Zen – JLT

And Zen there were two…one of my favourite Asian restaurants in Dubai has finally opened a second branch. Thai-Chinese masters Zen take pride of place in Streetery, a food hall concept of their own creation in Cluster D, JLT. Streetery is Dubai’s Asian foodies Glastonbury, with support acts from Fat Aunts and Hing Kee it is the must-visit culinary gig in town. In fact, lake level Cluster D is shaping up to be quite the Asian food hub with Betawi and Vietnamese Foodies all lined up one after another.

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The food at this latest incarnation of Zen is as awesome as ever. Start with a Papaya Salad with Dried Shrimps – it’s superb but be sure to wimp out if you can’t take your chilli; bear in mind, Thai food will burn you twice…once when you eat it and again when you…ok, ok, maybe we won’t get into the second time, but you get the picture. You may want to try their Grilled Beef Salad instead (or as well) – it too is very good. My favourite though is the Green Curry with Prawns. Zen’s version is less touristy than what others serve in Dubai and therefore less sweet, more authentic. I still think my own Green Curry, taught to me by my dear friend, the great Chef Nita of Thai Chi, is best but Zen’s is really good too.

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Remember, Zen is as much about Chinese as it is about Thai. That said, I tend to only order Thai when I eat there. For the health conscious, Zen also offers an assortment of exotic juices such as tamarind, hibiscus and lemongrass. The truth is I’m not a big fan but enjoyed trying them, nonetheless. What I loved however was my Sticky Rice Mango dessert. Again, Zen’s version is authentic Thai and much less sweet than what is usually served out here – perfectly balanced.

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All in all, the good news is that this second Zen branch has hit the ground running, serving up the same quality dishes we have come to know and love from their Business Bay original. Supported by a friendly and professional Streetery Food Hall team of servers, Zen now offers their authentic Asian experience to a much broader audience. I am told deliveries will soon start too…all the way up to Arabian Ranches – finally! Zen and the Streetery Food Hall, well worth a detour.

Hey! Now read this –
Xerxes physically dines at, or orders from, each and every venue he reviews. He pays in full for whatever he and his companions eat, drink, take away or occasionally throw at each other. Xerxes accepts no money, gifts, discounts or free meals in return for reviews or favouritism. What you have read was NOT influenced in any way by the venue. Join me on Instagram @ravenousxerxes or email me on xerxes@dellara.com.