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Sushi topped with steak?
In spite of my initial disbelief, this is indeed the case with Zen’s OMG roll.
Coupled with the Houma restaurant’s weekly Tuesday special, this was a lunch spot I couldn’t pass up. The special, which costs $20, comes with two rolls of the patron’s choosing, served with a side of edamame.
The 16-piece serving is ideal for sharing, so that’s what a guest and I choose to do. I deferred to the Tuesday-at-Zen veteran for the roll choices, and she succeeds in choosing a great lunch combination that feels suited for evening dining.
If Poseidon invited his brother Zeus over for a meal, he would serve him the OMG roll. An ambrosia in its own right, this combination from sea and sod is the ultimate sushi heaven. Sautéed steak, lava sauce and eel sauce top shrimp a rice-encapsulated roll filled with shrimp tempura, cream cheese and jalapenos.
While it’s difficult to isolate and describe the individual flavors, the ingredients combine to create a sensation in my mouth that leaves me taking the lord’s name in vain as I greedily grab for another piece to stuff in my mouth.
Forewarning, your chopsticks may become weaponry as you battle over this dish.
The Krispy Kreme Roll – shrimp, snow crab, peppered fried snapper, cream cheese, wasabi mayo and avocado with eel sauce – was satisfying. The dish was crunchy, salty, sweet, and it packed a subtle spice, giving it a slight contrast to OMG.
However, we may have been better served with something with different elements – something sweeter my guest suggests after the fact – to remove it from the dominant roll’s shadow.
That’s not to say it couldn’t stand up on its own: As I’m sure Zen’s frequent customers can attest, soy sauce and wasabi aren’t needed. The rolls, especially Zen-specific options, are packed with enough flavors to be savored on their own. Consider it the sushi version of ketchup on a filet mignon.
Edamame can be ordered regular or coated with garlic butter. We opted for the latter, and the soybean appetizer fostered an addiction that will render typical boiled baby soybeans dull.
In addition to sushi – and the two for $20 special that saved us $13 – the Japanese grill features daily lunch options.
Chain link curtains separate the entryway and bar from the primary eating area in this blue-hued restaurant. The large windows are covered, allowing only a minimal amount of light to cascade on the Japanese and aquatic art stenciled on the wall. Despite both hands clasping at the mid-day 12, the restaurant offers an evening ambiance. The meal only affirms this.
The Krispy Kreme Roll and OMG Roll await our enjoyment. Zen in Houma offers two sushi rolls and a side of edamame for $20 every Tuesday.
