Zodiac. Neiman Marcus. Fine dining in Fashion Valley.

Yes, this is mmm-yoso!!! the food blog and really, Cathy isn't the only one who blogs here, it just seems that way.  Kirk is on vacation.  He will be back.  ed(from Yuma) is decompressing and he will blog again also. Cathy is upping it a notch today, just to keep you interested.

So anyhow, I have blogged about quite a few places which have an eating area inside a store where you shop for food...Foodland, Wholesome Choice, Bristol Farms and Harvest Ranch Market are grocery stores with small, eat in areas. Other stores where you shop for items other than food, like The Bass Pro Shop,  Ikea and Nordstrom also have very nice restaurants.

Possibly, like me, you haven't really shopped in this store.
It's right here in Fashion Valley Mall in San Diego, just across the door from Nordstrom at the North side of the mall. It's kind of fancy. OK-it's really high end.  Don't be afraid.  

Walk in, take the escalator to the third floor.  Admire the Art Installation of thousands of butterflies made of feathers, gold and silver paint and mirrors hanging from the roof to the main floor.  There are other Neiman Marcus Collection paintings and sculptures sprinkled throughout the store. It's a kind of art gallery sprinkled among the various Departments.  At the top of the escalator, walk straight ahead, a bit to your right.  There is an open doorway,  "Zodiac" is emblazoned above it. Step inside.  You'll be greeted promptly. If you are carrying bags, you'll be asked if you'd like to check them. Then you'll be seated and handed your menu.  

 
Almost immediately, an espresso size cup of perfect hot chicken consummè, sided by a fresh, small, soft cheese biscuit is placed before you.  If you're female, the cloth napkin wrapping your silverware will be shaken open for you.  Usually they try to match the color of the napkin with your clothing (dark or light).

You are at the Neiman Marcus restaurant.
Another clue you are at Neiman Marcus:  The man with the basket of still warm crispy flaky exterior, soft layered interior popovers (popovers!) and plate of strawberry butter stops at your table and places one on the plate which was on the table when you sat down. The butter is unsalted.  The strawberry -with strawberry seeds-  flavor is there, not too sweet, not overpowering. You know it is butter.  

Your order is taken when you are ready.  There is a wine list. There is champagne. There are bottled teas.
There is hot tea, the flavor and leaves which you choose from a box filled with many types- displayed in sort of test tubes- and then the tea is  prepared and brought out to you in a press pot.  $4. You can have more water added if you wish. You can pretty much have anything the way you wish.  Zodiac restaurant is service based, professional. 
Here is a surreptitious photo of The Mister's NM Cobb salad ($16).  Mixed spring greens, chicken, avocado, blue cheese, red cabbage, egg, tomato served already mixed with a warm bacon dressing. It was fresh and good,  but not extraordinary. He also ordered hot coffee ($3.50), refilled constantly.  It was very fresh, good and served with real cream.  Of course.
The Sampler Plate ($12.50) half a chicken salad (or tuna salad or turkey) sandwich on your choice of bread, toasted or not, served with a cup of soup (either white bean or the soup of the day- in this case chili soup), kettle chips...
and a small ramekin of fruit (in this case, melon and pineapple and topped with a raspberry, blackberry and  1/4 of a strawberry).  The sandwich- classic, simple chicken salad of fresh moist chicken breast and real mayonnaise, salt and white pepper. The bread is a hearty whole wheat with excellent flavor. The kettle chips are thick and crispy.  The chili soup had ground beef, finely chopped onion and celery and small black beans, was soup and not chili, topped with cheddar cheese that was melty stringy in every spoonful. The fruit was amazingly flavored and ripe.  Every piece.
This.  The "heart couture" lemon shrimp salad. $17.  Two hearts of Romaine, quinoa, Feta, asparagus and toasted almonds topped with a citrus vinaigrette, sided by two very flavorful tomatoes and accompanied by five large citrus marinated plump grilled flavorful shrimp.  No way would you think it was only 460 calories. No way would you think it was part of a 'healthy' menu. If everything labeled as being healthy tasted like this, I'd eat this way all the time.  Everything in this salad, including the quinoa, was wonderously flavored.

It is not inexpensive to eat here.  The food and service are high quality. Your bill comes after you are finished eating. The infamous  cookie  is $2.50.  I have not had one.  

Neiman Marcus 7027 Friars Road San Diego 92108 (Fashion Valley Mall) (619)542-4450 Website-Zodiac menu near top right

Comments

[ed (from Yuma)]

Never been inside a NM. Wow.

Nice to see the restaurant lives up to the rep of the place. Enjoyable post.

[bill]

Never been in Meiman Markup myself but the service seems impeccable.
Heck I never knew they served food at all.

[caninecologne]

hi cathy,
it sounds like you got what you paid for. good service, good quality of food.

that is also a store i've never shopped at. can't afford anything there! ha ha.

so now, you can say you are one of the "ladies who lunch" at nieman marcus. :)

[Cathy]

Hi, ed. I tried to convey the mood. It's difficult to show the wonderment of all while not being obvious taking photos of the food and then having a glorious lunch.Thanks.

It really is nice, Bill. I realized how many different stores serve food when I started writing at the beginning. Long ago, Broadway and Buffums out here in SD also had wonderful restaurants.

It was excellent, cc. The store is in a class by itself and so is the restaurant. I like being called a lady. Thanks! :)

[stephen]

Hi Cathy. I worked at NM in the 80's. There used to be a mini deli on the left as you walked into the restaurant. We sold sandwiches and salads.
Popover? Where is the famous "Monkey Bread?" That was their trademark for years. BTW, if you do a web search you can find a recipe for that cookie.

[Hannah j]

That cookie story was so funny, thanks for sharing!

[Cathy]

Very cool you used to work here, Stephen. I seem to have been stalking your parts of town this past month. The mini-deli area has been filled in with more tables. The monkey bread has been gone for at least two years, but the popovers make me think I am eating 'healthy', even with the strawberry butter. I tend to not ask for more, since it flakes all over.
Hi Hannah j! I try.

[jenny]

Wow, that looks incredible, I think it would change my fashion valley experience much for the better, I must give it a try next time! Thanks for sharing!

It makes me wish my mum lived closer, it seems like a classic mother daughter thing to do!

[Cathy]

There are more women than men dining here, jenny. The food and service is going to appeal to everyone. I think it is the classiest place to eat in the whole Mission Valley area.