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I'm actually somewhat glad that this meal did not leave me feeling full, but that appreciation doesn't go far in light of the meal's mediocrity.

This is the best and the subtlest condemnation with compliment I read this week. Two polished fingernails up!

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A little late in posting about this, but I stopped in for a RW lunch and gotta say that the short rib dish at Zengo is fantastic. In fact, another DR member, after eating these, chastised me for not telling her exactly how good they were. The short ribs, combined with some arepas and churros made for a pretty tasty $20 lunch.

What's with those floating raisinettes, though?

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Zengo? Don'go! What they call fusion, I call mushy, tasteless, lifeless. Plus $11 for a mediocre glass of red. The Peking roll was so bland, the ingredients were unidentifiable-except the cabbage...which tasted like , well, limp cabbage. For $9, a complete ripoff. All 3 dipping sauces tasted like air-magic if that's what they were going for. After great experiences at Jaleo & Zaitinya (& Bistro du Coin) earlier in the evening, including great service, Zengo was just laughable. And if that's what passes for the scene in DC, I need to seriously re-think my drinking route. Totally laughable. Oh, and who wants to look at the ass-end of a coupla hundred wine bottles? Easily the stupidest wine rack I've ever seen.

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Zengo?  Don'go!  What they call fusion, I call mushy, tasteless, lifeless.  Plus $11 for a mediocre glass of red.  The Peking roll was so bland, the ingredients were unidentifiable-except the cabbage...which tasted like , well, limp cabbage.  For $9, a complete ripoff.  All 3 dipping sauces tasted like air-magic if that's what they were going for.  After great experiences at Jaleo & Zaitinya (& Bistro du Coin) earlier in the evening, including great service, Zengo was just laughable.  And if that's what passes for the scene in DC, I need to seriously re-think my drinking route.  Totally laughable.  Oh, and who wants to look at the ass-end of a coupla hundred wine bottles?  Easily the stupidest wine rack I've ever seen.

I had the perfect meal at Zengo a couple of weeks ago. It consisted fully of a meal at Corduroy 90 minutes prior.

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I liked it. I didn't love it, but we ate some pretty decent food, in an attractive environment that wasn't too trendy and didn't involve bad service. I think this place may have settled down, corrected some early missteps, and suffered from unreasonably high expectations. We had a perfectly nice time tonight.

The wine list is overpriced, so we did drinks. The mojitos were good. We did the grazing style and ordered four smaller dishes. From the Sushi Rolls: we tried the Angry Zengo. Spicy yellowfin tuna / avocado / sesame~chile chipotle rouille / wasabi tobiko. This was very tasty. Not Sushi-Ko, Kaz, Moreau level, but a good tasty roll.

The Potstickers were very good. Lobster / rock shrimp / scallions / lemon~wasabi sauce. Mmm. My favorite of the four and worth getting 2 orders.

I'm not Empanada fan, but if you like them, you should try these. They were lighter, fresher, and more interesting than any other I'd had. Really interesting mix of Thai chicken, oaxaca cheese (love this) and chile. I'm still not sold on empanadas generally, but if you like them at all, these are good.

We were less excited about the Hamachi Tiraditos. It was fine, but should have come first, instead of last. It was just too tame in comparison to the other stronger spicy flavors. Zengo seem to have fixed most of the issues that have been complained of, but the whole 'we serve food when its ready' bit is just a bad idea. This clearly should have been our first course.

Overall Zengo is ok. I'm sure its best for a drink & an app, but the dining room is nice and spacious and you can make a pretty decent meal at a reasonable price out of a few small plates.

Our server Daniel was great. Very nice, attentive, and well informed on the menu. Didn't hesitate to help steer us to good recommendations.

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I stopped in at Zengo last night for a quick solo dine at the bar, as Matchbox (my first choice) was packed to the gills with a wait even for bar seating. Not wanting to settle for Fuddrucker's across the street and only having about 35 min to eat before hopping on the yellow line, I wandered into Zengo. The space, at least downstairs, did not immediately call to me, but the upstairs dining room (which I explored later) seemed much more interesting. The bar was set near the back and had a few seats open for me to jump up to.

