Personal Review :
By virtue of a personal reference (about the only way we'll take a risk with
restaurants in Baltimore anymore), we went to Cafe Zen just before seeing a
movie at the Senator. Cafe Zen is located just off York Road around the
corner from the Senator Theater.
The reference was a good one. A very good selection of dishes with ample servings. Prices are reasonable, typical of most Chinese restaurants. The food was good too, although I would have liked a bit more spice (heat) in the Orange Chicken. Cafe Zen will definitely see us again when we're in their neck of the woods.
A hint to know before you go. If you purchase your tickets to the Senator before eating (and you should), be sure to show them when ordering. You will be treated to a 10% discount on your meal.
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Baltimore Magazine, April 1998 -- "Cheap Eats" edited by Cynthia Glover
{Reprinted with permission of Baltimore Magazine}
Hey, where's the teriyaki? With a name like Cafe Zen and a clever minimalist design (including shutters on the windows and a shoji screen), you'd expect this place to be Japanese. It's not--it's Chinese. But why quibble? We love Cafe Zen for its fresh, home-style cooking. Don't leave without trying the tangy hot-and-sour soup (a bit hotter than most, but worth the pain), the unique "fan & t'sai" (a platter of meat, rice, and vegetables), and the crisp, flavorful garlic shrimp. As a concession, perhaps, to their name, Cafe Zen does serve a smattering of sushi rolls. Our advice? Stick with the Chinese entrees. And expect a wait on Friday and Saturday nights, when the place gets swamped.
Least expensive entree: Zen's stir-fried vegetables, $6.95.
Most expensive entree: Peking duck, $20.
Value added: It's a hop, skip, and a jump from the historic Senator
Theatre.
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Baltimore Magazine, August 1996 -- "Bargain Dining, Feasts From the East"
{Reprinted with permission of Baltimore Magazine}
When pretty Cafe Zen opened over a year ago, the cooking was a tad anemic. The restaurant has since found its stride, however, and while the kitchen is still reserved, it presents pleaing variations on a select list of Chinese favorites. In a number of dishes, like the appetizer ``Ants in the Tree,'' chicken has been substituted for pork in the interests of health-conscious tastes. But all is not austere; the double sautéed pork, for example, is rich and delicious. The environs, with walls that appear to have been tissue-papered in oranges and yellows before being inscribed with bold graphic images of chopsticks, lotus blossoms, and such, are delightful.
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