experienced restaurateur Andre Le Noble, oversees the day-to-day activities. He left teaching for a culinary career in 1965. Since then Le Noble has seen the world — from training in le nouvelle cuisine in Paris to owning restaurants in other areas of France, Morocco and St. Bart’s before running Windows on the Water in Philadelphia.
In 2001, Zanias and Le Noble opened Zoubi.
Le Noble’s personality is well suited to overseeing this intimate restaurant where he treats each customer as family. He brings out the best in the ambience of the restaurant.
French-born and professionally-trained Chef Francois Morvan complements Le Noble’s charm. He has been working in the kitchen there since the beginning.
His masterful skills in the kitchen have allowed him to magically adapt his classic training to preparing dishes that are a fusion of French, Asian and Latin American flavors.
My spouse and I shared two great salads and two small plates. The artfully presented salads were as visually pleasing as they were scrumptious.
We had a grilled radicchio topped with balsamic-marinated brie and a salad of micro greens, roasted beets and blue cheese.
Our small plates were a tuna tartare served with marinated ginger and sliced mango, and a duck confit prepared with an aged balsamic reduction served with roasted, sliced purple fingerling potatoes.
The tartare was coarsely ground and well seasoned. The duck was equally delicious, while the potatoes had a nice crunchy texture.
We marveled at how each dish had bold flavors while being very light and refreshing. What would French dinner be without French desserts? Naturally, we had a slice of the famous Le Noble Bread Pudding. This decadent, yet simple dessert lived up to the praise its creator bestowed upon it. It is the chef’s mother’s original recipe.
It had a dense, yet light consistency, like everything else this evening. The coconut mousse cake deserves the same praise. It was a white, fluffy piece of cake topped with full-flavored coconut mousse and whipped cream.
Zoubi is open seven days a week during the summer, but from mid-November to January 1, it is only open Wednesday through Saturday. It is closed from January 1 to February 14.
This was a welcome trip down memory lane.
Zoubi’s French atmosphere and food was amazing, but its limited wheelchair accessibility rates an AHHHH and one-half (4.5) out of 5 AHs. E-mail Jim Clark at weeklyentree@verizon.net.
Location: 5-7 W. Mechanic St., New Hope Cuisine: French fusion Ambience: Upscale casual Reservations: Recommended Phone Number: 215-862-5851 Web site: www.zoubinewhope.com Hours: Sunday to Thursday 5:30 to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 5:30 to 11 p.m. Prices: Soups, appetizers: $9 to $13; Small plates $6 to $18; Large plates $33 to $36 Alcoholic Beverages: Full-service bar Wheelchair accessible: Limited, as rest rooms are on the second floor