I ordered two apps -- the Arepas de Puerco and the Thai Chicken Empanadas. I would say that I liked both quite a bit. The Arepas especially was a winning dish, with flavoful pulled pork and a spicy kick that contrasted well with the crema and guacamole. The empanadas were also very appealing, especially the chile-based sauce, but the mango salsa was rather scant and the chicken just hohum. Still, I cleaned both plates and was very satisfied. I would recommend both, but lean towards the Arepas.

Bar service was fine, though I had to wait at least five minutes after sitting down without much of an acknowledgement. Some of the drinks seemed to be pretty timeconsuming - I saw a lot of mojitos being ordered. But once I got the bartender's attention he was quick and polite if not especially welcoming or friendly. I wouldn't say the crowd around the bar was my type - some NYC/euro-looking rockstars were already trashed off martinis at 7pm. Though it did seem to be a popular place for women to meet up by the looks of most of the tables/bar stools, I was probably one of four guys in the (downstairs) area.

Not sure I'm going to rush back for dinner -- the entrees were pricy and not overly appealing, but the ceviches and appetizers looked very good. I didn't look at the wine list so can't comment on how overpriced or not it is. I'd head back for another trip to the bar if I was in the area.

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well it looks like the service problems we encountered on our last visit there have not been resolved - if anything they've worsened

we had a $50 gift cert to Zengo thats been sitting around for a few months so we gave it a shot for lunch today - big mistake - honestly the staff seem mildly medicated - they float around the place in a daze, more or less oblivious to the customers needs.....drink orders not taken for 10 mins, entrees arriving 45 seconds after appetizers....and this was all on their 'menu del dia' 3 course lunch - how hard can it be?? I could go into more details but don't want to relive the experience any more than I have to

avoid...

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During winter restaurant week, the server told us that the 3-course lunch was served "tapas-style," code for "we'll bring two main courses out 15 minutes before the other three." I think serving inappropriate foods "tapas style" should be added to the list of trends we've seen enough of (oddly enough, mini-burgers served tapas-style would actually make some sense)

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I am going on *blush* a BLIND DATE tomorrow. The venue, not picked by me, was Zengo, near MCI. I was wondering if anyone had been and had cocktail, food or wine recommendations.

The only DonRocks stuff on the place is a review of Sandoval's other restaurant in Las Vegas. There's basically no info on Zengo. If you've been and can tell me about it (and maybe suggest some swanky but intimate lounges or venues in the vicinity for post-dinner drinks), I'd really appreciate it!

Cheers,

Doctor No

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I am going on *blush* a BLIND DATE tomorrow. The venue, not picked by me, was Zengo, near MCI. I was wondering if anyone had been and had cocktail, food or wine recommendations.

The only DonRocks stuff on the place is a review of Sandoval's other restaurant in Las Vegas. There's basically no info on Zengo. If you've been and can tell me about it (and maybe suggest some swanky but intimate lounges or venues in the vicinity for post-dinner drinks), I'd really appreciate it!

Cheers,

Doctor No

Ooh, now that you've posted we want details afterwards... :)

I've eaten at Zengo a few times -- it's close to my office. While I'm not so keen on the explanation of the concept given by the waitstaff at the beginning of the meal (it's just weird), there are some items I like.

-- Angry Zengo Roll - dumb name, decent sushi

-- Edammame XO style -- I like the spices on this stuff

-- Won Ton tacos -- pretty yummy, been too long for me to have any real commentary

-- Empanadas -- a little mushy, but tasty

I've always just stuck with the appetizer type foods -- good for sharing, none of the larger plates really sounded great to me. Have fun on your date!!

ETA -- If it's not cold out and you can walk down to Rasika, I'm partial to their bar for drinks. It's not pretentious but has some great neat drinks and cozy vibe.

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I am going on *blush* a BLIND DATE tomorrow. The venue, not picked by me, was Zengo, near MCI. I was wondering if anyone had been and had cocktail, food or wine recommendations.

