Zen Ramen & Sushi Burrito — Restaurant in Bremerton

After 15th Street Cafe closed, I had been wondering what would take its place—I was a huge fan of that café. Finally, Zen has opened on the very same spot.

I stopped by after work, I arrived just after 4 PM. I thought it might be a bit too early for dinner, but just as we placed our order and sat down, other customers began arriving one after another, and the place quickly filled up. It already seems to be very popular!

The interior, as you can see in the photo, is adorably designed, reminiscent of an old-fashioned Japanese candy shop (dagashiya).

We ordered the Zen Ramen, Spicy Chashu Ramen, Spicy Seafood Miso Ramen, Chicken Bun and Zen Sushi Burrito. The chicken bun had a perfect combination of crispy chicken and fluffy steamed bread—it was so delicious, I felt like I could eat one every day for lunch.

I chose the tonkotsu (pork bone) broth for my ramen, which turned out to be an excellent choice. The chashu pork inside was incredibly tender and perfectly cooked. The soft-boiled egg was just right, with rich flavor throughout, and the toppings of naruto (fish cake) and mizuna (Japanese mustard greens) were very fresh. Somehow, those fresh toppings helped reset our palates right before diving into the rich soup, making the whole dish feel wonderfully balanced. This sushi burrito had a very unique composition unlike anything I’ve seen before. Instead of using traditional sushi rice, it was wrapped in a thin, crepe-like sheet made from pink-colored rice flour. Inside that delicate wrapper was a layer of imitation crab, and within that layer were the main fillings—creating a double-layered structure. It was my first time trying a dish like this, and it was both visually appealing and absolutely delicious. A fresh take on sushi that I highly recommend trying at least once.

The portions were generous, and I left feeling very satisfied. Plus, the food came out quickly after ordering, and the staff were friendly and attentive. I was truly impressed.

I have a feeling this place is going to become one of my...

Heard about this place from some folks and was excited to try it out, and I really don't want to be mean because the staff were very nice and the atmosphere was great, but the food was just not good.

I got the takoyaki and chicken chashu ramen and my sister had the zen ramen. The takoyaki was pretty good, not the best I've had but certainly not the worst. The ramen unfortunately was just not it. The broth was incredibly bland and I suspect from a store-bought brand, and if so I'm almost positive I know exactly which one it is. I saw another reviewer say the noodles looked and tasted like they came straight from an instant ramen package, and while I don't necessarily think that's the case, I do fully understand that take. The chicken at least looked and tasted like it came from a fresh-cooked breast and not something pre-made, but again it was very bland. The only saving grace were the veggies and the squirt of garlic oil they tossed in. Again I really don't want to be mean, but I'm finding it very hard to believe that any of the reviews of this place saying the food was amazing are legitimate or honest, and if they are...oof.

Again, the staff and atmosphere were really great, but I just cannot recommend this place for their ramen. If you want legitimately good ramen, you're going to have to go out of your way a little and take the trip down to Tacoma and go to Kizuki Ramen. Similar portion sizes and prices, but their ramen has...

Meh.

I got there at 11:20. When arriving, the building looks great. The food mock-ups outside are adorable. When going in, it looked very clean inside and was easy to order from the cashier, I ordered by 11:26. I know, the time thing might get annoying, but I was texting with someone the whole meal and noticed the times based on my texts.

The food came out really fast. The pork buns were ok. The meat was a bit dry, but they added a lot of sauce, so it was still tasty. I ordered the Chashu Chicken Ramen. And again, the meat was dry, the bok choy stalks did not have the leafy greens as pictured, and the noodles were just on the wrong side of chewy for me.

It was still good to eat, minus the chicken pieces being dry. I was letting them soak up the broth while I was eating.

At 11:36, I was approached by the waiter and asked if I would like a to-go box. This was about 4 mins after they delivered my ramen, and I was actively still eating. I was confused and asked her to clarify, thinking maybe someone asked for a container and she got the wrong table. She said most people like to take their food with them.

The restaurant was not full, but it was active. I ended up leaving at 12:00. Maybe I did stay longer than the average american? But I am not the fastest eater, and nobody was waiting, except for the waiter who jumped up the moment I went to the bathroom to...