Zen Yai

Zen Yai Restaurant Review:

This modest location has a lot going for it, including regular patrons who line up each night to dine in one of the freshest Asian-inspired eateries in town, amid maroon-colored walls. Smiling staff is efficient yet approachable, and the entire operation --- from the hand-written specials board to the tidy take-out orders --- maintains order, though it gets crowded on weekends. Appetizers are little works of art, like the plump and juicy shu mai topped with bright orange smelt roe and crispy garlic bits. Healthy choices include non-dairy curries, like pumpkin, and plenty of other vegetable offerings. Raw foodies like the spicy papaya salad with green beans and peanuts, while carnivores opt for the "Crouching Tiger" salad with savory slices of beef on top of spring greens, and the asparagus shrimp with chili sauce.