Zula

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  Zula has great food and exceptional service.  Their specialies are mussels and flatbreads and they offer about eight variations on each item.  I've been to Zula twice and between myself and my husband, we've tried five variations on the mussels and they're all excellent.  Zula offers a good selection of craft beers, cocktails, and a respectable wine list.  The servers are very friendly and helpful, which makes the dining experience much nicer.  I will definitely frequent Zula and recommend it to others.

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  Posted on 03.04.13 Cindy N.

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  The wine selection is pretty good.  The food is a different story....the Lamb Moussaka was simply not good at all.  The tomato sauce tasted like it was from a can and the whole dish was not flavorful.  The eggplant (not even sure that's what it was) tasted bland and was quite rubbery.  Not pleasant.
  I sent a polite email to them and received no response.  I really wish Cincinnati could get more than a handful of good restaurants...Zula seems to be trying to fake their way into the OTR scene.  
  I sincerely hope the rest of their food is edible.

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  Posted on 03.04.13 j s.

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  Zula is on Race Street immediately across from Music Hall on the edge of what is Cincinnati's burgeoning Arts and Theater district (The Know, Ensemble and Shakespeare Theaters are all within a short walk as well as the new School for PerformingArts).  Underground parking is now available in front of Music Hall under the new and exceptionally beautiful Washington Park.   Exiting from the garage to the surrounding area establishments is all redone, repaved and very well lit.
  Zula is all about an extensive wine list, craft beers, expertly mixed cocktails and small plates.
  Cold appetizers include a yellow fin tuna crudo (Italian for sushi) and a citrus cured salmon.  
  Hot appetizers  I didn't have a chance to review.
  Mussels are a specialty.  I love mussels but had yet to find anyone in Cincinnati doing them justice except my husband at home.  The mussels at Zula run $12 and are the best I've had anywhere.  The mussels themselves are huge, the servingis generous and the broth choices are like taking a culinary trip around the world; Thai, Spanish, French, the list goes on.
  Another specialty of Zula is artisan breads baked daily.  The dinner rolls are a kind of sourdough focaccia that you can't stop eating.   I took an extra four home for a neighbor and ate them all before I knew it.  A different, equallyunique artisan bread is used for the flat breads (they call them Z-breads). Toppings range from fresh mozzarella to garlic confit to finnochiana salami.      
  Finally, desserts were incredible.  I tried the Chai Pot de Crème and Chocolate Walnut Kaluha brownies.  Both amazing.

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  Posted on 03.03.13 Denise O.

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  While the food being served looked absolutely delicious and the numerous mussel plates on the menu certainly piqued my curiosity, we only stopped by for a nightcap at the bar and to survey the layout of this new restaurant.  
  
  The bar is very lively and the atmosphere is absolutely as intoxicating as the very fine selection of wine and liquors at this attractive restaurant.  Bourbon drinkers will certainly be pleased, as will lovers of wine.  The bartenders at Zula are very busy but also quite attentive to their customers - an excellent sign for future success.  This place was truly buzzing with activity on a Friday night but the servers seemed more than equal to the task.  
  
  While we didn't taste from the menu, the food looked wonderful and the open preparation of certain dishes was very engaging.  There is even a mirror placed above one of the prep areas so that hungry patrons can watch the talented chefs plate very visually appealing dishes.  If you are a mussel fan, this place is a must stop and we will certainly return to sample from the huge selection of options.  Also, we observed many wonderful dishes and breads being pulled from the wood-fired oven.    
  
  The restaurant is also deceptively large, but I would definitely recommend reservations, at least on a weekend night.  Both the bar and restaurant crowd seemed very pleased with their Zula experience and we cannot wait to post another review after sampling from the menu.

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  Posted on 03.02.13 Benberly U.

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  I was happy to finally stop at Zula's for the first time.  I was by myself for the first time and as such usually enjoy eating at the bar where ever I go.  The hostess allowed me to take a see right away where I was greeted immediately by the bar staff.  The bar is a nice size and you the bartenders are extremely attentive and pleasant.  I did sit near the door, which probably was not the right choice, since as it got more busy the door remained open a bit and I started feeling more like I pulled up to the refrigerator.
  
