Zen Kitchen

Over the past few weeks, I have been heading to Vietnamese restaurants for lunch and dinner as my wallet decided to go on a diet. I am saving up for a few items, of which, shall remain a secret until I can actually get them! I find it near impossible to stumble upon a really horrible Vietnamese shop in Adelaide as most of them are pretty good and probably have similar price ranges. Hence, a safe option for the budget foodie. I am aware that some outlets fare better than others but I'm not too fuss as long as I get my tummy filled without any unwanted hassle.

Zen Kitchen has been opened since I started my uni life back in 2008 and it is still as busy despite a few new restaurants mushrooming around it. I was fortunate enough to head here for lunch one day and was advised to order a chef's special dish that is not on the menu because it is a limited edition item! Yes, this is no longer a secret!

Have I got your attention yet?

The interior can accommodate a medium sized lunch crowd and thankfully, they do have a fast turnover of customers, mainly due to their fast service. Always good to know that you can grab a quick bite before heading back to classes/ work.

So this is the chef's special roast pork with broken rice dish. The roast pork here has a crunchier consistency compared to the other versions that I have sampled and if you think the meat would be dry after a prolonged time in the oven, you may have to make an exception for this time. I have theorized that the meat remained moist and succulent throughout the cooking process, because the fat layer underneath the skin provided the much needed insulation from the scorching oven heat.

As usual, a broken rice dish would not be complete with a side of sunny egg, pickled vegetables and a bowl of good ol'fashioned dressing which I like to drown my rice in.