Koo Zee Doo

When I saw Koo Zee Doo receive several nominations from the James Beard Foundation, I knew I had to visit this spot before it completely blew up. On a personal note, I hate the name because I have a hard time remembering what it actually is, and it seems like infantile tri-syllabic mumbling. That effectively ends the negative things I have to say about this establishment. I'm afraid as I'm writing this I'm going to run out of different ways to say how much I liked my meal.

Quinn and I met on Friday night for dinner. We only made our reservations a day in advance, so there weren't any tables available. Instead, we reserved seating at the counter, right in front of the two cooks who were making all the food for the entire restaurant. It was quite a show, and I actually recommend sitting here if you have the chance. Along with the cozy, pleasant decor, everything makes for a great dining atmosphere. Our server was friendly and attentive, and the service overall is high quality. Our server was even paying attention to our wine glasses and kept them filled for us throughout the meal, which doesn't always happen at a BYO.

Currently, Koo Zee Doo is running a five course tasting menu. Our server told us it was an excellent representation of their kitchen, and gives several unique, strong tastes of Portuguese food. After deliberation, we ordered the recommended menu and chicken gizzards to round out the meal. The gizzards came out first, and they were awesome. They were perfectly cooked and extremely tender, tossed in a delicious marinade that I couldn't quite figure out what it was made of. Served alongside the gizzards were salt cod and potato croquettes. These were perfectly seasoned and crispy, and both dishes were some of the best appetizers I've had in a long time.

We next had soup with snails and mushrooms. This dish was pretty good, but the broth was too thick and oily. The snails and mushrooms, however, were great and complimented each other well. I didn't love the soup. Our next dish was deep fried rabbit with spicy aioli. This dish blew me away. The fried skin was perfectly crisp, and as I bit into the rabbit I tasted the fantastically tender, delicious rabbit meat. I can't put into words how good this dish was; you are going to have to try it for yourself. Our last dish was roasted lamb and potatoes, and it wasn't anything special, especially in juxtaposition to the last treat. Unlike all of our other dishes, the lamb was lacking and didn't seem to have a strong enough flavor to carry the dish. It was topped with

mandarin orange slices, which was a nice touch to the otherwise lacking dish.

Dessert was a caramelized almond tart, and this was a great way to finish our meal. It hones in on the restaurant's best skill: combining flavors that are not most commonly not mixed. For dessert, it was the almonds, chocolate, sorbet, and the bready crust of the tart. It's not unheard of, but exotic enough to make it really interesting. That statement basically sums up the whole dining experience here.

Bottom Line: Koo Zee Doo is exceptional. It borders on fancy, and dining here is and should be

a special occasion. Sharing is the best way to eat here, so visit with someone who has similar culinary tendencies. It is certainly making a name for itself and I hope it's the beginning of a restaurant revolution in Northern Liberties. I won't eat here often, but I already look forward to my next visit.

Essentials:

614 N 2nd St (just north of Spring Garden)

215-923-8080

Hours: Open for lunch and dinner, closed Tuesday and Wednesday

Avg Ent: 19-28

Cash Only: No

Reservations: Required

BYOB: Yes