zengo

Zengo’s Culinary Tour Menu

Written by on in Dinner, Eat
BROILED SCALLOP
Location:  781 7th Street, NW. Washington, DC 20001
What: Zengo translates to mean “Give and Take”, which is a good description of the blend of Latin and Asian cultures you will find in the food at Zengo.  They recently introduced a “Culinary Tour” menu inspired by his recent trip to Hong Kong, Tokyo & Thailand.  We were able to experience the trip through the food created by Sandoval and the Zengo’s culinary team, under the direction of Chef de Cuisine Jason Streiff.  Each menu item is marked with a “新,” the Chinese character meaning “new” noting that they are exclusive and available for a limited time only.

The “Culinary Tour” menu includes sushi and crudo bar items such as Thai Seafood Ceviche, shrimp, calamari, scallop, chili flake and lime; Grouper Ceviche with uni, leche de tigre, radish and cilantro; Scallop Tiradito with sesame, lime, Serrano, ume and tequila ponzu, and the Tuna Tartar Tostada with avocado, wonton, radish and ponzu.  Soups and Salads include Korean Seafood Soup with silken tofu, shrimp, calamari, scallop, chili broth and lime; Tuna Salad with avocado, watermelon, tomato, mixed greens, daikon and a lemon-wasabi vinaigrette, and the Sea Vegetable Salad, wakame, green apple, celery, sea-bean, sesame and pickled ginger vinaigrette.

Strip_Steak

Items from the Appetizers & Dim Sum section of the menu include Broiled Scallop with mushroom dashi, masago and sambal; Blistered Shishito Peppers with bonito flakes and a soy-mirin glaze; Slow Cooked Pork Ribs with roast garlic chipotle glaze and a spicy cucumber pickle; Pork & Foie Gras Shumai Dumplings with plantains and XO black vinegar, and the Bulgogi Ribeye Tacos, served in a corn tortilla with cucumber kimchi and sesame.

Main Courses include Shanghai Strip Steak with broccolini, and caramelized shallot- soy taro fries, served with lemon aioli; Lemongrass Adobo Chicken, half semi boneless chicken with garlic rice, served with an heirloom tomato salad; Tempura Whole Fish, Chefs daily selection, served with spicy cucumber, bean sprouts, pickled vegetables and a black bean sweet & sour sauce.

Choices from the Wok section of the menu include Short Rib Udon Noodle with XO, Thai basil, long bean and a drunken noodle broth; Bibimbap with pork belly, soft egg, gochujang, pickled vegetables and sticky rice, as well as Chili Crab “Hong Kong” Noodle, crispy noodles with sugar snap pea, asparagus, egg and spicy curry.  Prices range from $6 to $29.

grouper_ceviche

Atmosphere:  The Zengo space is gorgeous and best described in their own words.  “Award-winning team Adamstein & Demetriou designed the two-story, light filled space, combining clean lines of Japanese design with South American vivaciousness in the 7,800 square-foot restaurant. The restaurant boasts soaring ceilings and a playful mix of soft and sensual forms, brightly colored faux iguana and lizard textures and tones of mango and papaya with primitive dark woods. Geometric lines enhance the experience with the long, curved concrete bar downstairs leading to the grand ascending staircase, sitting beneath hovering clay pods modeled after smooth pebbles.  Upstairs opens up into a spacious dining room, where rounded booths line one wall and soft lighting casts a warm glow.”  It is a warm and inviting space to spend an evening.

SHORT RIB UDON NOODLE

What we loved: Pretty much everything!! Especially all of the fresh and delicious fish dishes.  There are too many tasty choices to decide between so go try them all and pick your favorite!

Pro tip:  Hurry before it is over!! The menu is available starting at 5pm for the dinner service through Jan 31st.  So if you want to take this culinary tour and enjoy all of these tasty treats, make it a New Years Resolution to stop by and try something new!

PORK RIBSThanks for visiting our blog and your sweet comments!

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