A brick storefront restaurant with a red metal roof and striped awning displays signage for an authentic dining establishment.

Zen Ramen: Dumplings, Ramen, Boba, and yes, SUSHI!

You guys know how much I love sushi! Honestly, it’s the only reason I am not a full vegetarian and choose to be a pescetarian! So you can imagine how hurt I was when my uncle went to Zen Ramen WITHOUT ME!

A laminated restaurant menu displayed on a wooden table in an indoor dining setting.

Price 💲💲💲 out of 5
I really need to get a better idea of what prices are nowadays because I do not think these prices are terrible. They seem like the usual prices for any restaurant, and sadly even a sushi restaurant. To me it’s expensive, but I’d still come here! If it seems out of a normal price range, then please don’t listen to me, I’d pay for an experience WITH REASON!

A modern bar or restaurant interior featuring a wooden counter with black bar stools, pendant lighting, and shelved beverages, with one person visible in the background.

Ambience 🧑‍🍳🧑‍🍳🧑‍🍳 out of 5
Based on the pictures, it looks cute inside! Very open, small, but I like the bamboo wooden vibe! Plus, I like how you can sit at the sushi bar and see the magic form! I heard the chef was very kind, and popular too!

Food 🍣🍣🍣🍣 out of 5
Ohhhhhh boy! How I wish I was there to try the sushi; it looks so, so, so good! You can’t tell, but I am crying while salivating… don’t judge me!

A overhead view of Asian fried appetizers with red dipping sauce arranged on a dark ceramic plate on a wooden table with beer bottles in the background.
A close-up shot of Asian dumplings being lifted with chopsticks over a small bowl of dipping sauce, with fresh ginger visible on the side.

Shrimp Dumpling
I typically get these as an appetizer since it is one of the few dumplings I can have, but also because the taste is yummy! I think my uncle would agree since he ordered them as well and crushed them! He said, “They were super flavorful!”

A carefully arranged sashimi platter with fresh sliced fish is displayed on a white plate on a wooden surface with wine bottles visible in the background.
A beautifully plated sushi assortment featuring various types of nigiri arranged in a line on a white plate in a warm-lit restaurant setting.
Raw fish fillets and ingredients arranged on a wooden cutting board during food preparation, photographed from above.

Sushi (Sampler)
Consisted of 5 pieces: Chef’s choice!

Based on the pictures, it looked like salmon, tuna, whitefish, and two others that only professionals would know, or people who actually know their fishes, hahahah! My uncle said, though the portions are small, the freshness of each dish is UNDENIABLE!!

Takoyaki
LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING ABOUT THESE OCTOPUS BALLS!!! ANIME LIED TO ME!!! If you’ve ever seen any anime show or movie, then you’ve come across a character who RAVES about how delicious these are. Well, I have had them twice at two different places and CANNOT DO IT! I mean it is so slimy, gross, and overall not for me, to say the least! And I love calamari, so I had high hopes!

A steaming bowl of ramen with noodles, broth, sliced pork, and a soft-boiled egg sits in a black bowl on a wooden surface.
A close-up shot of someone eating noodles from a dark bowl using chopsticks in warm indoor lighting.

Tonkatsu Ramen
My uncle has had some bad ramen experiences, but this one is not one of them! He said their ramen was “phenomenal. The broth was packed with flavor.” I’ve had ramen from multiple places, and I have this one spot I am really fond of! I’ve taken lots of loved ones there, so I’ll have to come here and see what my uncle is talking about!

Grilled meat and vegetable kebabs arranged in rows on a wooden cutting board under warm indoor lighting.
An appetizing close-up of artfully plated sushi rolls garnished with colorful toppings including red ginger, sesame seeds, and green onions.
A beautifully plated row of sushi rolls on a wooden board with artistic red sauce drizzle, photographed in warm golden lighting.

Sushi (Line-Up)
THE SUSHI YA’LL LOOKED SO GOOD AND COLORFUL!

My uncle said it was “bright and delectable, and you can taste the quality in each bite!” If only I was there to enjoy it with him!

A close-up of a refreshing boba tea drink with dark tapioca pearls and whipped cream topping, served in a clear glass on a wooden table in an indoor café setting.

Drinks 🧋🧋🧋 out of 5
Boba

Okay, don’t hate me, but I have mixed feelings about boba! I do not like the tapioca balls in the drinks. They are slimy, go down waaaaaaay too easily, and are chewy, but I love the drink itself! Now, at that point it’s just flavored milk, so I don’t know if I can say I like boba or not. What do you think, can I be a part of the cool kids club??

Experience ⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of 5
Overall, he for sure enjoyed his time at Zen Ramen! I will definitely have to swing by to see what all the hype is about, BUT I do have lots of places to compare it to, so know I will be judging harshly! Check it out for yourself and let me know if it is worth the trip?! Sometimes more than one opinion is best!

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