Photography by KENNY BRAUN

Billed as an urban oasis, Zed’s, the new restaurant located in the Tech Ridge Center at Parmer and I-35, delivers a refreshing and vibrant dining and entertainment escape in North Austin.

Opened in December 2010, the restaurant is regularly filled with guests enjoying its hillside setting during lunch, happy hour, dinner and Sunday brunch.

Zed’s was opened with the intention of offering a mélange of locally inspired dishes, along with the best of what people love about going out in Austin: an independent spirit, great food and music in a laidback, yet cool atmosphere.

The restaurant maintains its local integrity by pairing with other local purveyors such as Amy’s Ice Creams, Elgin Sausage and Shiner Bock Beer.

General Manager Rex Hutchison has played a vital role in the restaurant’s food and business development. According to him, “People in North Austin, Pflugerville and Round Rock shouldn’t have to drive into Central Austin to find awesome food, along with live music and a relaxed, yet stylish backdrop. Since last December, they don’t!”

At first glance, the building is a lesson in aesthetically conscious and environmentally friendly architecture. Celebrated architect Michael Hsu designed the airy space to integrate the principles of modern design with the existing hilly landscape.

“We worked to design a place that felt welcoming and communicated hospitality and warmth with a level of design sophistication that excites people,” Hsu said.

Upon arrival, a stone entry path leads guests past a waterfall that flows into the interior and out past the decks beyond via a specially designed waterway, developed by Austin-based Pape-Dawson Engineers.

All views within celebrate the outdoors, looking out onto Hill Country landscaping, the rolling lawn and a pond punctuated by a walking/bike path.

Equipped with highly acclaimed Big Ass Fans, the east-facing deck easily takes advantage of the slightest summer breeze.

Hsu’s textured, rustic-with-polish design esthetic charms diners as they bite down on inspired creations that cater to the tastes of Austin and the American South. The L-shaped dining interior and bar are stylish, yet unpretentious with a backdrop of the landscaped backyard.

For private parties, one large room to the south of the restaurant can be separated into two rooms, if necessary. The private dining rooms are equipped with a flat-screen television, teak dining tables and custom artwork that face east to the deck, creating an intimate atmosphere ideal for business meetings or celebratory events.

Zed’s manages to cater to diverse palettes with a wide variety of choices outside of its traditional Southern dishes. The Vegetarian Pasta, a thoughtful nod to vegetarians, is tossed with fresh ingredients, including spinach, mushrooms and Roma tomatoes.

And the restaurant’s signature Waterfall Salad is tossed with seasonal greens, Granny Smith apples, tomatoes and toasted pecans, topped with a honey citrus vinaigrette and a welcome crunchy kick thanks to intermixed thin tortilla strips.

However, the main draw is the restaurant’s signature Southern dishes. Inspired by hankerings for decadent delights with humble origins, even the simple dishes at Zed’s hit the mark.

A full menu section is devoted to “home-style favorites” that would make Paula Deen weep with joy. There’s a Texas-sized Chicken Fried Steak that’s hand-breaded, fried and smothered in rich country black pepper pan gravy; a Southern Fried Chicken, also served with the savory black pepper pan gravy; and a Double-Cut Pork Chop that’s thick, juicy and perfectly seasoned with a zesty ancho-honey glaze.

The Fried Catfish is perfectly battered and accompanied by a zesty chipotle tartar sauce, and the Deep Dish Chicken Pot Pie is a hearty entrée with creamy chicken and fresh vegetables in a flaky pastry crust.

All dishes come with a choice of two sides, so bring your appetite. Of course, Zed’s hears a lot of, “Can I get the rest of this to take home?”

Yet, the food hits don’t stop there. Starters boast the Pick-A-Pepper Calamari, which is lightly breaded with unique mixings of banana peppers and pickle slices. And the kitchen integrates a local touch within the Texas Goat Cheese served hot and crunchy, using Texas honey and grilled ciabatta.

At Zed’s, if it’s meat, it’s perfectly cooked. The El Tejano Burger literally drips with spices succulently topped with the restaurant’s authentic game chili and raja peppers. The spices lightly coating the Beer Can Chicken Taquitos, accompanied with fire-roasted salsa, make for a welcome addiction.

Like the menu, the wine, beer and specialty cocktail selections are abundant and quaffable.

Paired with the outdoor music offerings at Zed’s, sipping one of the restaurant’s signature cocktails such as the Frozen Austin Iced Tea (Graham’s Texas Tea Vodka and Grand Marnier with a splash of cranberry juice and lemonade); the Spicy Bison (Bison Grass Vodka, agave nectar, ginger and jalapeno); the Redneck Sangria (Forty Creek Bourbon, sangria, raspberry and club soda); and the 151 Pirates Sinking on a Pirate Ship (151 Rum, Malibu Rum, Captain Morgan’s Spiced Rum, blue curaçao, pineapple and cherry) add up to a memorable Austin-Southern celebration.

And word is out about the generous happy hour at Zed’s, which runs from 3 to 7 p.m. and 9 to 11 p.m. every day.

Call Zed’s an oasis off I-35 for purely great food and friendly people in a cool setting. It’s clear that the soulful menu tastes even better while enjoying the sunset with a little music.

For more information on Zed’s, call 512-339-ZEDS, or visit www.zeds.bz.