ashes of the Ferguson’s Moving
and Storage building fire.

It offers an inviting combination
of waod, glass and slate interior
staffed with attentive waiters and
sushi chefs turned out in royal
purple robes performing at a big
central wrap-around sushi bar.

Zen has no tatami rooms, but
there is a private room for large
parties, and the main dining room
benefits from the crackle of wide
open social intercourse and the
visual spectacle of Japanese food
preparation.

Zen the Buddhist philosophy
counsels meditation and faith in
intuition; Zen the restaurant offers
instant welcome and consistent at-
tention.

Each new arrival through the
restaurant's glass doors is greeted
with an audible salutation from the

Zen Japanese Restaurant, 2232
Marine Dr., West Vancouver,
925-0667. Visa and MasterCard
accepted. Open Tuesday to
Sunday for dinner. Take the
kids or call a babysitter? Cail a
babysitter.

N THIS episode of Zen
and The Art of Restau-

@ rant Dining, the intrepid
Table Hopping crew meets
Zen itself.

No, not Xen, that madcap jug-
gler of sabres and svelte performer
of Greek belly dances, but Zen the
stylish new Japanese restaurant in
West Vancouver,

Zen arrived in the municipality
of milk and honey on Sept. 22 as
the ground-level anchor in the
new building that rose from the

NEWS photo Cindy Goodman

NOW and Zen...an artistic display of sushi at the new Zen Japa-
nese restaurant in West Vancouver.

, Flavour of
India

Authentic Gourmet

Cuisine
(with this ad)

3 tor |

MON., TUES., WED.
1 FREE LUNCH OR DINNER

When a second lunch or dinner entree
of equal or lesser value is purchased.

nn
WATCH FOR OUR NEW LUNCHEON
BUFFET — COMING SCON
ing Soon *Lunch from 11:30-2 30pm
° Por sat sun. Brunch Mon-Fri
© Dinner from * Excludes beverages
5.10pm, Mon-Sun. * FULLY LICENSED
© Expires Nov T1092

S83 5- 5 47 7 (ample parking west side of building)

175 £. 3rd St., NVancouver

Wednesday, Nov. 4, 1992 —- North Shore News - 29

panese dining

Timothy Renshaw
TABLE HOPPING

sushi chefs and other staff
members.

The venerable treatment will
catch first-time visitors by pleasant
surprise: such spirited welcome is
not the norm at most restaurants.

Zen guests are ushered quickly
to tables and presented with hot-
rolled towels to revitalize hands
calloused from a day spent scrat-
ching succor from the West Van-
couver hills.

Menus follow at a brisk pace.
They boast a selection of Japa-
nese food that is far more interest-
ing than what is found on most
contemporary Japanese menus.

Appetizers range from Agedashi
Tofu (deep-fried tofu in house
sauce, $3.75) to Unagi Ponzu
(barbecued eel in vinegar sauce,
$4.25) through to Beef Sashimi
($6.75) and Deep Fried Soft-Shell
Crab ($7.25).

Soups and salads are also in
good supply (10 varieties, in-
cluding Asari Miso Soup, $2.95,
and Kani Sunomono, Japanese

Octopus Salad, $5.25).

But the preceding is only the
beginning — the introductory Zen
mantra.

A ia Carte, Tempura, Robata,
Sashimi, Sushi, Maki Sushi and
Te-maki sections follow.

Under the A la Carte heading,
diners will find entrees bearing
more familiar Western flavors:
Chicken Katsu (breaded deep-fried
chicken, $8.50), Chicken Teriyaki

- ($8.75), New York Steak Teriyaki

($13.75).

And Zen‘s Robata (lapanese
barbecue} repertoire ranges far
and wide.

Table Hopping sampled a simple
Robata Eggplant ($3.50). The ele-
gant dish of grilled Japanese egg-
plant was topped with thin strips
of dried seaweed and accom-
panied with ground ginger and a
savory soya-based sauce.

For the more adventurous
Robata fans, Zen’s kitchen
prepares everything from smelt to
water eel to Enoki mushroom and
salmon cheek on its Robata grill.

We also tried Vegetable Tem-
pura ($6.75) before our Zen
Deluxe Sushi ($16.25) and B.C.
Combo ($9.95) entrees.

The tempura, as with all the Zen
dishes sampled, was expertly
prepared and artistically
presented.

Its batter was light, golden
brown and crisp. The vegetable
selection included slices of sweet
potato, yam, brocccli, asparagus,
mushrooms and a large decora-

is back
as cafe

Oxesty

- Simple cuisine with fresh zest -
For more information about our menu
call chef directly at 687-7447

ror a limited time only ... %

, ° 4
Brunch or Dinners, 2

live, but edible, mint leaf.

A jumbo Sapporo heer ($7.75,
with a label declaring its produc-
tion included special clean malt —
is there an unclean version in
other beer?) washed down the two
appetizers.

The sushi, alive with a host of
vibrant colors, was presented on
bold green leaves. Included on the
plate were tuna, salmon, prawn,
roe, octopus and snapper.

The B.C: Combo, meanwhile,
featured the excellent B.C. roll,
tuna, salmon, scallop and tiger
prawn.

Hot green wasabi and pickled
pink Japanese ginger slices ac-
companied both plates, as did
steaming orders of sake ($3.95,
small; $7.50, large).

There are few better duos than
sake and sushi with which to ease
into a weekend.

And at Zen, that duo will be ac-
companied by the hypnotic grace
of the sushi chefs and a steady
stream of Zen clientele. . .

The restaurant’s staff will ensure
that you are comfortable and that
you want for nothing.

As its name suggests, Zen will set
you on the road to gastronomic, if
not spiritual, peace.

TRAVEL
TO
EUROPE

(in Vancouver..)

ou needn’t gotoa
foreign country to
learn how to be a
Chef. British Columbia
stands on its own when it
comes to cuisine and we
have the Chefs to prove
it. Our 17 week
intensive Professional
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Program can put you on
our way to an
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THE EUROPEAN
ALTERNATIVE

)

738-3155
1-800-667-7288
DUBRULLE FRENCH
CULINARY SCHOOL
1522 WEST 8TH AVE.
VANCOUVER, B.C. V6} 4R8

Join us ‘Sunday

Thursday for this

fabulous offer Present this ad to your server.

for Two Just

STEP 1:

STEP 2:

PH Choose ANY TWO entrees

& ] up to a value of $12.99 each.

STEP 3:
Enjoy your meal... and save
% up to $10.99 per couple.

1 (PS. Choose two entrees greater
than $12.99 each and still
receive the maximum discount
of $10.99.)

Not valid Fridays and Saturdays.
Expires November 13/92.
Maximum 3 coupuns for Brunch

RESERVATIONS RECOMMENDED