RAB wrote:There are two possible explanations for how disappointed we were with the food. First, everything but the crab cakes had to travel from Elmhurst to the Loop. That couldn't have helped. Second, and I believe this is the more likely reason, is that Ronna and I know what the inspiration foods for these sandwiches are supposed to taste like. The Mu Ping just wasn't anywhere near as tasty as a good old Nhu Lan #4. The pork katsu sandwich was a pale imitation of a pork tonkatsu at Renga-Tei or Tampopo. I don't know if Zenwich is aiming for gussied up or dumbed down, but either way, I think that they are missing the mark.

I hate to say it, but I can't support Zenwich for GNR.

--Rich

I had the same kind of feeling as well. I felt that if I had ordered chicken satay at a Thai restaurant, it would taste better than the chicken satay sandwich which I had.

There are two possible explanations for how disappointed we were with the food. First, everything but the crab cakes had to travel from Elmhurst to the Loop. That couldn't have helped. Second, and I believe this is the more likely reason, is that Ronna and I know what the inspiration foods for these sandwiches are supposed to taste like. The Mu Ping just wasn't anywhere near as tasty as a good old Nhu Lan #4. The pork katsu sandwich was a pale imitation of a pork tonkatsu at Renga-Tei or Tampopo. I don't know if Zenwich is aiming for gussied up or dumbed down, but either way, I think that they are missing the mark.

I hate to say it, but I can't support Zenwich for GNR.

So I just ate at Zenwich for the second time today, and again left happy. The owner recognized me from several months ago (even remembering what I had ordered last time) and also remembered that I sometimes post on LTHforum. Not that this should detract at all from Rich's statement, but I did feel bad that he mentioned his wife/co-owner/cook hadn't slept last night after his comments. But anyway, I just want to put my 2 cents to the nomination.

I can't really agree with Rich on the portion thing. Granted, I have only eaten there twice, but both times felt the meat/seafood (I had the crab previously) was well-proportioned to the bread/fillings. I also left full both times, although also had the soup with each meal (and I tend to eat a lot for lunch).

As for the genuineness of the food, I am torn there. Today I had the Korean bulgogi sandwich, and although it was good, I definitely preferred the crab. But I still want to come back to try the mu ping, and then the curry, and so on. I can't base this on too many meals, but I think they do a good job of interpreting Asian-style food and making it into a sandwich. While I agree it may not be as good as you can get at a specific specialty store, it is still heads and tails above anything you can get in this area for most of these styles. For me personally, I thought a GNR award was for restaurants worthy in a certain neighborhood, and in that sense I think Zenwich should be nominated. But if you are comparing it to every restaurant in the Chicago area, then something like Zenwich doesn't have as much of a chance, just in concept alone.

borborigmy wrote:just in concept alone.

To me, it's a well-executed concept, and a valuable personal resource when I'm West. I can't find anyone else doing something with similar levels of attention and care in that corridor; I was thinking the other night that while cilantro and citrus can cover up just about any Eastern culinary misstep or ingredient, the grilled meats sing on their own in the Zenwich compositions. Ciabatta is not the "authentic" choice (nor is it at Honky Tonk), but it is the prerogative and signature of the proprietors, and with the chips and slaw, makes a favored, balanced, fresh, and appealing plate. I dig it.

Now, you want a goofy banh mi, try Marion Street Cheese Market, with a two-inch-thick plank of braised pork belly dripping in sauce with unseeded jalapeno on a roll that wouldn't fit in Mick Jagger's unhinged maw.

Did it taste good?

Santander wrote:
Now, you want a goofy banh mi, try Marion Street Cheese Market, with a two-inch-thick plank of braised pork belly dripping in sauce with unseeded jalapeno on a roll that wouldn't fit in Mick Jagger's unhinged maw.

swine dining wrote:Did it taste good?

Santander wrote:
Now, you want a goofy banh mi, try Marion Street Cheese Market, with a two-inch-thick plank of braised pork belly dripping in sauce with unseeded jalapeno on a roll that wouldn't fit in Mick Jagger's unhinged maw.

I will admit, yes it did. I don't like unapproachable sandwiches (defeats the whole purpose of the genre), but this was worth breaking into components for summary devourment. In contrast, Zenwich's offerings are laudably constructed for those of us with more Bill Nighy-style orifices.

borborigmy wrote:Not that this should detract at all from Rich's statement, but I did feel bad that he mentioned his wife/co-owner/cook hadn't slept last night after his comments.

