• 4
• lovely atmosphere, food and service!

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.