  That being said, my experience was outstanding.  The decor was very attractive and the artwork fun to look at and priced to buy (very reasonable).  I guess now I should chat about the food now that I was comfortable and wanted to stay.  I love mussels, sea food, and really just about any type of food if done right. I had one of the mussel plates  that was recommended to me, and they did ask if I liked things a bit spicy.  I had the Mediterranean option with the jalapeños freshly sliced and raw that was a nice surprise especially since It was paired with a recommended wine that made it even more amazing.  I did have to asked for bread that was not offered. How can you have mussels without bread, with sauces made to enjoy, but it was quickly there once I asked.  I also did not know that they charge for the bread, but it was made on location, was outstanding, more than worth the price, and yes I ate the whole basket.  So much for my low carb died (four nice rolls in all).
  
  From what I understand, the manager in the front also has a good knowledge of wine pairings.  I just lucked into meeting the Chef that night that stopped by to say hi!  What a treat.  I had a mussels preparation, then a salmon rare plate with avocado and organ basil, and lastly pork cheeks with a wonderful sauce over mashed potatoes.  I must say that I am not always a white me drinker, but what was offered, $7 a glass, was not only a pleasant surprise $ wise, but also taste.  The pairings were perfect and priced right.  
  
  Overall I will be back.  Love the atmosphere.  The prices are right in there especially if you like wine.  And don't worry that you will be getting cheap wine if you order the lesser priced wines.  They are there to meet every budget, and I would not have known that I was drinking a less expensive wine.  All I know is that it was good and even made my food enjoyment that much better.  
  
  Thanks Zula, what a nice treat.  I will be back.  I have way to many things on the menu that still need to be tried!

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  Posted on 03.02.13 Harold P.

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  Excellent overall experience. Came here pretty early on a weekday and was easily able to find free street parking. Made a reservation online but this was unnecessary as there was plenty of seating. The restaurant is surprisingly big without seeming to be so - the design is clever with a few segregated sections which helps it remain intimate.
  
  Excellent selection of wine and beer (wines are separated by price which I really liked). We got the Thai and Spanish mussels. Both were delicious but the Thai sauce was particularly amazing (think coconut curry). The service very attentive, timely and not overbearing. House made bread is amazing and is served with balsamic and olive oil. House made fried are above average. We were told that people like to get the fries to dip in the mussel sauce but honestly I would rather have gotten 2 sides of bread rather than fries.
  
  I will definitely be back to try their flat bread pizzas and other varieties of mussels.

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  Posted on 03.01.13 Konstantin A.

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  Let me start out by saying that Mussels are one of my favorite dishes in the world.  If you feel the same, Zula is your graceland!  I had dinner there last night with a friend.  We were seated promptly at 8:00 pm for our reservation.  
  
  We ordered a bottle of Pinot noir that was delicious.  I loved the way they laid out their wine list per price of the bottle.  We decided on the thai mussels with their bread basket.  The mussels were delicious, but spicy.  They did not mention on the menu there were jalapenos but they were delicious regardless.  The bread was warm, crusty, and incredible!  
  
  We then ordered their special hot plate of the night, a panko breaded risotto cake with braised beef and roasted tomato puree.  Heaven!!!  I hope they put these on the menu for good!  We also ordered the fries that they recommend you dunk in the mussel broth.  They were very good, but I prefer the bread to the fries.  The fries would be amazing with some aioli.  
  
  I will be back for sure!!  Thank you for bringing Zula to OTR!

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  Posted on 03.01.13 Eleni K.

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  Our group of 6 people had a great experience at newly opened Zula.  Our table sat 6 people comfortably and had enough room to fit all of the plates we were sharing.  The service was a little slow, but we didn't mind since we were certainly not rushed and were there to enjoy each other's company and the food.  We loved the wine list, especially how many choices they offer by the glass at all different price points.  The food was just delicious.  We tried a wide variety of plates.  I was most impressed by the mussels.  We tried two different kinds and they had tons of flavor.  I want to try all the rest of the preparations based on how good the Thai ones and the Mediterranean ones were.  The atmosphere was perfect for a fun and lively night out.  All of the people in our group had nothing but good things to say about Zula.  Can't wait to go back.

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  Posted on 02.25.13 Julianne K.

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  Dinner at Zula last night (Saturday) with a group of four couples.  We put them at a disadvantage from the start.  We had made a reservation for 7:30, it was discovered upon arrival that our reservation was mistakenly made for this past Wednesday.  The place was packed but the hostess and managers worked to get us seated within the hour.  
  
  Our window table had a great view of Music Hall across Washington Park.  The atmosphere has a contemporary urban feel.  Nice selection of high quality beers on draft and a wine list that satisfied all in our group.  We ordered mussels in a variety of presentations, all tasty and generously portioned with fresh hot bread for some fantastic dipping.  We shared Flat-bread pizzas and several of the salads, great fresh flavors and distinct presentations.  Zula is still working out the service kinks.  Drinks were slow to appear and one of the salads was late to the table.  That said, the staff show dedication, enthusiasm, and a real desire to satisfy.  This place will be one of the gems of a district that is making me feel more and more optimistic for Cincinnati's future.

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  Posted on 02.24.13 Rich H.

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  After hearing about Zula for a couple months, I was looking forward to it's opening.  I went with a friend on the opening Friday.  It was very easy getting a reservation on Open Table.  When we arrived, we were promptly seated.  
  
  The decor of the restaurant is very nice and modern, much like the other places in OTR.  I was surprised at the size of the restaurant.  Hopefully the combination of the size and that they take reservations means that this will be one restaurant that you can actually get into on weekends in OTR.  Parking is also easy and cheap with the Washington Park garage directly across the street.  Service was good, given the fact they just opened.  We actually had two servers taking care of us.  However, there were times where it was apparent that there was no communication between the two because we kept getting asked the same things twice.  
  
  Food was not super impressive.  Nothing that makes me crave going back immediately.  They did not have any of the large plates that night, or they didn't tell us about any.  Except for the mussels and the lamb moussaka, everything else on the menu appeared to be vegetarian.  A person who I assumed was a manager came by our table as we were getting our wine and I asked if it was a more veggie-centric restaurant, and his answer was "we're mediterranean, so this what that type of food is like."  Uh, not really.  Mediterranean food does include lamb (but all you have is one small plate of lamb), but it also includes lots of fish/seafood and does have include meat.  Kind of a snotty answer if you ask me.  
  
  We had the traditional mussels.  At first not all that impressive, especially since your menu seems to emphasize mussels since you have like 6 different types of mussel pots.  Totally agree with the other reviewer who said it seemed cheap of them not to include bread with the mussels.  Once we ordered bread (which is made in the restaurant and actually good), and were able to sop up the sauce with the bread, I actually thought it was very good.  We also had the lamb moussaka, which was good, but not spectacular.  One of the specials of the day was some type of roasted peppers, which were also good, but not great.
  
  WIne list was good with varying prices of bottles.  We had one of the cheaper reds, but both of us enjoyed. it.  
  
  At the end of the night, neither of were really satisfied and didn't feel like paying more there, so we decided to restaurant hop to a couple of other restaurants in OTR for more small plates/appetizers.
  
  In summary, I didn't think Zula was great, but also not bad.  Would I go back? Yes, but probably not for dinner only.  Definitely for wine, and to try some of the other preparations of mussels.

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  Posted on 02.23.13 Mike C.

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  I ate at Zula for the first time last night and it was fantastic. I'm not much of a wine drinker, but they have a great craft beer list. The ambiance is relaxed, warm, quaint, very reminiscent of a french bistro.
  
  Now onto the food: tuna crudo, roasted mushroom flatbread, classic french mussels, hand cut fries, and lamb moussaka -- and nothing disappointed.  The crudo was fresh and brightly flavored. The flatbread was crisp and chewy and perfectly seasoned, and a totally different dimension of "topped breads" than you'll find at A Tavola. The mussels were easily the best I've had in years. Fresh, plump, hugely flavorful. The portions were generous, and we walked out after 5 beers and a feast for three for under $100--not bad for the Gateway.
  
  Zula is a lovely addition to our neighborhood--I am already craving a repeat of those mussels, and I bet it won't be long before I'm back!

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  Posted on 02.22.13 Sarah S.

