12/5/2023 0 Comments Zazu restaurant opelika alabamaThe perfectly seared scallops were flawless, garnished with roasted corn and shaved jalapeno, and finished with corn hollandaise. Two appetizers were ordered – the pan-roasted scallops and flash-fried calamari. Glasses were quickly filled as we lingered over the menu for our selection. We were seated upstairs overlooking the bar area. We recently arrived one night just as night fell, and the flickering gas lanterns were glowing against dark wood. The chef and his wife Melissa selected the name Zazu from their favorite Broadway play, Lion King. When planning the menu, the chef felt a gastropub would be appealing, as it combines freshly prepared fine-dining dishes in a casual, comfortable setting. The upper level with the balcony will be available for private parties and rehearsal dinners. The main bar features a concrete top wrapped in wood, while a smaller version is repeated upstairs against a background of gas lanterns and soft lights creating soothing ambiance.Ī sunken dining area will seat 20, suitable for luncheons and club meetings as well as regular seating. Some of the tables were made from wood removed from the building during construction. On the main level, wide-plank floors gleam with a rich patina.Īged wood and handmade orange and purple hued bricks blend handsomely with wrought iron and rustic accents. Hage and Kovak built the wooden steps by hand. Old wooden beams from the Opelika Manufacturing Co., the Old Mill, were repurposed for stairs on each level. The chef worked with contractor Aaron Kovak to create five levels with the top floor opening to a balcony. When the rent escalated, the chef began searching for a new site and closed in 2014.Īs soon as Hage walked into the 1800s building on South 8th Street, originally owned by William Samford, he knew it was the perfect location. He originally opened the restaurant in the former Auburn City Limits building and then moved to downtown Auburn in 2008. The downtown Opelika location is the third home for Chef Graham Hage’s Zazu restaurant. After 14 months of construction, an old vacant building in downtown Opelika was transformed into Zazu Gastropub, a stunning, five-level restaurant striking in character with sandy old bricks, wide-plank flooring, flickering gas lanterns and repurposed wooden beams from the Old Mill in Opelika.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |