Zola, Nashville, Tennessee Restaurant Details

Food:

My husband and I have eaten at ZOLA ever since our first Nashville date back in 1998. We have travelled a lot and since I am from Vienna, Austria and my dad used to be a restaurant critic, I am VERY Picky. So here is the summary after 10 years of ZOLA: The Beet the Heat salad is still on the top of the list, the food has always been excitingly interesting and appealed to the palate in more than one way, the service is good (and sometimes excellent) and we have had so many memorable evenings that I can't even begin to remember. HIGHLY recommended.

Food:

This might be the worst restaurant ive ever been to in my life. Everything from the hostess to the waiter to the manager were miserable a-holes and the food was even worse. Ive had better experiences at the McDonalds across the street. NEVER GO TO THIS WRETCHED PLACE. This is the first bad review I have ever written and I hope you take my advice

Food:

The ingredients are top notch. The chef is amazingly talented and creative. I have paid twice as much many times for food not even close to Zola quality. The dishes expand your palate, they're fun, and most of all unbelievably delicious. Every time I eat here, I love it. Zola is easily in my Top 3 all-time best meals. I have always considered the quality well worth the price. HIGHLY recommend.

Food:

Like the title says: "I love Zola" but ... just not today.
The service was very good. The place was cozy. The ingredients
were top-notch. With all of that said you'd think I'd be giving it a
great review....but....
Let's start with the Zola Ceasar.
I give the chef my respect for having the guts to render his rather "out there"
interpretation of the Ceaser salad but I found shredded hearts of romain
and the whipped cream on top just a bit weird. I don't think it worked well.
The biggest bummer was the Paella. The seafood was cooked just right but the sauce was a bit too Mediteranean and not enough Spanish. There was a strong influence of black pepper, cinnamon and perhaps a bit of cumin but I couldn't detect a hint of saffron which, I think, is essential in a dish like this.
The biggest disappointment, though, was the rice itself. Tough, gritty and sparse this "main" ingredient wasn't given the proper respect that it deserved in this dish. No Paella should have its rice actually detract the diner from his enjoyment of the dish but Zola somehow managed it.
Like I said before, I do love Zola...usually.
No place can be perfect all of the time.
I'll be back there soon anyway.