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  I gave it three but its more like a 2.75. Service at bar is sub-par. If the bar is going to be a significant part of your seating you need to pay attention to your patrons. I've traveled Europe extensively and when you order moules marinieres  or any kind of mussels in Belgium you get bread. How else are you supposed to sop up that delicious sauce. Bread is extra here. What's up with that?  I hate places that nickel dime you. Just up your price a reasonable amount and include bread with a meal. Wine pour was a little skimpy. Don't know how long they have been open but the menu is a little skimpy as well. I had the tomato and mozzarella flat bread. It was good but could have used a few more tomatoes. overall its another trendy slightly over priced place.

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  Posted on 02.21.13 marcy e.

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  This review is based on two visits, both occurring in the second week they were open.
  
  Our first visit proved to be a positive one, despite some hiccups.
  We first ordered their traditional mussels and a side of fries. The mussels were the best we've ever had, deliciously tender. We were 1 of maybe 8 tables and the drinks still took 15 minutes to get to our table. Next, we ordered a mushroom pizza which was burnt to a black char on the bottom. They happily replaced the pizza with an item of our choice, the Lamb Moussaka. The Lamb Moussaka proved to be tasty, minus a the tomato, which apparently was not meant to be served COLD. Overall, the meal and service was good. The ended up giving us a free dessert and major discount for the problems. It is clear on our first visit that Devin, the manager, really cares about the customers. We walked away happy because of the mussels and good service.
  
  Our second visit proved to be a huge disappointment.
  The place was full, but I do not feel this to be an appropriate excuse for the poor service. We were seated immediately, then waited 20 minutes for someone to come back, which only happened after I flagged someone down. She took our drink order, walked away without asking about food and then forgot about us. My drink came 15 minutes later while my friend's drink was forgotten. When she finally remembered, another 20 minutes later, she gave us some LAME excuse that she was busy and that the bar didn't have the ingredients to make a Long Island. I mean, what customer would feel comfortable having a server complain to them? A huge turn off, to say the least.
  
  We finally were able to order the Bulgarian Feta, which was delicious. After flagging her down AGAIN, we paid the bill and left. Overall, I'll give Zula some slack for being new and having some kinks to work out.
  
  (I'd have given them a higher rating had the server been friendlier and apologetic.)

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  Posted on 02.21.13 Tabatha R.

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  I'm excited to welcome ZULA to the neighborhood. I was able to score a last minute reservation here on Valentine's Day and walked away pretty impressed. Read on for my thoughts...
  
  The Good:
  This place is not only huge by OTR restaurant capacity standards, but they are one of the few places which accept reservations (via OpenTable too!). The combination of these things should help with waits on the weekends and during busy periods. The location is great for Music Hall & Washington Park events. Parking here will be much easier than Vine St. restaurants as you can use the (safe and affordable) garage across the street under the park. There is also much more street parking available as this side of OTR has not had the same amount of robust development as other areas to the east. Decor is is pretty neutral to showcase the Cincinnati-centric artwork/photography as welll as the open kitchens and big oven.
  
  Our service was prompt and unobtrusive. The waiter was able to guide us through the menu and make good recomendations. I had the Thai-style mussels which were delicious. The flavors were excellent and true to traditional Thai cuisine (lemongrass, etc). My dining partner-in-crime had the French Classic mussels and also felt these were on-point.  We ordered some of ZULA's signature breads with our meal (a MUST!) and used it to sop up the broth underneath the mussels. The bread was amazing, light and fluffy with a perfect crispy crust. The breads were served piping hot in a little basket. A truly savory, delicious meal.
  
  The wine list is large and it is possible to order by the glass for under $6. I ordered a Spanish red, which was decent, but I will likely try something different next time.
  
  The Bad:
  
  For just opening, I was fairly impressed with our experience. ZULA is, however, still working out some of the opening kinks. We were given one menu for 2 people because they were running short. When we inqured about getting a seocnd menu, our waiter said he would "see what he could do" -- that's pretty unacceptable to me. We are two people, ordering two meals. Bring us two menus!  The paper menu itself arrived smudged, ripped and really ratty looking after a busy night (not the best first impression!). They do not yet have their large plates available (full size dinners) so you'll have to order mussels or other tapas in the mean time to make a full meal. I thought the prices were fair for the quality of the food, but it was just expensive enough that ZULA is unlikely to become a routine place for me. In contrast, other OTR establishments like Bakersfield and A-Tavola are affordable enough that one could reasonably eat there often and not feel like it was a splurge.
  
