Sandusky's new downtown flavor
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If you thought lunch was good, you should try the dinner.
At least that's what Zinc Brasserie owner Cesare Avallone said.
Avallone and his wife, Andrea, opened the French culinary delight downtown in late spring. The lunch business is flattering, but dinner and dessert are nothing short of mouthwatering, Avallone says.
If you want to take baby steps into the French culinary world, Zinc is a good place to get a refreshing lunch with gourmet ingredients and tantalizing taste combinations at a modest price.
The flavor will convince you to go back for dinner, and a soon-to-be-open full-service bar with an extensive wine collection will convince you to have an apÈritif with your meal.
And the full-time pastry chef will convince you dessert is not just an option but rather a necessity.
Dinner features a signature Zinc Bouillabaisse, market specialty fish, scallops and mussels in a saffron broth with rouille croutons.
Having a second major in French in college, I was skeptical French food would go over well in Sandusky.
But with Cesare and Andrea's American-friendly ingredients and French cooking preparation, the cheese, seasoning and cooking techniques are as good as they are at a brasserie in France.
While studying abroad in France, I started out on a diet of only bread, chocolate, cheese and wine before I grew to appreciate French cuisine. But having that experience now, I can confidently say Zinc brings a taste of France to your mouth without leaving you wondering what you just ate if you aren't a connoisseur of their cuisine.
Justin Powell, the Funcoast.com editor (who's always good for a free lunch), and I started our meal with the Fondue au fromage, a bubbling crock of gruyere and parmesan cheeses served with house-made focaccia and seasonal fruit.
Fresh grapes, cherries, strawberries and kiwi lend themselves well to the mildly-flavored cheese.
For my entree, I had a a Petit Pain (a flat-bread sandwich) of chicken, apple smoked bacon and avocado.
Sandwiches are served with a side of leafy greens tossed in a house dressing.
Powell had a Beef Brisket sandwich with caramelized onions, smoked brisket and cheese.
Both sandwiches proved enjoyable and well worth the money.
You won't find French fries at the Zinc Brasserie, but what you will find is a taste Sandusky was missing and an ambiance for future downtown restaurateurs to strive toward, with its calm blue walls, subtle trim work and restored tin press ceiling.
Zinc Brasserie
Highest-priced entree: Lunch, mussels ($8); dinner, Zinc Bouillabaisse ($19.50)
Lowest-priced entree: Lunch, croque monsieur ($4); dinner, handmade pappardelle noodles ($14)
My order: Fondue au fromage ($6.50), petit pain - chicken bacon avacado sandwich ($6.75)
Would I return? Yes
Would I recommend? Yes
Ratings (out of five stars)
Food:4.5Service:4Value:4.5Atmosphere:5Total experience:4.5
Molly Linn might not always be good for a free lunch, but she is always good for accepting one. E-mail her at hello@funcoast.comWritten by Molly Linn