Next time you’re at Woodman’s on the west side, see if you can spot ZenZen Taste across the street. It’s a hidden gem for Chinese food adjacent to an Asian grocery store called J&P Market. If you can forgive the service, it’s worth a trip for the large portions and unique cuisines.
On the latter point, it’s nice to see items you wouldn’t find at other Chinese restaurants. For example, there’s pot chicken with bamboo ($12.95), Hunan fish head ($32.95), roasted pork chop with honey ($12.95) and boiled beef in spicy sauce ($10.95). Unfortunately, there are no descriptions of the menu items, and only some of them have a photo.
The egg drop corn soup ($4.95) is a safe bet and a bargain. I had three bowls from the serving bowl, and there was still enough for at least another serving. The soup has a delicate flavor, having the right amount of egg and corn.
On the opposite end of the spectrum for your tastebuds is the dongbo pork elbow ($16.95). If you like pig hocks, you’ll like this meatier version. It’s tender and very flavorful, but it’s salty, so you will need some rice with each bite to tone it down.
The century eggs ($6.95) were some of the best I’ve ever had. Perfect gelatinous texture of the whites, paired with the creaminess of the yolk, mixed with the spiciness of peppers, makes for a satisfying appetizer.
The roasted Peking duck ($58.95 whole, $38.95 half) is served in two parts. The first is moo shu-style, with super tender sliced duck combining with the crunch from the julienne onions and cucumbers you can add to a Mandarin pancake. Much to my surprise, this huge meal also comes with a pot of soup, containing the rest of the duck (on bone). You can easily share this large spread with 1-2 people.
While I enjoyed the food here, service needs improvement, as the restaurant is understaffed. There’s always just one server, and one time I had to walk into the kitchen to get served by one of the cooks, as no one was in the dining room.
ZenZen Taste is open every day for lunch, dinner and carryout.
