Zen Palate - The Experience
Written: Mar 22 '01 (Updated Mar 22 '01)
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Pros: good atmosphere, justly priced.
Cons: none worth noting.
The Bottom Line: Nice enough for a night out, yet casual enough to become part of the daily lunch routine.
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| coffeeaddict's Full Review: Zen Palate - Upper West Side |
What is it?
Zen Palate is a minichain of now 4 vegetarian restaurants in New York (three of which are in Manhattan). They present themselves as a “place for eating balanced vegetarian food that indulges one with the original flavor of the art of ‘Zen’”. Zen is very difficult to define. It is neither a religion nor philosophy though it can be said to stem from the Buddhist religion. To put it plainly, the practice of Zen is to clear the mind of the chaos around us and yet to open our minds to the vastness around us. This ideology is what the restaurant seeks to achieve as stated clearly on their menu.
Decor/Ambiance
Upon entering the restaurant, one notices that the northern wall (left) is completely filled with a brush scene of a vast landscape. To your right, is a glass wall through which the seating area is located. This wall is intelligently placed so that customers are given an unobstructed view of the landscape painting. The mood of the restaurant is one of calm, as you would expect. There is generous use of earthtones in the décor with the only unnatural feel being the metal chairs that are used. Lighting is accomplished through occasional paper lanterns placed throughout the establishment. This minimalistic style does achieve what the designer set out to do – “to enter the realms of a worry-free space from a chaotic environment”.
Though I may make it sound like this restaurant is designed perfectly, I must warn that it is not. Do not expect to be taken aback by genuine wood and natural materials flown in from abroad. After all, this is a chain restaurant which is just moderately priced. The materials are things you can pick up from your local Bed Bath and Beyond or Pottery Barn. However, with just a little imagination, the objective of a serene setting is still very well achieved.
Food
Being a Vegetarian restaurant, you can expect that wheat gluten would substitute for most of the meats and seaweed will be used to give a seafood flavor. The food selection is good and seems to be a fusion of flavors from many different Asian countries. It ranges from the traditional Japanese Miso soup to the more Americanized General Tso’s Chicken – which they call Orange Sensation.
Generally speaking, all the foods are well flavored, but not rich. I think it takes real skill to be able to use just the right amount of spices to yield flavor and yet leave the tastebuds feeling calm and not overwhelmed. One of the dishes we tried on our last visit was the Orange Sensation. This dish is served on a sizzling platter and as stated before is very similar to General Tso’s Chicken, but orange flavored. This dish exemplifies the point I was making about the use of the right amount of flavor. With each bite of the wheat gluten (used to simulate meat texture), you immediately taste the orange and false chicken flavor. The beauty is that once you finish with that bite, the taste is gone almost as if some magical palate cleansing occurred.
Some of the noteworthy appetizers are the taro spring rolls and the sweet yam fries (though the latter may defeat the purpose of this supposed healthy eating). Some of the other dishes I have enjoyed are the Wheel of Fortune (pan fried soy skin in Hoi Sin sauce), Shredded Heaven (three kinds of shredded soy and wheat gluten with mixed vegetables) and Basiled Vegetarian Ham. I have to caution that I’m a bit of a carnivore, so my taste buds are skewed towards dishes which may be less “cleansing” and refreshing than most strict vegetarians are use to.
The dessert menu consists of a couple of fruit pies and a tofu honey pie. I have not tried any of their desserts so I can’t comment on it.
The prices are very reasonable. The dishes on the a la carte menu range from about $10-$15. There is also a prix-fixe section with dishes below $10. The latter section is actually a very good deal as the dishes come with a serving of brown rice and a taro spring roll.
Service
The service is excellent. The staff is courteous and very efficient. One thing I noticed was that the waiters/waitresses almost blend into the background and yet seem to always be there when you need them.
Final Words
Zen Palate is a multipurpose restaurant for any time. The décor is enough nice to bring a date yet casual enough for catching up with a group of friends. The food though not fantastic is very good and well worth the price.
Recommended:
Yes
Kid Friendliness: Yes
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes
Notes, Tips or Menu Recommendations There are two other branches in Manhattan, one in midtown the other in the Union Square area.
Best Suited For: Friends
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Epinions.com ID:
coffeeaddict
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Location: New York, NY
Reviews written: 18
Trusted by: 31 members
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