Zen Palate - Union Square
Closed as of Oct 29 07
$$$ - expensive
Eclectic (Fusion)
Gourmet vegan food with a Chinese influence.
This is one of three Zen Palate restaurants in New York. There are two parts to this restaurant. The downstairs is a more casual cheaper restaurant. The upstairs is a gourmet fancy restaurant. It has many unique appetizers and entrees to choose from, as well as a few deserts. There are also non-alcoholic drinks and tonics. No alcohol is served in the restaurant.
Added by starfive on Nov 19 03 (updated Aug 18 06)
Reviews
I went right after the Oct 6-15 revamp. This was my first time to Zen Palate, so I'm not sure if the menu was changed (though I did overhear a waiter mention there were some new items).
To start I had the pan-fried vegetable buns, which were delicious and pretty big. For entrees I ordered the Tofu Delight and a cranberry iced tea. A friend ordered the eggplant dish (not sure of the name). Both were pretty good but I thought the sauce was a little heavy. The dishes came with extras (both came with spring rolls; other dishes come with different extras) and a side of brown rice. The price seemed really fair for the amount of food on the plate, and the iced tea was the best I've ever had (I know that probably sounds pretty lame, but come on! It was cranberry!).
Service is friendly and really fast. The dining area is clean and modern with neat tables that are really close together, though it doesn't seem like a notable problem until the crowds start coming in.
Another plus is that the menu clearly marks any non-vegan menu items and indicates the inclusion that makes them so (casein, honey, etc.).
LOVED Zen Palate! The menu was very large and had very unique and delicious options. The food presentation was incredible and tasted just as good as it looked. The appetizers and entrees were very fairly priced. Would absolutely recommend! Zen Palate is also BYOB.
The casual, cheaper, restaurant will set you back ~10 a person for dinner + appetizers.