Zen Xin Vegetarian - Penang

There are many great vegetarian eateries that exist in Georgetown, but if you venture away from the city, you can also be treated to many more fantastic vegetarian delights.  Zen Xin Vegetarian is located on Jalan Nagore, which is going away from the main stretch of Georgetown, along Jalan Burma.  A variety of different dishes can be found at Zen Xin, all Chinese style.  Let's find out how good this place is...















Zen Xin Vegetarian
Location: 42 Jalan Nagore, Penang
Contact: 04-2286828
Opening Hours: Daily 11.00am-2.30pm & 5.15pm-9.30pm  Monday Closed 


The menu at Zen Xin consists of many pages, here is an example of one of the pages.
First dish I tried was one of the more economical dishes, which was named Kung Dao Eggplant.  Eggplant is an ingredient that I will consume on a daily basis, I can't get enough of the moreish creamy texture (when cooked properly).  Overall, this was a pretty decent dish.  The sauce that coated the eggplant and other ingredients was a little bit too salty for my taste - But this slight excess of salt is nullified when eaten with plain rice.  Portion size I found to be just perfect for the price.

Price: RM9.00.      7/10
The signature dish at Zen Xin is the Baked Nyonya Oats Fish, which when brought to the table, comes in a very intriguing foil parcel, with a small lime on the side.
After it arrive, the waiter will proceed to cut the foil.  I enjoyed watching the steam that was manifesting inside suddenly become realised when cut open.  The waiter will cut open the entire thing and then squeeze the lime liberally all over.
This is how the dish looked when totally opened up.  Sambal vegetarian fish is one of those things that can't go wrong really.  The mix of mock meat, chili and lime is a match made in heaven.  Yes, the price is a little bit excessive, and I did feel the pain when it came to paying for the meal.  In this dishes defence, the portion is quite large and I give extra marks for the elaborate way in which it is served to the customers.  I do feel that the price could be lowered a little bit though.

Price: RM16.80.     8/10











Conclusion - Zen Xin represents one of the better vegetarian eateries on the island of Penang.  The location may seem a little far out of the city.  But it can actually be reached within 10-15 minutes (depending on how fast a walker you are) from Komtar.  The sambal fish is a must try - If you can afford it!

Overall Rating
Food - 7/10
Ambiance- 7/10
Service - 8/10
Value - 6/10