Zizou

As a restaurant, Zizou is just fine, but as a wine bar , it's a place to show friends that your taste in music is as good as your taste in chilled reds. Visiting this French-Moroccan spot in Lincoln Heights is like stumbling upon a hidden oasis with a powerful sound system. Big, old-school speakers boom Middle Eastern disco tracks. Ruby-red lights illuminate the golden-tiled bar and outdoor patio. Couples split bottles of orange wine in the garden underneath fig trees and passion fruit vines. The stark difference between the unassuming exterior and groovy back patio makes Zizou feel like a dance party in disguise.

Zizou serves a short food menu that works fine as fuel for two-stepping, but isn't necessarily an attraction on its own, aside from a shareable pot of moules frites with thin-cut fries to dip in the rosemary-scented broth. Pair those mussels with a glass of sancerre, though, and you’d got the makings of a nice little snack break between boogie sessions.

Food Rundown

Taboulé Français

This tabouleh is overdressed like someone in khakis at a waterpark. Beyond all the olive oil, however, it’s tart and refreshing. If all you want is a light bite, this will do.

Marinére Mussels

This pot of steamed mussels can be the only thing you order for the table and people will be very happy. The white wine broth is fragrant from the bundles of thyme nestled between the shellfish. We like that it comes with sides of bread and thin-cut fries for dunking in the broth.

Date & Fennel Tagine

The menu’s lone vegan entree is seasoned with ginger and fennel but they didn’t show up to the party. We just tasted fluffy, unseasoned semolina with chewy bits of date.