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Worst Food

2 Posted on 03 / 16 / 2013

Decor was nice, and the owner (or the lady that I assumed was the owner) was very nice. But the food was literally the worst food I have ever eaten in a restaurant. I ordered a rice curry dish with soy ham in it. It came one 5 minutes after I ordered and tasted like it had been sitting out for a while. It was super dry and the soy ham that was burnt to a crisp- not to mention it didn't even have the vegetables in it that the menu listed. I also ordered spring rolls which were filled with ONLY cabbage.
The other people in the restaurant also didn't like their meals, when they told staff that they didn't like it, the cook came out of the kitchen and made them feel really awkward about saying anything.
I can only assume that the other reviews on this site were written by people that work there or their families because there is no way in hell anyone can like this food.
I really an not a picky eater, but I could NOT eat the food at this place.
If you have a choice, I would suggest avoiding this restaurant.

Pros: Decoration
Cons: Food

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IMO

4 Posted on 03 / 14 / 2012

This place is really good. Maybe not so good as there counterpart in Toronto, King's Cafe, and a little more expensive, but a really great place to eat delicious vegetarian food!

Pros: friendly staff, vegetarian

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Our favourite restaurant!

5 Posted on 01 / 01 / 2010

We originally visited the Waterloo branch quite often, as we live in Waterloo, but when they unfortunately closed down, we tried the Cambridge location, and we love it even more.

The food is delicious and incredibly varied. Some of our favourites are the Kung Pao Soy Chicken, the Sushi Platter (better sushi than sushi restaurants!), Sweet and Sour Bites, and the Wonton Soup. All of the appetizers are very good also. To be honest, we've been there dozens of times, and we've never tried something we didn't love. Keep in mind, portion sizes are incredibly generous - so a little goes a long way! We tend to always over order, and end up going home with leftovers. They also have an *amazing* selection of teas, all delicious. If you can, try a new one every time.

As far as the food, another point to mention is that any omnivores that have tried the food are also always impressed - this isn't some boring veg restaurant with 10 different kinds of salad! There's something for everyone, and everyone has a favourite here.

The service is always 120%. As they now know us to be vegan, they're always on top of our ordering choices, and ready to advise what items are or are not vegan. They are always happy to advise any customers, if you inform upon ordering. We're always greeted warmly, and tended to appropriately (always enough visits to the table - never too many). The servers are polite, fast and have never in our dozens of visits made any type of mistake.

The atmosphere is warm, and relaxing. There's a good deal of space, so that you don't feel too crowded next to fellow diners, including comfy booth seating.

Overall, I can simply say that we love love love this place, and will continue frequenting it for many years to come. I recommend stopping by whenever you can, and bring your meat-eating friends and family - they'll love it too.

Thank you Zen Gardens for years of great dining!!

Pros: Great service, Yummy food, Relaxing atmosphere
Cons: None

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lovely atmosphere, food and service!

4 Posted on 07 / 09 / 2009

i live super close to the zen gardens in my town and one night when my dad stepped out for a business call before preparing supper, i decided i'd take ten dollars and see what i could pick up from zen gardens and bring back home. i was worried i wouldn't have enough money for anything but a couple spring rolls or something, but i looked at the menu and decided i've have just enough to order two appetizers. i ordered the barbeque bun (2 pieces) for $4.50 and soy nuggets (4 pieces) for also about $4.50. my total came to just under 10 dollars and i was very impressed with the portion sizes, particularly the barbeque buns.
the barbeque buns were very plump and very generous in size. http://tinypic.com/r/2z672c8/3
they had a pretend barbeque pork filling surrounded by the sweet and fluffy steamed bun. http://tinypic.com/r/2920ls2/3
the soy protein pork tasted very real and was quite delicious! i was almost full by the time i finished the first bun but very happy i still had one left.
http://tinypic.com/r/2drrr6u/3
i'd give the barbeque buns a 5/5 for their great, light texture, hearty filling that is quite filling, portion size and price.
the soy nuggets were one of the best soy chicken nuggets i have ever tried and being a teen who had difficulty transitioning into a vegetarian, i've tried quite the number of different soy nuggets.
these ones were shaped and sized like regular nuggets, they actually reminded me a lot of mcdonalds nuggets in terms of their shape and size.
http://tinypic.com/r/a3iogw/3
the veggie ones were very crispy and the soy inside resembled very tender shredded chicken, they were delicious.
http://tinypic.com/r/2u72hr4/3
they came with a little container of a tangy and spicy sweet & sour sauce which was the perfect accompaniment.
i would give these a 4/5, they were delicious and filling, but i think it was a wee bit overprice for only 4 fairly small nuggets. i think next time i'll try the soy drumsticks that were priced at $4.99 as i reckon they'll be bigger and more worth the price.
i've also tried the soy beef with rice noodles and the veggie fried rice which were both around $8.00. they were both exceptional dishes and very generously proportioned.
as far as the service, it was fantastic. i was warmly greeted from the moment i stepped inside the small calming restaurant and treated with the same kindness as i walked back out the doors again. i was always encouraged to sit down and relax.

Pros: excellent food, excellent service, excellent atmosphere
Cons: some items are over-priced

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Service second to none

5 Posted on 03 / 31 / 2007

Fabulous food, fabulous service! We often frequent the Zen Garden in Waterloo, and our visit to Cambridge was not a disapointment. An almost entirely vegan menu the only thing you need to worry about is which delicious entree to choose. Beatifully decorated, you dine in a calm, and peacefull setting. And the best part of the experience is the wonderfull staff. I don't think I've ever had the pleasure of being attended by a more happy and friendly person. Do yourself a favour and give Zen Garden a try.