The only DonRocks stuff on the place is a review of Sandoval's other restaurant in Las Vegas. There's basically no info on Zengo. If you've been and can tell me about it (and maybe suggest some swanky but intimate lounges or venues in the vicinity for post-dinner drinks), I'd really appreciate it!

Cheers,

Doctor No

Hmmm....I'm suspicious :P ...Clicky
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Speaking of Zengo... Have you ever requested a recipe from a restaurant? I've sent two e-mail requests for the short ribs recipe featured at the winter 2006 Restaurant Week. Is there a trick to getting restaurants to share? Or, do I have to go through Gourmet or Bon Appeit?

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Was into Zengo for lunch yesterday, after a long layoff. Lunch scene there is dead now. The downstairs bar is closed, so you walk in and are greeted with a single (generally unfriendly) host. Once upstairs, not many tables were full, and this was 12:30.

I learned the (possible) reason for the slow business: construction next door.... drilling, hammering, and banging echo thoughout the whole dining room. They could be at least seating folks away from the north wall, but instead, they continued to seat groups and pairs in that area.

The Bento box was decent. And at $20, priced fairly. But no atmosphere, unless you're into earthquake noises.

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While everyone was taking 2007 off from posting anything about Zengo, it's clear that they spent that year putting things on a very different track than most of the initial posts here reflect from 2006. I have had dinner at Zengo 3 or 4 times over the past 3 or 4 months and I would venture to say that the food they're putting out is some of the finest I've eaten in DC in a long time. Particularly their entrees. No matter which visit, no matter how many people in our party, no matter how many different entrees I've tasted, there is not a loser in the bunch.

Some most definitely stand above others, like the char broiled black cod served with a chipotle miso sauce over a bed of asparagus with lemon aioli dashed with a touch of Japanese chile. Someone at my dining table has ordered this dish on each visit and each time it was knocked the diner (and all of us who got to taste it) out of the park. On the meat side, the beef short ribs, as noted earlier, are highly satisfying and incredibly flavorful. Luscious and served over cheesy mashed potatoes with huitlacoche and shiitake they'll make you think twice about ordering anything different on a subsequent visit for fear of not enjoying the ribs.

And what they do with the edamame. The XO style finds the pods served in an oyster sauce base that has been flavored with, among other things, ground shrimp and scallops, chiles, and serrano ham. Only $7 they're a delicious snack/starter. Overall their appetizers are hit or miss. I like the wonton tacos and the arepas, but nothing is as good as that edamame XO.

I can't say much about their caipahrinias (Cafe Atlantico's are much better) but their mojitos most definitely excel (better than Atlantico's). (FWIW, an official DR.com member taste test determined this!) Last night's all seafood dinner for three of us worked well with a tasty, if a bit overpriced Mulderbosch Chenin Blanc for $35. That said, there are plenty of bottles to find at all price ranges at Zengo. As for the means the food is brought out, that's just part of the deal. They tell you that in advance, so it shouldn't surprise anyone. Dishes come when they're ready and they're meant to be shared. That may mean some dishes come sooner than others and it may mean that your entree comes moments after your appetizer did. Fix that by delaying your entree order.

If you haven't been to Zengo in some time or turned off from the place because of what you read here, try it again, and be sure to work on the entrees. I haven't had one yet that disappointed and many, particularly that black cod and the short ribs, are downright stellar. Dinner at Zengo has become one of my favorites.

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I went with a friend for lunch and wished my experience here was even remotely simliar to CrescentFresh. Granted, I ordered their lunch special "Bento Box," which may have been a poor choice to start off with (dried Tandoori Chicken, over-salted string beans & sliced carrots coated with a funny sauce...).

If you do go, I *highly* recommend the Roasted Plantains if you're a fan of plantains. At $6, this was enjoyable, as it was cut into thick slices, roasted with a honey sauce, and sprinkled with sesame seeds. I would ask them to hold the sesame seeds, as it introduced a completely opposite texture of the soft, sweetness of the plantains. Also, don't dip into the sauce. Ruins it completely. Perfect dish to split with someone.

