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CLOSED: ZenKitchen
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7
Closed
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Vegan
Vegan
International
Japanese
Organic
Beer/Wine
Asian Fusion, Gourmet
Re-opened July 31, 2014 after brief closure, this is a full service vegan restaurant that offers gourmet meals created from organic and local produce. Features an extensive wine list. OCT 2014 REPORTED SHUT AGAIN, NO PLANS TO RE-OPEN.
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634 Somerset Street West (at downtown), Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1R 5K4
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- Outdoor seating
- Accepts credit cards
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Last update on 13 Nov 2014 by Guest
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Added by Parasol on 09 Jul 2009
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19 Reviews
First Review by jessienotjames
Angst
Points +54
Best vegan meal I've ever had - Edit
I ate here in March 2014. The food was fantastic - easily the best vegan meal I've ever had. Just gorgeous. When we arrived the waitress asked if we had any food intolerance's and we said no but we are vegan and she replied so are we! It wasn't advertised as vegan so we were really pleased.
Read moreSadly it looks like it might now have closed for good:(
Cons: closed down?
Guest
IkoOo
Points +134
Met my high standards ! - Edit
Very good place, I went only once but the meal was absolutely delicious (lemoned creamy sauce with mushrooms on gnocchis, leeks and greens)and the smiling staff. Have been treated like a princess.
Read moreNot cheap though, but excellent quality of food. They also get me a piece of grilled yellow Japanese watermelon with spices, surprising and very tasty, and a plate of bread with butternut squash aside.
Too bad the desserts where not as good (or maybe because I ate too much I couldn’t eat no more !) : the brownie was too dry (or I should have wait for the coconut ice-cream to melt maybe) and basically a bit too sweet for the other desserts (lemon tart and peanut butter/chocolate tart). Highly recommended.
Pros: Nice place, Interesting menus, Very friendly
Cons: Opening hours, Not cheap
Guest
Veroniquemeow
Points +31
Amazing! - Edit
Food was excellent! The desserts are to die for!
Read moreIt was my first time there, but will be returning over and over. Service was superb. Don't let the exterior fool you
Updated from previous review on Monday May 19, 2014
Guest
nancyrc
Points +32
Best Vegan Meal EVER!! - Edit
My family enjoyed one of the meals we've ever had… both pre and post becoming vegan. So creative and tasty. Hard to believe it was even vegan. I highly recommend this restaurant. Staff was friendly. Owner was welcoming and went above and beyond to accommodate our family's food intolerances. Even went so far as to ask about any special needs when we were making a reservation and had a copy of the menu edited with possible options when we arrived.
Read morePros: Food, Service, atmosphere
Guest
begoodjen
Points +95
Vegan Paradise - Edit
This place was perfect in every way. And not just by vegan standards (vegans you know what I mean). Service was top notch, food was amazing, atmosphere was pleasant and cozy. Easy to find for an out of towner. Highly recommended.
Read moreI had the ploughman's, and my husband had the oyster po boy. YUM YUM YUM!
Guest
sglcklch
Points +3323
Fantastic - Edit
Don't be fooled by its unassuming exterior: it was at ZenKitchen that my partner and I had the best meal of our weeklong trip to Ottawa and Toronto.
Read moreWe had a tapas plate of fried oyster mushrooms to start with, then the sope and ravioli for mains. The mushrooms were excellent, crispy but light, and went beautifully with the dipping sauces. The ravioli were great as well; the sauce was delicious. The sope comprised the sope as the centerpiece and all the regular fixings (rice & beans, guacamole, salsa, and sour cream). The sope itself was very tasty, but the accompaniments were slightly disappointing - they weren't bad at all, just average. I've had better. Then we had the chocolate cake for dessert to finish off our dinner. It was scrumptious - chocolatey and perfectly sweet.
Service was prompt and attentive. Our water was constantly refilled, and all our food came out in a timely manner. Initially I found the $90 bill (a beer and tip included) a bit hefty - a dollar or two off each dish would have been appropriate - but then when I took into consideration the complimentary tidbits served throughout the meal (the appetizing azuki bean hummus with country bread at the beginning and the divine chocolate truffle at the end, just to name two), this price point was actually quite reasonable.
Pros: food, service
Guest
NicoleB.
Points +33
SUPERB! - Edit
wow...i've never had vegan food like this, or really, food period. hands down the best meal. ever. they had homemade gf vegan ravioli...need i say more? i haven't had any ravioli in forever, and it was just blissful. loved the appetizer sampler (potato chips, various homemade pickles (not something i usually would eat, but they were amazing), summer rolls, apple butter tofu w/ peanut sauce...holy mole! and the deserts were to die for. they were so happy to accommodate allergy requests and make sure everything was perfect. such nice people, and amazing fresh, organic, local food :D.
Read morePros: local, organic, gluten free, delicious food, nice vibe
Cons: not wheelchair accessible
Guest
Ken4057
Points +1200
Unsurpassed brunch - Edit
Came here for brunch, and wished we didn't have to return home to Toronto.