I tried to be fair, and I hope that I succeeded. I think that it is important to engage in a dialogue here that includes more substance than just "HELL YEAH," "Heartily seconded," and "Awesome nomination, dude!"

I feel bad about making someone lose sleep, but you can't please everybody, and I'm just one voice in a crowd. It seems to me that a thicker skin would be useful, if not necessary, for a restaurateur with an Internet connection.

borborigmy wrote:I can't base this on too many meals, but I think they do a good job of interpreting Asian-style food and making it into a sandwich. While I agree it may not be as good as you can get at a specific specialty store, it is still heads and tails above anything you can get in this area for most of these styles. For me personally, I thought a GNR award was for restaurants worthy in a certain neighborhood, and in that sense I think Zenwich should be nominated. But if you are comparing it to every restaurant in the Chicago area, then something like Zenwich doesn't have as much of a chance, just in concept alone.

Zenwich's owners are clearly trying hard to do something great, and relative to what's immediately around it, some think that they are succeeding. But, right or wrong, I wasn't grading on a curve. My evaluation of the place was based on my own frame of reference, which includes my experiences at those "specific specialty stores" that Chicago is lucky to be so rich with.

YMMV,
--Rich

If I moved from Elmhurst back to NYC tomorrow, Zenwich might be the only restaurant in a 5mi radius that I'd miss. I can't speak to its "authenticity," whatever that means, although I suspect that with ciabatta rolls and french fries for the kids' sandwiches they're not trying for any such thing. The bottom line is that the concept is truly original and the food is well-executed. Unlike RAB, I have never had any issues there with insufficient meat (and I like Carnegie Deli-style pastrami sandwiches!) or lack of flavor/zing. Plus, the soups are always well done and--again--often somewhat original. The Mu Ping, Bulgogi and Pork Katsu are standouts, in my opinion. Plus the cole slaws and cucumber salad are actually flavorful and not after-thoughts like at many sandwich places.

Perhaps I'm out of place weighing in on a possible GNR as a first post, but Zenwich's qualifications as a GNR have roused me from lurker status. Just my $0.02-- it seems like the kind of place the designation was created for.

perge wrote:If I moved from Elmhurst back to NYC tomorrow, Zenwich might be the only restaurant in a 5mi radius that I'd miss. I can't speak to its "authenticity," whatever that means, although I suspect that with ciabatta rolls and french fries for the kids' sandwiches they're not trying for any such thing. The bottom line is that the concept is truly original and the food is well-executed. Unlike RAB, I have never had any issues there with insufficient meat (and I like Carnegie Deli-style pastrami sandwiches!) or lack of flavor/zing. Plus, the soups are always well done and--again--often somewhat original. The Mu Ping, Bulgogi and Pork Katsu are standouts, in my opinion. Plus the cole slaws and cucumber salad are actually flavorful and not after-thoughts like at many sandwich places.

Perhaps I'm out of place weighing in on a possible GNR as a first post, but Zenwich's qualifications as a GNR have roused me from lurker status. Just my $0.02-- it seems like the kind of place the designation was created for.

Welcome to LTH perge--there is probably no better reason to join this community than to provide context and detail regarding your appreciation of a restaurant--whether it be GNR, GNR aspirant or just the place you had breakfast this morning. Glad to have you aboard!

I don't post often, but I have to say I love this place. I work in Elmhurst and first went to Zenwich a couple of months after it opened and the owner noted that business had not been going so well. I ate one sandwich (pork katsu) and immediately went back to the office and told everyone they had to try it. I think this is exactly what a GNR is supposed to be... small, independent, added something new to the area that we didn't have, is trying something different (yes it might not make the most traditional bulugi but they're making sandwich versions of asian dishes from at least 5 different countries) and a place I would be very very sad to see disappear. there's not many of those in the burbs so we should do whatever we can to keep it around.

HI,

To the wife who couldn't sleep, heed the advice of Cindy Crawford.

The lady in the GPS box brought me to Zenwich yesterday. It was a relatively short distance from Mr. D's Shish Kabob, for those who might want to hit both.

There was one couple seated waiting for their food. The wife was a vegan who was delighted to find her salad topped with tofu. It wasn't ordered that way apparently, but the owner knew how she would like it. This couple was first to begin spontaneously advising us how much they love Zenwich.

