Zen Restaurant and Sushi Bar — Restaurant in Plum

Zen – A Standout in the Alle-Kiski Valley

Zen is, without question, the premier Asian fusion restaurant in the Alle-Kiski Valley. For those familiar with local dining options—particularly when comparing to its closest peer, China Lobster—Zen consistently stands out in quality, atmosphere, and overall experience.

Cuisine: By not offering a buffet, Zen focuses on made-to-order dishes that prioritize freshness and flavor. Across the board—from sushi and soups to signature entrées like General Tso’s Chicken and San Bei Shrimp—the food here is executed with a level of care and quality that far surpasses typical expectations. Each dish reflects balance, attention to detail, and elevated ingredients.

Ambience: The restaurant offers a cozy, inviting atmosphere with high-backed booths that provide a comfortable sense of privacy. While there are some open areas, the overall layout is far more relaxed and intimate than the more utilitarian feel at China Lobster. It’s a space that encourages conversation and lingering over a meal.

Bar Experience: Zen features a spacious, well-designed bar that feels distinct from the dining area. It’s vibrant yet relaxed, complete with TVs and a thoughtful selection of high-end spirits, craft beers, and curated wines. Bartenders are warm, knowledgeable, and genuinely take pride in their service. Notably, opened wine bottles are vacuum-sealed after each pour to maintain freshness—an attention to detail often overlooked elsewhere. In contrast, a glass of wine at China Lobster can sometimes taste stale or even like a dirty sock if you’re not getting the first pour.

Final Thoughts: Zen sets a high standard for what Asian cuisine and hospitality should look like in this region. The food is excellent, the atmosphere is thoughtfully crafted, and the staff—from front-of-house to bar—is welcoming and professional. Whether you’re dining with family, friends, or colleagues, Zen delivers an experience that feels both elevated and accessible.

Highly...

Definitely some solid food here. This is one of the better Asian places in the area from what I've heard. They serve everything from Thai staples to sushi and Chinese entrees. They even have bubble tea (which may be a new addition to the menu, but I unfortunately didn't get a chance to try it). I did get to try the Pad Thai with tofu and Hulton sushi roll.

I am a big fan of pad Thai, and this version was overall average. This place doesn't specialize in Thai food, so that might be why. They did make the tofu into thin chunks, and the tofu was crispy. It soaked up the pad Thai sauce well. You can control how much spice you want (this isn't listed on their website, but I was able to get a low spice pad Thai). Not too flavorful. They usually serve it with onions, but I asked to omit them. Portion is big but it's also more expensive than average. Good amount of flavorful eggs. Sauce is on the oily side. This is one of the few places that serves the peanuts on the side, so you can control how much of them you want.

The Hulton roll was tasty, but nothing too memorable. $8 or $9 for 6 pieces, good deal. It was wired with soy sauce. Cut into smaller than average pieces. The fish on the inside was fried well, but it wasn't very flavorful. It usually comes with scallions but you can ask to omit them as well. The sauce on top was not plentiful, so you may find yourself needing to use the soy sauce often.

Overall all, the place is decent. Their Thai food isn't the greatest; I assume they specialize more in Chinese food. The interior is beautiful, though, and the staff is very helpful and nice. Prices are on the higher end but nothing too excessive for Pittsburgh Asian food. The boba/bubble tea looked interested and I may try it...

I have been eating sushi for 30+ years and I have been here several times since it opened. At first, I thought it was okay and would always have sushi as a meal or as a side dish to their cooked food. My review is regarding sushi. The other day I was here just for that. What has improved dramatically is the flavor, but it could be better. The presentation is fine but it's the size, that in my opinion affects the flavor. I do not favor the opinion that more is better, I prefer quality over quantity. I found two things that created the 3-stars, of what could have been 4 or 5 from that visit, both had to do with preparation. I ordered some sashimi and nigiri, (Sushi, with rice). All we about 1/3 to 1/2 of the size I would have preferred. The size they're using, for me, makes it too over-powering. (And as typical in many places, they do not add that tiny swab of wasabi under the fish where it meets the rice. While I'm at it, I'd say the rice was a little thick as well. Here is my biggest problem wherever I go, unagi, (eel), should never be presented cold. Anything heated or deep fried should not be presented cold. Talk about ruining flavor,...