Read moreThe brunch was spectacular, though I wasn't expecting much. Zen Kitchen makes me think of run-of-the-mill Chinese-Buddhist veg cooking. But with smoked tempeh bacon, a complex gravy and homefries - such attention to detail and balance - I could immediately tell that the chef was a cut above, and indeed, Caroline Ishii trained at Millenium in San Francisco among other legendary US restaurants. There is no other chef in Canada who comes close. Ottawa has no idea how lucky it is.
This place needs six or seven stars, at least.
Fun fact, the owners were the subject of a TV show called 'The Restaurant Adventures of Caroline and Dave' which aired on the W Network.
Guest
HereHere
Points +97
Okay - Edit
We showed up without a reservation for an early lunch (11am) and the restaurant was mostly empty, so we were seated without a problem. The table had crusties on it, so the waitress came and wiped my side down, but not that of my guest. I ordered the zen burger with poutine. The tomato and pickle were fresh, for sure, and I was so pleased to get a whole wheat hamburger bun. The bun was huge, hard to get your mouth around (although I could do it), and I couldn't find any flavor from the burger. I eventually gave up and ate the burger separatly, but I couldn't detect flavor. There were some lightly deep fried onion strips on top, and eating them individually I could almost detect some flavor. The poutine had a lovely texture, but nothing resembling cheese curds, which is great for me as a vegan. If I had been a meat-eater, I would have been completely irritated. Just a token amount of daiya (one might say miserly) which I liked. However, it was over the top salty. I must say, the staff took excellent care of me, when I inquired about spiciness, and were able to leave that out of everything that might have spiceiness in it (maybe that is why the burger didn't have any flavor? But a burger really shouldn't be spicy).
Read moreMy guest had the zen burger also. It fell apart in her hands. Her salad was excellent.
Given the name is Zen, I would have thought the ambiance would be simple and peaceful. It had an element of that, but also the feel of a busy downtown nightclub/franchise, with disorienting patterns from floor to ceiling and at least 3 different styles of lighting. I'd give it a 3 happy cow, but because it is overrated, I'm going to give it a 2. It is fantastic to have a resto where you don't have to worry about the vegan eligibility of ingredients. That said, I'm in no rush to go back. I'll make my own poutine...it will taste better and I'll try it on a bed of greens to balance all the heaviness.
Guest
Richard Myers
Points +766
Interesting food - nice to try something different - Edit
We ate here on a Thursday evening; the restaurant is not large and it was very busy. I had reserved ahead and asked for a quiet location but that is not really possible in a restaurant this size. Aside from the noise, the food was great with quite a complex mixture of tastes. Suggest you go hungry since the food is filling. We had an Ottawa area beer which was good. The staff made us feel very welcome. It was not a cheap evening but good value nevertheless.
Read morePros: Great food, Positive staff
Cons: Noisy
Guest
Leah Stolar
Points +491
Very Creative - Edit
Since becoming vegan, I haven't had eggplant parmigiana or Caesar salad. This was my opportunity at 100% vegan Zen Kitchen. Both dishes were wonderful and very reminiscent of the originals but much more interesting, lighter and healthier. Every table was full so highly recommend reservations. Service was excellent and very attentive from server and Dave, who made our drinks.
Read morePros: Healthy, Creative, Excellent service
Guest
Veganmo
Points +19
Perfection - Edit
Caroline has set the standard - vegan cuisine has done arrived. The Zen Kitchen is sophisticated, welcoming, and the food... the food is divine.
Read moreWe are regulars and are constantly amazing.
Guest
markc7
Points +99
Spectacular - Edit
Best restaurant in Ottawa, best vegan food in the province. High class food but nice and relaxed atmosphere. Pricey but worth it.
Read morePros: Amazing food, Great service
Cons: Pricey
Guest
bsmithson
Points +16
didn't answer phone or return a reservation call - Edit
I visited Ottawa this week and was looking forward to Zen Kitchen. I even selected my hotel to be close to Zen Kitchen. Since they were closed on Mondays and were closed on Tuesday due to a special event, I had one shot on Wednesday. I wasn't sure when I could go and so I couldn't make an advance reservation. I called for a same-day reservation (as required by their web site), and got their answering machine. I explained that I was only here for one more night, wanted a reservation for one at any time they could fit me in, gave them two numbers to call me back, and asked them to call me if they couldn't accommodate me so I could make other plans for the evening. I called many times after that and never reached a person. Two hours later, no call-back. I gave up and went elsewhere. I'm back from that, four hours since the first call, still no call back. If they are so booked up that they can't answer the phone or return calls, they can afford to hire another person or at least a proper answering service. I am VERY disappointed with them, especially since it sounds like their food is quite good. I'm not sure if I'll be in Ottawa again, but if I am, I'll try to go again -- and will read them the riot act about this experience. There is no excuse for such poor customer service!
Read moreCons: poor customer service, nobody answers phone, nobody returns calls
Guest
LAP
Points +85
fantastic find - Edit
I was in Ottawa a few weeks back as a single traveler and thoroughly enjoyed my meal at ZenKitchen. The service was fantastic with food to die for. It was a complete joy to know that I could eat everything on the menu. I would highly recommend that you visit this restaurant. I will definitely go back the next time that I am in Ottawa - this one is a keeper.
