Located down a side street close to the busy Rundle Street cafe precinct is Zenhouse Vegetarian Yum Cha. As their name suggests, their dishes are vegetarian. I usually like a bit of protein to make me full, so it’s not usually my first port of call when it comes to eating out, but I always like to keep an open mind. The menu is Asian inspired with a good selection of vegan, gluten free and dairy vegetarian dishes. There are burgers, salads, soups, and of course, yum cha.

The decor is a mix and modern and traditional. There is the odd Chinese lantern and a feature wall full of Chinese characters, however, the polished timber floor boards and cafe style furnishings give this place a modern feel.

As an entree, I ordered the Samosa. The pastry was nice and thick, and fried to a golden brown. The potato and pea filling was nicely spiced with a subtle kick. The samosas come in serving of two and were of a decent size.

For the meal, I had the Chickpea and Lentil Burger with a side serving of fries. The burger is a decent size and comes in a nice thick bun. The tomato, lettuce and carrots were fresh and crisp, and provided a nice crunchy texture. The chickpea and lentil patty had a nice thickness but was smaller than the diameter of the bun. The patty was well marinated and was soft and delicate. The side of fries were perfectly cooked and just the right amount of salt was applied. They were nice and crunchy on the outside, and soft and fluffy on the inside. The amount provided was generous, although, my dining companions seemed to have smaller servings.

For dessert, I tried the Red Bean scroll. The pastry was dry and so was the red bean filling. It had an odd scent about it which reminded me of nail polish, and the consensus was, this sweet had been sitting in the container for quite some time.

The following are the dishes that my group had. With the exception of the Red Bean, everyone was quite content with their dishes.

The staff were friendly and welcoming, however, the service was below average. The meals came out after a 15 minute wait, and pretty much all at the same time. Water was only provided when asked and our plates were cleared only out of necessity, which is when there was no room for dessert. The atmosphere was relaxed, as the location of the restaurant is away from the hustle and bustle of the busy cafe precinct. The pricing is fairly reasonable with yum cha dishes starting from $5.50. The burgers are $10 which is fairly good because they are a decent size.

It wasn’t a perfect dining experience, but it wasn’t too bad either. Definitely a place I would bring all my vegetarian and vegan friends.

WHERE: 17-19 Bent St, Adelaide