We ordered Mu Ping and Bulgogi sandwiches. The Mu Ping was dripping, which if you kept your sandwich in the paper sleeve it will be less likely on you. The ciabatta roll did absorb a bit of the juice, which I liked akin to an Italian beef. This sandwich probably is not one you want to eat an hour later, it is quite good eaten soon after assembling. I thought the composition of this sandwich was terrific. The bulgogi sandwich was also a winner.

I find the use of broad ciabatta rolls as opposed to the slim French rolls, allows for more fillings and a more substantial sandwich than a bahn mi. Zenwich's sandwiches were twice the price of bahn mis in Chicago. Yet Zenwich's sandwich is larger and accompanied by a very good Asian coleslaw, those fabulous chips they make themselves and a pickle. While Zenwich's sandwiches are certainly inspired by Bahn Mi, they fit American appetites for a filling and flavorful sandwich.

Those potato chips were skillfully made and seasoned. I ate mine, then began to steal from my friend. Too often chips made on the premises do not achieve the qualities of commercial chips. These were foolers, I double checked if they really made them. These are very, very thin sliced and fried very crisp. I bought a lunch bag sized quantity for $1.50 to take home.

While we were finishing up, a couple sat at the next table. They were regulars as well who inquired how we liked our food. They began extolling how much they like Zenwich. They also began offering recommendations in the area for late night food, which rang a bell related to prior information.

This very small sampling suggests people in this area already consider Zenwich a Great Neighborhood Restaurant. If I lived near, I would be a regular, too.

Dear wife, please sleep. You don't need a thick skin. Do what you do best and everything will fall into place. From listening to your customers and sampling your food, I think you are well on your way.

Regards,

My wife and I made another visit to Zenwich on Saturday for a late lunch, and we talked my parents into making their first visit since they were nearby running errands. Yet another completely satisfying meal, and Zenwich remains a restaurant I would enthusiastically support as a GNR no matter where it was located. I tried the chicken satay for the first time, and it was yet another well-balanced sandwich. The chicken satay itself, and the peanut sauce, were not the best of either I've ever had, but they were strong renditions that I will gladly revisit in the future.

My wife and both parents opted for the crab cake sandwiches, and there were no complaints whatsoever about portion size. In fact, my wife who is 6+ months pregnant with an appetite to match couldn't finish all of her chips along with the sandwich. Looking at their sandwiches, I don't believe the crab cakes could be any larger and still fit on the rolls used.

At any rate, I continue to enjoy working my way through the Zenwich menu, and look forward to my next visit already.

shorty,

I don't know how crisp the chips were the next morning. They were gone. The patriarch of the family ate them early in the morning. He said they were crisp, though I would have liked to verify it myself.

Regards,

As a heads up to anyone who may plan to try Zenwich this Saturday, their hours will be 11-3 (Saturday hours are usually 12-6). I didn't want anyone to drive over and be disappointed.

My family and I continue to eat there weekly and are still very pleased with the food. Granted, at 5ft. and female, I don't have the appetite of the average man, but I've never left there hungry. In fact, many days I save half my sandwich for dinner or lunch the next day. It's not as good as when freshly made, but I still really enjoy it. They've recently added a wasabi coleslaw to their menu--it's delicious. Also, they occasionally have a pulled pork sandwich on special. I enjoyed trying that one, especially b/c we tend to smoke a lot during the summer. In Zenwich's pulled pork, I tasted star anise and garlic. I'm sure there were lots of other things going on there, but that's what stood out to me. Theirs isn't smoked like ours, but the sweeter, more exotic flavor worked and I'll probably try out similar flavors later this year when we get the egg fired up again.

One other thing I like--they'll soon have toffee for dessert. Sometimes, I've found myself wanting something just a little sweet after the zippiness of their sandwiches. The owners have been working with a pastry chef to come up with a couple of flavors that they can offer. I tried a ginger one last week and it was great! Looking forward to seeing it become a regular offering.

The Bride consented to join me for lunch today at Zenwich, which I was dismayed to discover I had missed while frequenting La Rosticeria, almost around the corner on North. Glad to have remedied this.

The two of us shared three sandwiches - Mu Ping, Banh Mi and Bulgogi. For those of you who like to read the ending of the book before you start, we left very well pleased. Good ingredients, a deft touch and nice composition, excellent sandwiches. Not perfect, but very good, pretty much unique in my experience, warm welcome, fair price for what you get.