  All in all, I think this place will do well. It is a experience unique to this city and certainly another great addition to the OTR dining scene. Picky eaters should beware and I'd would advise a quick review of the menu before coming.

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  Posted on 02.20.13 Mark C.

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  First off, I want to state that I went to Zula on it's first public Saturday night they were open. I should of known better... The place was packed. I had a reservation for 8:30 and we had to wait for our table, but it wasn't a super long wait. First thing I noticed. The decor is cool, and the place is HUGE (for downtown restaurant standards). But what was not huge was the distance of the back of my seat and the back of the seat of the table behind me. We were seated in the front, 2nd table from the window and everytime the server had to get through to the window seat table they had to squeeze between my seat and the seat behind me. Which means my seat was constantly getting bumped. I am not a big person, so I can only imagine if I were, there is no way a server could get through to the other table. Someone did not measure that area very well!
  
  We ordered the Baby Kale salad, the Napoleon Beet salad, Lamb Moussaka, and the Goat Cheese Flatbread. All were tasty. The Lamb and the Flatbread came out first, which took probably 30 minutes. But the salads took over an HOUR to come out. When we asked about our salads, the server's answer was, this is a tapas place things come out when they are ready. Wow, okay. And to top it all off, when the salad finally came out, we had no silverware to eat it, since they had cleared everything off of our table from our earlier dishes. We had to wait 10 minutes just to get someone's attention to get some silverware. Customer service is something this place really needs to work on. It looks like Zula only has 1 salad chef, which they deem appropriate to put on display in the front room with a mirror above him so you can watch his 'magic'. The whole thing seemed a bit infomercial-ish and I don't know why you would want to watch some guy make your salad. ??? The salads were quite tasty, but I would would rather get them in a timely manor. An hour wait for a salad is ridiculous. They need more than one person making salads for a restaurant that big.
  
  All in all, the food was good, but we were there for almost 2 hours, most of which was filled with waiting on the food, waiting for silverware, waiting for the check... They really need to work on getting food out in a timely manor and their customer service. This place has potential. Hopefully they learn from their mistakes.

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  Posted on 02.18.13 Christi D.

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  Zula is a welcome addition to the OTR area and will hopefully help spread out the concentrated mass of people that flock to the still trendy places like A Tavola, Senate, etc. The food: great and not too pricey (but in the end your bill will still be on par with other slightly overpriced OTR restaurants). But it's all good because the emphasis is on quality ingredients... right? *crickets.....
  
  I recommend the Mussels and that you use your bread to soak up the tasty broth. The flatbread I had was very good as well. The wine list is diverse with options on all price levels. I also had a Smack Your Momma cocktail, very tasty. Service was good too. I will definitely be back and look forward to future meals.

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  Posted on 02.18.13 John B.

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  ZULA is fantastic; a well-planned answer to the questions critics have been asking about OTR.
  
  1) Zula is BIG. One of my biggest frustrations with dining in OTR is the small size of the floorplans of the 'boutique' restaurants in the area. At Zula there seems to be enough room to rival suburban restaurants, with no loss of character!
  
  2) Zula is UNIQUE! Smartly, the layout is the bottom floor of one building, the back of the neighoring building and ... THE ALLEY between them. The sheer architectural quality of this place made me happy to be dining here. In the Alley area, you are in between two buildings, and can even look through the ground floor windows to see the chef... how cool!
  
  3) Quality was ON PAR with higher end restaurants in the area, on night two! I was a bit afraid of trying Zula because I had a bad time at Kaze and Anchor, but the food was beyond excellent. There were 8 types of mussels, with savory and delicious broth. We loved the bacon mushroom side too. There are so many things that I want to try on the menu.
  
  4) Parking and safety are EASY. This is about 50 feet from the corner entrance to the Music Hall lot, and it couldn't be easier. For anyone with concerns about safety in the area this is a great place to start out, because it is effortless. Even with a long long dinner parking was $3.
  
  Overall, I loved it. This is soon to be the new hot spot, and finally has the capacity to hold large parties. I am very optimistic about Zula's future and the new restaurants of OTR!

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  Posted on 02.13.13 Alexander P.

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