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I have now been to Zengo twice, and my experience is overall, underwhelming. the bar downstairs has some interesting cocktails, and i met up with friends there for drinks. they got there well before me, and advised me that the caipirinhas were not well made and had to be sent back. i was happy to see that they carry one of my favorite gins (tanqueray rangpur), and the midnight karma they made with it was good, but the service at the tables near the downstairs bar left a great deal to be desired. it was difficult to get noticed by wait staff, and the wait staff seemed to constantly change.

i still wanted to try the food, as it seems quite eccentric and interesting. i went with a friend and we decided to order a series of small plates and simply share. in the upstairs dining room the service was excellent, and our first couple of dishes were good. the mustard mashed potatoes were the first to come out, and i thought they were delicious. not too much mustard, but just enough to clearly announce itself. the scallop gyoza from the chinese new year menu were excellent, though i was not a huge fan of the sauce they chose to pair it with, and found myself preferring simply soy sauce. to be fair though, i have met few dumplings of which i am not a fan. the unagi-shrimp tempura roll was relatively simple, with none of the crunchiness i was expecting from tempura. the thai chicken empanadas were also simply empanadas, which though i enjoyed, did not wow me, and i did NOT like the associated sauce which reminded me more of curry than chiles. finally, the won ton tacos were quite tasty, and presented on the plate beautifully, though difficult to eat, because the won ton shell broke apart so easily.

overall, though there were some highlights, i was not thoroughly impressed by zengo, and for each individual dish would probably go to other restaurants which do them better (i.e. sushi, tacos, empanadas). but there were definitely some interesting flavor combinations, and may be worth a try if you are feeling adventurous and want a variety of different options in one menu.

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Aside from our terrific server, the McDonald's milkshake afterward was the best part of our meal at Zengo. Noodles bathed in so much vinegar they were hard to eat. Gloppy chicken tandoori served with styrofoam-esque "naan." A tiny, dull $13 sushi roll. Passable empanadas, but no better than I could have gotten frozen at Trader Joe's. Deafening noise despite being only half-full.

Our server, though, really was terrific. For whatever that's worth.

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A few weeks ago, I dined at Zengo for the first time and had a generally positive experience. It was packed to the gills, which surprised me a bit after reading this thread before my visit.

My Caipirinha was quite good--tasted very bright. XO Style Edamame was different/interesting, but I found the oiliness to be a bit too much for something you usually eat quickly and effortlessly with your hands--it was too much work for edamame, though the spicy kick is nice. Adobo-Hoisin Lamb T-Bones were a tad too well done (I ordered medium-rare), but overall had a nice, deep flavor. The real star of that plate--Chinese mustard mashed potatoes. My companion's braised short ribs were decent, but not particularly memorable.

But hey--on the night you get engaged after ice skating on the Mall, any restaurant is the best restaurant of all time. Zengo, you are the best restaurant of all time.

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Went with the hubby last night to use a living social coupon. There are a lot of misses on the menu, but if you choose carefully you can end up with some good things. I really like the XO edamame. That to me is ridiculously addictive. I could come for a happy hour drink and just that. I also really liked the duck tacos on was it a radish wrapper, it seemed a little large for radish, but don't know what else it would be. With curry apple slaw, that I want to try to make myself. This was very good. Hubby enjoyed the empenadas. The lettuce wraps were good, I liked the flavors in that a lot.

The arepas were complete misses, too salty, I think from the use of soy in the pulled pork and the flavors didn't work at all. Had the torched "sushi" roll as hubby and I had this great horseradish and roast beef "nigri" out in SF, but this wasn't that good. I have liked the angry zengo in the past. The horrible arepas made me really crave a trip to la carenquena.

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I love that stuff. Sad, as I don't see it as enough of a draw to really go there but for the odd outing.

I'll third the XO edamame

This is almost worthy of its own thread - the "If You Must" list of dishes for when you get dragged someplace

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I also really liked the duck tacos on was it a radish wrapper, it seemed a little large for radish, but don't know what else it would be.