Let me start with a dissection of what we had, and then I will embark on the meta-discussion regarding authenticity and comparables.

The Bulgogi sandwich was the star for me. Any good sandwich starts with the bread, and Zenwich has a very good, fresh, crusty ciabatta. On top of that went a decent portion of marinated beef, a little lettuce and a nice dose of hot sauce. This pleased both first time and again when cold later this evening. The cucumber salad served along with it was a definite example of Zenlike perfection, small cucumber slices, a few slivers of onion, one slice of jalapeno, and a whisper of sugary vinegar, easy to miss. This was perfection.

The pickle had good flavor and was crisp enough, though my preference runs to a fresher pickle. The homemade chips were quite well done, but I was not that fond of the touch of sweetness in the seasoning. I would prefer a bit more salt, a bit more pepper and hold the sweet, but that is just my preference and I respect what they are doing.

The Bride got to the Mu Ping first and it was everything I could do to get a bite. A more harmonious medley, compared to the Bulgogi that slammed you in the face, dancing on the tongue. The warmth, the tang, all suited us well on this February day. She took the slaw accompaniment from another sandwich. Nicely vinegary and again showing admirable restraint. Must be said that we discussed the amount of meat and she pointed out to me that the meat pretty much ended about an inch in from either end of the roll, which may be the reason for the discussion about the amount of meat. To me this is a portion size discussion and rather beside the point - the sandwich worked quite well, and, I admit, I enjoyed eating both heels of her roll as much as the other parts of the sandwich so I have no complaints.

Having said that, I do get the point that for $7.25 one could complain about the generosity, or lack thereof, of the serving size, but you will not get that from this boy.

The Banh Mi was problematic for me. I am not convinced that comparing my Bulgogi sandwich to Bulgogi at my favorite Korean BBQ makes any more sense than comparing John Coltrane's version of My Favorite Things to that of Julie Andrews - sure they are the same composition on a basic level, and I could say that I prefer Julie's version to John's because when I want to hear this song hers is the original and I can listen to it so much more quickly... But honestly, they are completely different experiences and I would not order one rather than the other.

But Banh Mi is a sandwich, I can get very good versions not very far away (just head out North Avenue a couple of miles) at half the price. And the pork was quite lean as previous posts have indicated they want. Too lean for me. In the end, the sandwich we shared seemed to be mostly a cold version of the Mu Ping and it paled in comparison both to that and to other Banh Mi I have enjoyed. Easy enough to address, though, simply by not ordering it again.

Honestly, I do get the comparison between these sandwiches and the dishes they are riffing on, and I surely understand the preference for the real dishes. May even share it. But for me the comparison is to other sandwiches, and the question is whether these sandwiches please me. They were bright, well made, flavorful and, even the worst of them, the Banh Mi, was enjoyable, just paling in comparison to other Banh Mi.

I was very pleased by Zenwich, and I will be back. Not sure how soon I will be back to La Rosticeria, but my guess is that it will not be so soon. Sorry guys.

Made it out to Zenwich for lunch earlier this week. I can see what attracts people to the place. The service was very friendly, the menu was interesting, and they obviously care a lot about putting out a good product. It's the little things that Zenwich really excels at. All the sandwiches are served with homemade chips and Asian-style pickled cucumbers. I liked the texture on the chips but the sweet seasoning didn't work for me. The "gingerslaw" on the other hand was great, a nice crunchy contrast to the soft ciabatta bread used on the sandwiches. If I had to guess, the traditional pickle on the side was Vlasic, not pleasant at all. They make their chips and gingerslaw from scratch, it would've been awesome if they'd made the pickle fresh too.

As for the sandwiches, I thought they were ok. The crab cake sandwich was really bready. I couldn't taste much crab to begin with, and the coleslaw somewhat overpowered the sandwich. The ciabatta bread, which I liked, combined with the bready crab cake made for a sandwich that struck me as unbalanced. Not poorly prepared so much as poorly constructed. The katsu sandwich was a little better, but suffered from the same problem. The cutlet itself was good, but not great. The breading was kind of thick and heavy (once again bread on bread problem, probably my fault in hind sight for ordering two breaded sandwiches) and not as crispy as I would have liked. Contributing to the problem was the gooey sauce and greens on top that took all the textural bite out of the breading. Each bite was kind of mushy, even though the flavor was pleasant.

