Zen Cha Tea Salon is working on opening their third location this Spring, which will become one of the new retail additions to the blossoming Gay Street. In preparation of the opening, I decided to pay a visit to their second store, located in Bexley, to see how it stacks up to the original Short North salon.
Being somewhat familiar with the food menu in the Short North, I expected more of the same in Bexley: Bahn Mi, Beef Sukiyaki, Edamame and Dumplings. All of it is there on the menu, but there’s also a whole lot more. Dinner entrees branch out into completely different cuisines, which makes sense considering that Zen Cha serves teas from all over the globe. I decided to test out a few of these newer menu options to see what makes the Bexley location unique.
After I was seated, my tea ambassador brought me a sample of Star From Africa tea, a light and refreshing tea with floral and fruity notes and a touch of honey. A sweeter tea and not too hot in temperature.
The Red Pepper Chicken Pasta ($12.95) is a flattened and grilled chicken breast topped with sautéed red and orange peppers, spaghetti noodles and a red pepper alfredo sauce. The chicken was juicy, while the grilled preparation gave the meat some rustic appeal. The sauce was creamy and garlicky without being too potent on the pepper flavor. The pepper slices themselves were buttery with a slight crunch, rounding out what was a nice take on the classic Chicken Alfredo.
The Ginger Glazed Salmon ($13.95) is a filet of pan-seared salmon served on top of sautéed spinach and a bed of white rice. The salmon was cooked perfectly and marinaded quite nicely, and the glaze gave the outer edges a sticky caramelized crisp. The soy ginger sauce was a nice balance of salty and sweet, and the crushed peanuts sprinkled throughout were a nice light touch for some added texture, although the sautéed spinach was unevenly seasoned.
The Fish Tacos (two for $9.50) contained pan-seared unbreaded filets of white fish (I believe it was tilapia) topped with a black bean hummus spread and a citrus slaw. The mix of ingredients was quite unique, but still worked well together. The black bean hummus was a flavorful update to sometimes flavorless refried beans, and the slaw provided a cool crisp component without resorting to iceberg lettuce. Flavors of citrus, ginger and cilantro were present in the sauce, which balanced out everything else. The dish also contained a great side of chipotle rice, which wasn’t labeled as a spicy item, but contained a medium amount of heat.
Overall, I was quite surprised and quite pleased by what Zen Cha offers for dining. I wouldn’t hesitate to order any of these three entrees again, and look forward to trying out more on a return visit. While the price points are a little higher than the Short North location, the more robust and sophisticated menu items make for more of a full restaurant experience.
Zen Cha Bexley is located at 2396 East Main Street. They’re open Mon-Fri 11am-9pm, Sat 10am-9pm and Sun 10am-6pm. More information can be found online at zen-cha.com.
