Zen Modern Asian

Zen Modern Asian sits in a secluded nook off of Witherspoon Street, which gives it a very peaceful, ‘zen’-like quality. Decked out with Asian-restaurant classics like bamboo panels, Chinese calligraphy and tatami mats, the restaurant has a very traditional ambiance. We went on a weekday around 7:30 p.m., and the restaurant took a while to start filling up. The vast majority of patrons were locals of a relatively older crowd. The restaurant is very quiet, so if you have your hearing-impaired grandparents in town, it’s definitely the place to bring them.

The menu offers a huge selection of unique Asian fusion entrees, including different sets of sushi and side platters. They offer specialty sushi rolls with super funky names, like the American Dream, which contains shrimp tempura, tobiko, cucumber, eel and avocado. However, if you are looking for a wide variety of sushi, look elsewhere, as they have a limited selection.

Between the three of us, my friends and I ordered two sushi rolls — a Red Dragon roll and a Super Salmon roll — and chicken udon noodle soup. The Red Dragon roll was a crunchy, flavorful spicy tuna roll, and the salmon roll featured avocado. The sushi didn’t have a generous amount of fish, but it was very fresh. While the sushi was high-quality, the portions were way too small for the price. We were still hungry at the end of our meal. As for the udon noodles, they came in a very tasty broth. The noodles were thick and a bit bland, but overall it was a very satisfying dish.

The menu also offers a selection of meat skewers, which are sweet, filling and relatively inexpensive. There is also a great selection of hot teas. We ordered a pot of jasmine tea, which was extremely refreshing and complemented the meal very nicely. The pot of tea yielded about five cups, which was just enough for us. They also served the tea with free little cookies — good move, Zen Modern Asian. The service was very fast, and the waitress was always eager to take orders, though a bit too eager at times. Overall, I had a very pleasant, delicious meal, but I cringed a bit when I saw the check. Still, if you’re looking for a calm place to eat without swarms of Princeton students, you should definitely check this place out.

Zen Modern Asian

66 Witherspoon St.

3.5 out of 5 paws

Pros: Zen atmosphere; unique menu; high quality of food.