Zen Kitchen

RIP Zen Kitchen :(
As of November 2014, they have closed permanently. Such a sad day in the Ottawa Veggie Community.

Let’s be honest. The place is lame.
I used to be vegan, and I’m now pescetarian. But this isn’t the issue. So…
Problem 1: What you have is a bunch of fan-​kids who can’t properly cook anything, so any vegan venue is magical to them.
Problem 2: Does the chef actually taste what they’re serving? I can’t even remember what I ordered, but I’ll tell you that it was a giant pile of rosemary with a bunch of overcooked rice. Felt like i was sucking on a pine tree. The seasoning is completely off on every single dish.
Problem 3: Every item on the menu is either named after or striving to be like some sort of non-​vegan version. Stop it. It’s not risotto, it’s something else. Let the ingredients speak for themselves and let them be what they want to be.
I love vegan food as much as the next vegan food lover. Vegan cuisine can be lovely and satisfying. But c’mawn, I can make something 10 times better in my own kitchen for one tenth the cost.

Very happy that ZenKitchen has re-​opened! Dinner service for now, with lunch and brunch to follow in another month or two. I hope we can all contribute to helping ZenKitchen make a run of it by patronizing it, as it’s a bit of an culinary institution in Ottawa, especially for vegans.
I was at ZenKitchen the very first day it opened, and have returned many times over the years. It’s a favourite of my husband and I’s. I normally hate salad, but love their meal sized caesar. I also love their polenta fries, the Mexican chocolate cake, and the falafel on their brunch menu (time will tell if it returns!) Husband has enjoyed the Royal ZenBurger, the seitan, and a number of the brunch items. Dave is always super helpful, and once even brought me a menu with the mushrooms struck off of it! (I’m not a fan of the champignons!)
Congrats to Dave, new owner Michael, consulting chef Caroline, and the rest of the ZenKitchen team for their perseverance and a successful re-​open.

The business opened back up on July 31^st and we went August 1^st. It was extremely good — the service was great and the food absolutely excellent. Portions were quite large and the food was quite delicious.

So sad. As of May 23^rd, 2014 — Zen kitchen is no more. :(
This is dreaded and very surprising considering the popularity of this local gem. This will be especially disappointing news for foodies and vegans.
Zen was very unique in that they found a way to fuse casual with fine dining, and making it’s vegan-​ness not an issue for conservative culinary carnivores.
You will be remembered Zen kitchen. You will definitely be missed.

Overpriced and bland. One of the worst meals I’ve ever had.
The picture below was a take out dish that cost $ 27!
Very nice staff though. Refunded everything.

Amazing food, amazing staff and amazing atmosphere. I ordered the chefs sampler and every dish was delicious!

I am not a vegan. Or a vegetarian. But I will go to Zen Kitchen because the food is amazing. Last night I experienced a special event at Zen Kitchen — one of their «TV Dinners». This was the second one they’ve done, where the chef prepares a menu based on or inspired by a TV show. The first was Downton Abbey; this one was as far from that as you could get: Arrested Development.
Given that show’s treatment of food («The Cornballer») and reliance on booze (Lucille), one might think that a gourmet dinner would be impossible. Especially at a vegan restaurant where there are ingredients that are simply off limits.
But they came through. From a «martini and toast» course with maple salted peanuts to a «magic trick egg» in honour of Gob Bluth to a «prison meal» of Salisbury Seitan to the twin desserts of chocolate dipped bananas in honour of George Michael and Maebe and a «blue your mind» cheesecake in honour of Tobias, it was an amazing meal that demonstrated a very creative approach to the show and to the vegan cuisine that Zen Kitchen does superbly well.
All of this was complemented by the restaurant’s very precise service and plating standards, with a few special additions (when the «cornballer hush puppies» came out all the servers were wearing bandages on their arms or hands) for the evening.
While a Zen Kitchen meal is great any time you are looking for a special evening, the TV dinners are extra fun.
Our table of four was MORE than satisfied with the dinner.

