While only a few blocks away from West End Avenue's chain restaurant homogeneity, ZOLA makes diners feel they've been whisked away to an unknown -- and extremely flavorful -- Mediterranean isle. Owner and chef Debra Paquette draws heavily on Spanish, Italian and French cuisine as the basis for her menu, marrying those foods with a Southern bent to create a fusion of down-home and abroad, all on the same fork. Appetizers are fittingly renamed "Provocations" on Paquette's menu, and most entrees can be prepared for vegetarians as well. The styles of the three dramatically different dining areas, including a 27-foot painting in the main dining room, allow for a variety of different dining experiences. ZOLA's wine list is a multi-time winner of Wine Spectator's Award of Excellence, but great values can be found on the docket as well. -- Lucas Hendrickson

Categories: Restaurants, Restaurants-Continental

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