At a place named Tea Zone, you’d probably expect to find tea. And not just regular ol’ hot herbal teas, but bubble teas and sweet, fruity beverages, too. That’s fair. You might also expect to find a selection of baked goods. You’d be right: the house-baked products range from sweet, swirly slices of dense pound cake, to something artistically decorated with ketchup, mayo and slices of sausage. There’s a fridge filled with even more goodies that includes pretty pieces of Oreo Mousse Cake.
But you might not expect to find Bulgogi, and that’s a destination dish.
In fact, Tea Zone offers up a tidy little menu section of “lunch boxes” that are served all day. They come in the form of bento trays, boasting pockets filled with a variety of treats. The combos are made fresh to order.
And the Bulgogi is good. In a lunch box order, you get a nice-sized pile of thin-sliced, lean beef that’s fully infused with the distinctive sweet and savory flavor. It’s sprinkled with a sesame seed topping
There are other pockets in the tray. You’ll also find half a boiled egg, something akin to celery with pimento cheese (but it’s more of a mayo-like spread), fritters that seem to be based in surimi, a pile of rice and some spicy kimchi. If there’s something you don’t particularly like, you can move on to the next offering. But truly, the whole combo is a party, start-to-finish.
If bulgogi’s not your bag, there are other lunch combo options that venture into teriyaki, chicken and pork territories. Beyond that, there’s a ramen and udon noodle scene too.
You can find the Tea Zone and its Bulgogi at 5025 Olentangy River Rd. It’s tucked behind the mammoth MicroCenter. Tea Zone is closed Tuesdays, but open all the other days of the week, starting at 10 a.m.
For more information, visit teazonebakerycafe.com.