Brunch and tea for two at ZenCha Tea Salon
By Kelly Brooks, Events/Marketing Coordinator
ZenCha Tea Salon
ZenCha Tea Salon in the Short North Arts District has been on my radar for a while now. The name alone is enough to pique one’s curiosity, and my curiosity finally got the best of me last weekend. I treated my boyfriend to their weekend brunch in what turned out to be the perfect start to a lazy Sunday.
We were welcomed with a sample of the tea of the day and a menu containing over 100 tea varieties—a list that would take months to drink your way through. Don’t know much about tea? No problem. The powers that be at ZenCha Tea Salon (translation: experts on all things tea) provide recommended pairings with each menu item. We opted for a pot of mango green chai tea—a tasty twist on original chai—that we sipped from porcelain cups playfully labeled “tea.”
Next task: tackle the food menu. While the food menu is limited, it is also incredibly unique. After selecting two pancake dishes to try during subsequent visits (we were already anticipating our return), we decided to split the Chocolate Delight. A chocolate Belgian waffle, topped with white and dark chocolate sauces and whipped cream, proved to be the perfect way to satisfy both my sweet tooth and my stomach.
This is one place that deserves a spot on everyone’s must-try list (or in my case, the "must try again" list).
Tags: Short North, ZenCha
November 26th, 2008 at 9:24 am
I can’t quite remember the menu name … but the savory pancakes with chicken in them, drizzled in rich sauces. OMG. Weirdest food I totally crave.
November 26th, 2008 at 9:31 am
100% deliciousness.
The Okonomiyaki is known to induce frothy raving of the mouth — and justifiably so.
Makes the out-of-town tea folks jealous.
May 21st, 2009 at 1:15 pm
My friend turned me on to Zen Cha Tea. I love tea, so I thought, I have to check this joint out. It’s nice, the manager is nice, whom my friend knows well, and it’s just one of those nice”do something different” for a change. It is a nice peaceful environment as well. Me and my friend split those potato cakes with the chicken/shrimp in them, they were very tastee!!! ( I know I spelled wrong.. just for effect:) The pancakes are off the hook to- I had those. It’s worth a trip there-