A worthy neighborhood hangout if you order carefully

We’ve noticed recently a small but encouraging budding of independent restaurants in east Cobb.

Zeal, which opened in a strip mall off Johnson Ferry Road, is one such spot. At this neighborhood gathering point, chef Eric Mulville, former executive chef at Maggiano’s Buckhead, presents a menu intended to be healthful while also satisfying comfort-food cravings.

Technique, he has down, but lack of seasoning and Mulville’s sweet leanings can be a problem with otherwise auspicious dishes. That said, Zeal, with its ingredient-driven offerings and flights of whiskey or craft beer, could become an oasis in the suburban chain-restaurant landscape.

Grab a fine burger tricked out with roasted Hatch green chiles and sample beer selections like the yeasty Boulevard Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale. Don’t miss the cornmeal-dusted zucchini, my favorite dish at Zeal. Tall fingers of the cornmeal-battered vegetable come presented in a small, paper-lined tin bucket. A thin lemony aioli keeps the mildly crunchy, seasoned crust light, bright and fresh.