I have a lot of respect for what Zenwich has set out to do. They've received a lot of media attention for their creativity and unique approach to sandwich making, particularly considering their location. I couldn't help but think they wouldn't receive nearly the same level of attention if they had opened in the Loop.

FWIW, I think were they located in the Loop they'd be doing gangbusters. I like that they're not, though. In the Loop, that is.

Zenwich is in my neighborhood. It is my regular go to lunch place. We should consider renaming the ward if Zenwich does not qualify as a GNR. The near nearest GNR's are Katies and Gene and Jude. Zenwich lies in the middle of a vast gastronomic desert.

It is unfair to compare the sandwich offerings to the specialties of a very good .Korean or Vietnamese restaurant. Zenwich opens a culinary door to people who have never experienced the flavor palette of other cultures. We are in white bread DuPage. The offerings at Zenwich are an exponential improvement of the sandwich offerings for miles around. The offerings are fresh, made with care, reasonably price, and nothing short of amazing for my neighborhood.

Many of the current GNRs would not meet the standards put forth by some of the posters in this thread.

The only other restaurant approaching this quality in La France Cafe and Crepes in Lombard - an 8 mile trip.

I found myself in Bensonville today. Close enough to Zenwich to make a visit. Before I even got there, I tempered my expectations telling myself that Zenwich wasn't trying to be a bahn mi shop, it's a suburban sandwich shop with Asian overtones, and that's exactly what it turned out to be. I ordered the daily special sandwich of Chinese style pulled pork. The sandwich consisted of a generous serving of pork shoulder along with cucumbers, lettuce and onions in a somewhat sweet (but not over the top) sauce. It was served on a standard issue Gonella roll. Other than the usual problem of the Gonella roll being a tad too bready, this was an excellent sandwich, if you can get past trying to compare it to an ethnic ideal (which it is not trying to be). The sandwich came along with some of the house made potato chips that have been mentioned before and a little cup containing a riff on Thai cucumber salad.

Zenwich Chinese Pulled Pork Sandwich


Zenwich House Made Potato Chips


Zenwich Cucumber Salad Side Dish


As I was sitting there, it struck me how much of a true neighborhood destination Zenwich is. There is an overall friendly vibe to this place. There was much chatting between the customers and the owner and even among the customers themselves. I felt welcome from the moment I walked in the door. It seems to me that Zenwich is more aptly compared to a place like GNR Winner Brown Sack than a place like GNR Nhu Lan or BaLe. It's obvious that the food at Zenwich is original, if a bit quirky, and is prepared with care using excellent ingredients. Although solidly stuck in a suburban strip mall and lacking the gritty urban charm of Brown Sack, the vibe is much the same...proud owners welcoming you into their establishment with genuine friendship and great cooking.

I've got to throw my hat in the ring in support of Zenwich as a GNR. Considering the fact that it is located in an area where the primary sandwich alternatives are Subway and Quiznos, it's truly a local gem.

As I was sitting there, it struck me how much of a true neighborhood destination Zenwich is. There is an overall friendly vibe to this place. There was much chatting between the customers and the owner and even among the customers themselves. I felt welcome from the moment I walked in the door. It seems to me that Zenwich is more aptly compared to a place like GNR Winner Brown Sack than a place like GNR Nhu Lan or BaLe. It's obvious that the food at Zenwich is original, if a bit quirky, and is prepared with care using excellent ingredients. Although solidly stuck in a suburban strip mall and lacking the gritty urban charm of Brown Sack, the vibe is much the same...proud owners welcoming you into their establishment with genuine friendship and great cooking.

Well said, Steve, and I agree completely.

We split a Mu Pong sandwich and a crab cake sandwich. They were both tasty. I didn't expect too much crab in the cake for the price. My partner wasn't too crazy about eating "bread on bread", but still enjoyed it. The pork was tender and had a nice flavor, although if I was really hungry, one sandwich wouldn't fill me. That being said, I am having trouble with prices of eating at many restaurants, but a carry out place costing 20 dollars for two sandwiches and a small soup that didn't fill us? The ingredients topping the sandwiches (all of the ingedients in my soup, except for the tofu, which made the meal a bit repetative) cost much less then your typical lettuce, tomato, onion options. This isn't obvious in the pricing. Call me cheap, but I miss getting what I pay for. Yes, it's been awhile.
The interior could use a little sprucing up, but was nice and quaint. The owner has a contagious smile and the young girl at the register was super helpful and patient.
This place is a wonderful option for healthy, veggie sandwiches. Everything tasted very fresh. The main reason we probably won't return is that we don't eat carry out often.