It’s a very good vegetarian restaurant. The decorations are nice. The service is great. We got the seitan and the curry, Caesar salad and hello kitty cocktail. Although we are not big fans of vegetarian food we did think that there was a good mix of vegetables and that it was well cooked. But warning for people really love meat, they might not like it…

Best food in Ottawa for vegan with gluten free options. Even if you are not vegan, give it a try. Tasting menu is fantastic. Take home options too. I have yet to be disappointed and have been back quite a few times.

My wife and I had heard some positive reviews about this quaint restaurant over the past few years and decided that a rainy Sunday was the perfect time to try something new. We were not attracted by the vegetarian label but rather that Zen is considered a good restaurant.
We both settled on the UnTraditional Breakfast and we left both satisfied and impressed with the blend of flavours, the imaginative presentation and the generous portions. I was a little disappointed but not surprised by the lukewarm tea (it is very difficult to get a decent cup of tea anywhere in Ottawa).
The service was not up to military standards but our waitress was friendly and seemed to get things to us when required and not all at the same time. I did enjoy talking to the owners and getting some intelligence on what we were eating and how it was prepared. These interactions overcame any reservations we had about the service.
The atmosphere is warm, friendly and very conducive to chance conversations with neighbours and staff. The wine list is broad and appropriate for the food on offer.
I liked Zen. The little details could turn your mood but if you enjoy people and appreciate some innovation in your food, the transgressions will be quickly and easily forgiven… because the food is wonderful.

Visited ZenKitchen during a recent weekend visit to Ottawa. The restaurant is lovely and intimate inside, and the food — oh, the food! I had such a hard time deciding what to eat, as usually there’s only one mediocre vegetarian selection at «normal people restaurants» and here I felt completely overwhelmed with choice. Eventually I settled on the polenta fries to start, and the curry as my main, with a glass of organic white wine to drink. The polenta fries were piping hot and crispy on the outside but soft and creamy on the inside, and honestly, I think chipotle + anything is the best combination. The Thai-​inspired lemongrass curry was also surprisingly delicious: a really wonderful combination of flavours and textures that I still dream about sometimes.
The one thing that I would remove a star for is the service: our server seemed a bit frenzied and scattered — for example, halfway through our appetizers she came to the table with two summer berry «shots» — presumably an amuse bouche, although there was little explanation and the timing was poor. Maybe it was just an off night for her. Anyway, if I’m ever in the Ottawa area again, I would definitely return here and try the chef’s tasting menu. I saw chef Caroline come out of the kitchen on several occasions and make the rounds, asking how people’s meals were going. Everything that came out of the kitchen looked amazing!

This was my first visit to Zen Kitchen with my brother and his wife, who are vegan. It is one of their favorite places in town so I had to try it.
We went for the brunch hour on a sunday. It was a superb day and we sat outside on the terrace. I had a veggie soup with a delicious house salad afterwards. I heard the Frittatta is amazing, and it looked and smelled very appealing ! I got a strawberry shortcake for dessert and it was fabulous !
again, very tasty, well located but a bit pricey.

I have visited Zen Kitchen multiple times in the past 3 years. I am not currently a vegetarian (but have been in the past) and have always enjoyed my meal.
Recently I visited with my fiancé to celebrate our engagement. I love the small and quiet atmosphere here, and we decided to do the chef’s tasting menu with wine pairings. Dave is an excellent sommelier and the service was excellent — having each surprise course introduced as it was brought out made our night even more special. Every time I go, I am pleased with the quality of the dishes, the excellent service, and the commitment to a calm and relaxed dining environment.
It truly is my favourite dining spot in Ottawa.