That brings back fond (to me) memories of watching Iron Chef with friends when it was (I think) octopus battle. The chef pulled the critter out of the tank and "tenderized it" (still alive) with a daikon radish, using the radish as a club.

Ever since then I've looked for things to club with daikon radishes.

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Zengo was part of our bar crawl a few weeks back. Wasn't my first choice, but actually worked well for the group. I had a mojito and tasted a few of the other drinks ordered, I must say to me a lot of their drinks are just too sweet. But the girls I were with are very girly drink girls and enjoyed them a lot. We got empanadas, peking duck tacos and ceviche. All were actually very good. The most interesting were the peking duck tacos in daikon. The crisp of the daikon with the duck and sauce really was good. The ceviche had a nice spice to it.

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Having never been to Zengo and really hearing nothing much about it (but after walking by it numerous times since it's literally right next to the Chinatown metro exit), I didn't really have high expectations when a couple friends chose it as a HH stop on Saturday night.

I did like that they have HH on Saturdays from 5-8pm with a decent selection of $5 drinks and $5 appetizers. We arrived around 6:30 and had no problem getting a seat at the bar, although the bar and lounge were fairly full by the time we were leaving shortly after 8pm.

Everyone in our group really liked the Mojito Pina, including me who is not usually a mojito fan. The fresh pineapple made it really different and fresh tasting. Other HH drink options included a regular mojito, margarita, sake sangria, and caprihana. I also had a couple glasses of the house white wine (also $5) which was a decent Sauvignon Blanc, but nothing worth writing home about (served in a warm glass <_< ). Our bartender was very friendly, helpful, and efficient.

People in our group tried most everything on the HH menu I think, but my +1 and I shared:

  • vegetariano sushi roll (asparagus / red pepper / avocado / mushroom / lemon-sake aioli) - We were pleasantly surprised at how fresh this tasted. The aioli on top seemed more spicy than lemony, but that was a good thing. The red pepper added a nice sweetness so it all went well together.
  • crunchy calamari (mixed greens / lemongrass / orange-coriander sauce) - This was a bit of a surprise since it is served more as a salad than a traditional order of calamari, but it still tasted good and there was a generous amount of calamari throughout the salad for the price. The orange-coriander sauce/dressing was especially tangy and tasty.
  • pork spare ribs (adobo bbq / spicy cucumber) - This was three meaty spare ribs that pretty much fell off the bone. The cucumber alongside wasn't kidding about being spicy either. Tasted like it was doused in straight Sriracha.
  • thai chicken empanadas (chile poblano / oaxaca cheese / mango-red curry salsa) - I prefer my empanadas baked instead of fried, but these were good. The curry sauce underneath helped them from being too dry.
  • achiote-hoisin pork arepas (corn masa / avocado / crema fresca) - Everyone really liked these giant piles of pork on top of a masa cracker. Sort of like Asian pulled pork BBQ.

I can't speak to dinner since we only ate at the bar (menu looked a bit expensive), but I would definitely recommend Zengo for an affordable HH in the area. Good space to begin a night on the town with friendly and quick service.

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New Foodie gives the rundown on the very-good-priced $5 happy hour appetizers. I have been in here three times in recent weekday afternoons after work. I found each of these small plates to be excellent. I also can recommend the $5 cocktails, starting with very servicable margartias, proceeding to a good mojito, and ending with a caprihina (which I did not try, but noticed plenty of people imbibing).

Happy hour downstairs has been very busy on each of the three times I have come by. With a pretty constant 60/40 female/male mix, boys, I think there are worse places to stop by on a weekday afternoon after you have done your best for your employer.

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I did like that they have HH on Saturdays from 5-8pm with a decent selection of $5 drinks and $5 appetizers. We arrived around 6:30 and had no problem getting a seat at the bar, although the bar and lounge were fairly full by the time we were leaving shortly after 8pm.