These guys should get a food truck.

Elmhurst-based sandwich shop Zenwich opened a second location in the Loop just before Thanksgiving. Owners Nate and Katie Nakasatian, who opened their original restaurant about five years ago, opened to the public Nov. 24 on West Van Buren Street near Jackson Boulevard.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/ ... ds-in-loop

Dave148 wrote:

Elmhurst-based sandwich shop Zenwich opened a second location in the Loop just before Thanksgiving. Owners Nate and Katie Nakasatian, who opened their original restaurant about five years ago, opened to the public Nov. 24 on West Van Buren Street near Jackson Boulevard.

Van Buren and Wells.

LTH needs a "jumping up and down with happiness" smiley.

threadkiller wrote:

Dave148 wrote:

Elmhurst-based sandwich shop Zenwich opened a second location in the Loop just before Thanksgiving. Owners Nate and Katie Nakasatian, who opened their original restaurant about five years ago, opened to the public Nov. 24 on West Van Buren Street near Jackson Boulevard.

Van Buren and Wells.

LTH needs a "jumping up and down with happiness" smiley.

206 W Van Buren St
Chicago IL 60607
Tel: 312-877-5055

Vitesse98 wrote:FWIW, I think were they located in the Loop they'd be doing gangbusters. I like that they're not, though. In the Loop, that is.

They are now downtown, and they don't seem to be doing gangbusters. I went to the edge-of-Loop location yesterday, and they were closed up tight at 3:05pm. Hours are now 10:30-2:30. Tough to make a profit downtown when you're only open four hours a day.

threadkiller wrote:

Vitesse98 wrote:FWIW, I think were they located in the Loop they'd be doing gangbusters. I like that they're not, though. In the Loop, that is.

They are now downtown, and they don't seem to be doing gangbusters. I went to the edge-of-Loop location yesterday, and they were closed up tight at 3:05pm. Hours are now 10:30-2:30. Tough to make a profit downtown when you're only open four hours a day.

I was actually in the Elmhurst location the other day and asked Nate how they were doing at the downtown location and he said they were doing great. They get a bunch of very large catering orders each day. He said they had one for 160 sandwiches and they routinely get large ones.

He did say that the time it takes for orders to be made does seem to irk the downtown crowd a bit, as they are not used to waiting for their sandwiches and are always in a hurry, but hopefully they will catch on.

thetrob wrote:I was actually in the Elmhurst location the other day and asked Nate how they were doing at the downtown location and he said they were doing great. They get a bunch of very large catering orders each day. He said they had one for 160 sandwiches and they routinely get large ones.

He did say that the time it takes for orders to be made does seem to irk the downtown crowd a bit, as they are not used to waiting for their sandwiches and are always in a hurry, but hopefully they will catch on.

I'm happy to hear that they've got the catering side going well. Won't help me as much as I usually break for lunch at 2:30-3, but c'est la vie.

I was able to visit their downtown location once in the first week it was open, but after that they were always way too busy at peak lunch hours for me to be able to wait. If business around 12:00-1:00 is still as good as it was in December they should be doing well.

Stopped in with my wife for lunch at the loop location. I found it pretty insipid. We got the moo ping and the chicken satay with a side of ginger slaw. I was pulling for a korean cheesesteak over the satay, but my wife remains highly skeptical of mixing asian flavors with dairy. Anyway, everything was underseasoned. Their do chua tasted like it was "pickled" in water and the satay was one dimensionally sweet, but I find that is consistent with most satays. Their chips were also underseasoned, a crime for any fried potato, but also delivered somewhat soft like they had been fried too far ahead of time. The moo ping was ok.

Strangely, I was most skeptical of the ciabatta roll before going and it worked out pretty well. Still, I would pass on future Zenwich excursions.

I ate at Zenwich twice this weekend while attending the Elmhurst Jazz Festival. I had the Pork Katsu one night and a Basil Chicken special the second night. My wife had one of the vegetarian sandwiches. All three were excellent. I particularly like the ciabatta style bread they use. It's not a place to sit an relax over a lengthy meal as they only have a few tables in a rather cramped area. But the people at the counter were friendly and the food was tasty. If I'm back in that area I'm sure that's where I'll eat.