foodie finds :: zen palate

zen palate
34 union square
new york, ny 10003

ok so i don't get it...

you have a cafe - you have fine dining - but it's really the same menu just with an added charge and a $15 minimum - that's fine dining?

back when i first move to manhattan - i lived just a few blocks from this place and ate here often. it was cute. it was consistent. it didn't break the bank to eat here. it was very good vegetarian food with no attitude. in the warmer months - you could sit outside and enjoy a great meal and watch the people walk by.

i have returned a couple times in recent months to discover that they have 'upgraded' themselves. now - i may have never clued in on the fact that they had fine dining - it could have always been there - it could have just been added - but my experience this last time was less than desirable.

the hostess right away asked if we wanted cafe or fine dining - i was like 'how interesting' - we looked at the two menus and decided there wasn't that big of a difference and just said we'd take cafe service instead. we were then told there would be a 20 minute wait - but fine dining would be immediate seating. we declined and waited. at least 6 more parties came up and were given the same pitch. every party declined the fine dining option. am i missing something here? this was peak dinner time - and no one seemed to want fine dining from this place. i'm not even sure how it could possibly be economical of them to have the option if time and time again - people decline to take them up on the offer to go upstairs and eat.

am i crazy?

am i missing something?

when we finally were able to take a seat - the service was very slow. the food actually came out at 3 different times therefore throwing off the time it was taking for us all to collectively eat. if we were to wait - all of the food would have been cold (to recoup the timing issues the waiter gave us drink tickets - which i will no doubt lose - for the next time we dine - i wonder if it's for the cafe or for fine dining - he didn't say).

the food - still good - just feel like there's some kind of pretension has moved in and they are suddenly bigger than they appear to be. maybe i should try the fine dining option to see what the fuss is about - wait - no one fussed about it - that's right - it's a vegetarian cafe - nothing more - nothing less.

but hey - they must be doing something right - they continually get voted best vegetarian restaurant in new york - they have their awards table right there as you walk in to show off (just in case you were wondering).