Everyone in our group really liked the Mojito Pina, including me who is not usually a mojito fan. The fresh pineapple made it really different and fresh tasting. Other HH drink options included a regular mojito, margarita, sake sangria, and caprihana. I also had a couple glasses of the house white wine (also $5) which was a decent Sauvignon Blanc, but nothing worth writing home about (served in a warm glass <_< ). Our bartender was very friendly, helpful, and efficient.

I can't speak to dinner since we only ate at the bar (menu looked a bit expensive), but I would definitely recommend Zengo for an affordable HH in the area. Good space to begin a night on the town with friendly and quick service.

This was our experience to a T. It's a great place for/to start a budget night out and the lounge never got full on a Sat. night a few weeks ago.

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Ate here Sunday night and had a terrific experience. We did get a couple great deals, Savored 30%, 2 mojitos drink tkts from Zoofari, and comp appetizer (from friend on staff).

Top items were EdamameXO, Shrimp Tacos which (I wasn't sure I would like since they were fried, plus crema, but they) were pleasantly rich and crispy; and the Black Cod (buttery, simple) which was the star. Close second (and excellent) was the Mexican Tart with a dense fudge-y center, crisp (if a little thick for my liking) pastry shell, but the combo of the cinnamon whip and ancho anglaise was the kicker. Right behind the tart (and still great) were the scalllop ceviche, bright, clean, and the empanadas. Tuna tacos were good-plus(?) considering the flavorful char on the tuna, but I preferred the shrimp tacos. Falling in the category of good/solid was the special, a lobster and chorizo curry. Everything alone on the dish was good, but the combination didn't make anything much better, so just okay by me - maybe the plating wasn't the best, the curry and protein came on a long flat dish, with rice in bowl on the side - hard to mix well (lots of sauce left on the plate, despite trying not to).

Mojitos were great - I'm no afficionado on mojitos, but fresh, not too sweet, rum not prominent flavor etc. If you like sake, skip the flight and go straight for the "genbai san no oni koroshi ‘demon slayer’" and get the bottle. Was considered better than 3 other flight selections, also very dry. We were informed 1 bottle holds 4 served glasses, and a glass was $10, but the bottle only $16 (it was a little bottle, but I don't know anything about sizes - 15/16% alcohol). Enjoyed the Sav Blanc by the glass as well.

Service - awesome. Ask for Luis/Louis if you can - clever, entertaining, timely (except for the check but perhaps due to Savored and drink tkts!). We will def go back.

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Lunch at Zengo today. Living Social ran a $30 for $15 coupon which attracted me. They stock a very good inexpensive white wine (Argentian) called torrontes that I've been happily sipping for a dozen years. Decent rolls - better the "Angry Zengo" than the cream cheese-infused lobster roll. (I cannot get used to cream cheese in my sushi rolls). Food highlight was the tuna tacos, although the tuna remined me overmuch of ground beef. The guacamole served with it slathered over all shortcomings. And did I say the torrontes was excellent?

Service was astonishing. I was actually recognized when I sat down at the table and the waiter came back to me occasionally to check on how my lunch was going. He was suitably rewarded. Richard Sandoval has not attacked me in a speech yet. Amazing.

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Satisfactory lunch this week at Zengo -- reasonably priced through Savored, would likely have felt overpriced otherwise. We weren't wowed by the "Angry Zengo" roll, although it wasn't bad. Struck the right balance between the sesame-chipotle sauce and the other ingredients, which is sometimes rare, but the tuna just didn't shine. The vegetarian torta sandwich box, ordered with the squash salad on that day's menu, was better -- generously portioned, flavorful bun, and vivid hummus, with a heaping side of the squash. The pork ramen was a mixed affair: five delicious and large slices of wonderfully-charred pork belly were a terrific topping, but the broth was oversalted. Neither a lunch spot to avoid nor one to prioritize returning.

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Zengo closed about a month ago - despite its mediocrity, Circa is a step down.

This is one of maybe three opening parties I've been to. Placido Domingo was there, and I had to stop myself from throwing up when three dancing girls appeared on the stage.

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