While I fell in love with this place when on my first visit, I wasn’t quite as impressed the second time. My sister and I came out for a late Sunday brunch — which normally runs from 10 am to 2 pm — and was met with luke-​warm plates.
Even the tea I ordered wasn’t steaming hot. While they have a sommelier on site to help with taking orders and serving the dishes, it’s appalling that they can’t boil water.
Zen Kitchen has the potential to be 5 stars, but they are sloppy on the minor details.
⁴⁄₅ starts

One of my favorite restaurants in Ottawa, and i’m not a vegetarian per-​say, just a fan of a simple menu & good food. The dining lounge is nice, comfortable and chill.
The Currie is my favorite. The Tapas plates are a nice touch, again, my favorite is their black bean cakes & nachos. The menu ingredients rotate seasonally from what i can tell.
Menu prices are a bit high but their are nice touches that make up for that –the chef often serves little treats between servings or even visits the table briefly.
Do it.

Zen impressed this meat eater!
The dishes I ordered were well seasoned and nicely presented. The service was attentive and the kitchen included some nice touches such as an amuse bouch at the start of our meal and a chocolate covered truffle «gift» at the end.
The wine list is extensive and focused heavily on Ontario wines — a good or bad thing depending on your perspective. One drawback is that they do not have corkage.
Zen is small and cozy and has a great vibe. Think casual funky Beckta. It was absolutely packed on a Wednesday evening so reservations are recommended.

I think the previous reviews of this restaurant might be suffering from a bit of pro-​vegetarian bias. To be sure, it’s nice to have an upscale veg place to bring your veg friends to in this city, but Zen Kitchen is only ok, given the prices.
When we were there on a Sunday night, the service was very eager and available, which was nice. We were advised that the special for the night was an Eastern European «surprise». Intriguing, but visions of beets danced in my head so I took a pass.
We started with the Le Coprin mushrooms. They were good, more about the textures than anything else: the sesame crust was very nice against the meaty mushrooms. It’s a dish meant for sharing, but it was still surprising how generous the heap of mushrooms was for an app. I would’ve preferred they were cooked in a slighly lighter oil, but I’m an oil snob so I might be nitpicking.
The mains were not as good, unfortunately. The pesto cheese ravioli was very wilty. The pasta literally broke apart as you lifted it, and there was an over-​the-​top tanginess to the whole dish, as if someone garnished twice by accident. The lemongrass curry was better, but completely unspicy, which is a bit unexpected for a curry.
Overall, I wouldn’t avoid this place, but also wouldn’t go out of my way to visit again.

I tried Zen Kitchen when I was in Ottawa back in May, popping in for an early weekend dinner. A very nicely decorated & smallish restaurant, it’s got a lovely atmosphere and is quite laid back. The service is quite attentive and helpful, & I was taken care of very well from the moment I sat down, til the moment I left (with a lovely little chocolate truffle accompanying my bill).
Zen Kitchen is a lovely dining experience overall. While waiting for your appetisers and mains, you’re treated to a little amuse-​bouche (mine was radish with cashew crème & vegan caviar) and also bread (mine came with an amazing white bean & truffle oil dip).
I love that the chef will have a special of the day according to the sorts of produce seasonally available, it really mixes things up a bit. The portion sizes for both the appetisers and mains are really very good, and the quality of the ingredients and flavours is out of this world. I think the only thing that disappointed me was my dessert (Lime Mousse Pie), which was more a personal taste/​texture issue in the end. Overall, Zen Kitchen shows a nice variety of tastes & flavours and is creative without being inaccessible. Brilliantly gourmet vegan food that never leaves you craving.
This is more of a high 4.5 star rating, due to the prices & the fact that I felt a little awkward there as a solo diner (it seemed geared toward groups, even small ones, especially with their taster menus) — & there were even very few couples there. But I don’t think it’d stop me eating there again for a treat if I go back to Ottawa. Would love to see somewhere like this in Toronto (I think it’d blow Fressen out of the water).

This gourmet vegetarian restaurant is a welcome addition to Ottawa’s burgeoning selection of vegetarian/​vegan restaurants and is unquestionably the best veggie cuisine you will find in the National Capital Region. Refined yet robust flavors and colourful, unlikely pairings created by NYC-​trained chef Caroline Ishii. If the food wasn’t enough Zen Kitchen also has an impressive wine list, a charming interior and mouthwatering vegan desserts.
It is pricey but this is truly some of the best vegetarian food you’re likely to find in Canada.