Maureen Penniman knows how it feels. As a mom to six children, the owner of the Zest and Zing Prepared Foods and Cafe is sensitive to how challenging it can be to get a delicious, family-pleasing meal on the table at the end of a busy day without stooping to the dreaded fast food-lows. A restaurant that serves daily, in-house selections, Zest and Zing has also become known around town as the go-to place for a list of seasonal dishes ranging from “classic comfort food” to gourmet. Besides serving up fantastic food, Maureen and her staff also go the extra mile, both literally and figuratively, for their customers. For nearby teachers, they take collective orders and deliver meals directly to local area schools so that they may have a hot meal to bring home. As a service to busy professionals and parents who don’t wish to get their strapped-in children out of the car, curb-side delivery can be arranged with just a phone call. For those attending sporting events or wish to have a family picnic at Hobgood Park across the street, quick meals are available for pick-up. And with free wi-fi, the restaurant also offers itself up as an easy meeting spot for business, prayer, and sports groups.
I was able to catch up with Maureen on one her busiest days of the year–her restaurant’s Christmas Open House. But when I asked her for an interview, she received me graciously and insisted on serving me a hot plate of her home-made Jambalaya and a seemingly bottomless glass of sweet tea. Here’s a little of what she had to say while I enjoyed this talented woman’s native Louisiana recipe:
JC: What inspired you to open Zest & Zing?
MP: “I got started cooking for family and friends. They all encouraged me and said, “You should do this professionally.” I began cooking for dinner parties, and it all grew from there. I also wanted to create something that I would’ve liked to have had when my children were small.”
JC: What dishes are your best-sellers? Which are the one’s that you can’t keep on the shelves?
MP: Our Poppy Seed Chicken and our Chicken Enchiladas! Our customers also love our home-made dips and spreads. We carry loaded potato dip, pimento cheese, and cheddar vidalia dip which I call “Georgia perfect.” Our chicken salad with pecans and cranberries are very popular. And the desserts…people love our banana and bread puddings.
JC: Who would you say are your most regular customers? Is it mostly families who come in?
MP: Surprisingly, I see a lot of divorced parents who come in with their children. A child will come in with one parent, and then a couple of days later, I might see the child come in with the other parent. It means a lot to me to know that when they ask the kids where they want to go, they want to come here. I’m glad that I can provide them a good meal that tastes like home. I also see a lot of seniors here. I gave a cooking class at the Woodstock Seniors Center and provided food for fifty seniors. After that, I see them all the time, and they use our restaurant as a gathering place. And, of course, we see a lot of families who just love the comfort of picking up our food and heading home to sit beside their own fireplaces. They come with their own Pyrexes, and we gladly fill them up for them!
A sunny window seat at Zest and Zing
Zest and Zing
6687 Bells Ferry Road
Woodstock, GA 30189
(Across from Hobgood Park)
770-591-4000
Open for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner (8 am-8 pm Monday-Friday, 8-4 Saturday)
Children Eat Free Tuesday and Fridays (2 child maximum with purchase of adult meal)
For rotating weekly menus, coupons, and catering information, visit http://www.zestandzing.net
loading...
Trackbacks/Pingbacks
[...] & Zing, a Towne Lake restaurant already recognized for its tasty lunch specials and take-out menu, is now showcasing Chef Craig Kiefaber’s culinary talents at monthly [...]