Read moreGuest
jedzen
Points +108
Nice dining experience - Edit
I personnaly enjoyed Zen Kitchen. I've been here once, and that was my best vegan experience in Ottawa. We had a table for 2.
Read moreWe ordered, as a starter, the endamames with pink himalayan sea salt. The house also offered us to taste their bread, and we also received some really good veggie rolls.
We had drinks ; one with apple cider and one gin tonic. Not the best i've had. I should have chose some wine to go with my food...
I had the seitan scallopini and my boyfriend had the ravioli with mizuna scape pesto and mushroom-ancho sauce. Both dishes were really tasty. I liked the taste of my vegetables : not overcooked, with subtile flavors. We tried 3 desserts : Peach cobbler was a bit too cold. Blueberry lemon pie was good. Coffee creme brule was the best. The desserts were not as good as the main courses were, but were far from bad.
The service was great : the owner, the chef, and 2 servers took care of us. Everyone came to our table to welcome us and asking us about how we found our food. That was nice from them to take time for their customers considering the place was full.
It can get expensive to eat there but in my opinion it worth giving a try. I'll probably be back next time i'm around Ottawa.
Cons:
Guest
Petesternz
Points +1447
Welcome addition - Edit
We visit Ottawa frequently and were thrilled to see the addition of Zen Kitchen, an upscale dining experience that is entirely vegan. Keep in mind that it is upscale and priced accordingly! But the food was very good. The menu changes frequently, but it is hard to imagine you wouldn't find something yummy to eat. We enjoyed a wonderful tapas plate with scrumptious salad rolls wrapped in rice paper. I was less thrilled with the black bean cakes, which i found bland.
Read moreMy main was a delicious ravioli, and my friend had grilled seitan which was done to perfection, with a lovely sauce.
I found the desserts a little disappointing, and I've definitely had better. The Mexican chocolate cake had a poor texture, and my lemon pie was uninspiring. The Peach cobbler was the best of the bunch.
Overall, a very good experience. Loved the service which was helpful and attentive. I'd like to see better desserts and more interesting appetizers, but those were minor quibbles. Will definitely be coming back!!!
Guest
veganstastebetter
Points +205
fabulous find - Edit
Let me start by saying, my started out by driving 6 hours to quebec to bungee jump. Then we drove back to ottawa and found a hotel for the night. We were exhausted and dirty. I used happy cow on my phone to find a restaurant in the nieghborhood of our hotel. We didnt know what to expect when we walked into Zenkitchen. We were definetly underdressed and they seemed a little finicky about reservations. I thought it seemed it bit pricey but when we tried our food I realized it was worth every cent. We had a bit of everything and it was all fantastic. The service was exceptional, 2 hosts?, our waitress, and the chef, caroline, all checked up on us. I would drive all the way from Niagara to ottawa just to eat here again.
Read morePros: clean, friendly, excellent dining experience
Guest
jessienotjames
Points +66
Just what Ottawa needed! - Edit
As a long time attendee of Caroline Ishii's Zen Kitchen dinners, I definitely made a point of attending opening weekend at her new restaurant! Unfortunately, I wasn't well that day, so I only got to try a few dishes.
Read moreThe menu will be based on what is seasonal - I don't yet know if that means that she'll be changing the menu daily, weekly, or seasonally, but I appreciate the variety.
The menu was broken down into appetizers, mains, tapas platters for 2 or more to share, and desserts. Each section had 2-4 options in each, so there was a decent amount of selection. Our table shared all our food - we tried the new Caesar salad, a tapas platter with pickles, tofu skewers, homemade chips, and rice paper rolls; the creamy mushroom soup, and the sundried tomato pesto tartlet. We were served a lovely roasted red pepper dip and bread to start, and a complimentary amuse of rawvioli (yellow beet with pesto filling).
Gotta be honest: we weren't entirely thrilled with this particular menu - the tart filling was delicious, but the crust was a little tough and dry. The soup was a little bland, and the tapas platter, while tasty, was a little underwhelming. The new caesar salad was definitely a hit, as were the amuse and roasted pepper dip. I believe that there was supposed to be a complimentary 'happy ending' dessert, but I think there were some difficulties with the heat that weekend.
However, this was her opening weekend, and I have had many dinners served by Caroline which I have absolutely adored, and I look forward to more. The restaurant is beautifully renovated, and I would estimate that, with the patio, they could seat about 50 at a time. The wine menu is clearly very well planned, and the overall cost, while pricey for my wallet, was certainly reasonable. I will most definitely return again when I'm feeling 100%, and after they've had some time to settle into the new kitchen. I have a feeling that this will become a great restaurant - Ottawa desperately needed a classy, upscale place for vegans and the vegan-inclined to take a date, a non-vegan they're trying to win over, or themselves for a sophisticated night out, and I think this is going to be it.
Guest
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