Love this place! Friendly bar, outdoor dining and they take reservations! We've been several times: the fresh seafood salad is a favorite, appetizers always a hit, and the sliced beef you cook table side delicious. Cary has options s within walking distance for chocolate, shakes, ice cream and gelato. Don't hesitate give it a try! read more

Great service Modern interior Delicious food Diverse menu including drink options A bit expensive versus similar area digs LOUD inside...no sound absorbing materials read more

Bottom line: Zest was a pleasant lunch experience overall. With a large menu selection, there's something for most everyone. I liked my gyoza dumplings and spicy tuna sushi roll for starters (but the sushi was a bit too spicy just for me). My favorite was the Katsu Chicken entree that turned out very well and I enjoyed it. Besides having to exchange out our beginning set of dishes when seated which was gladly done, service went well here during the meal. The Deets: I met up with some friends here at Zest for lunch before heading over to check out "The American Revolution Experience" over at Downtown Cary Park. The restaurant space and setup is very nice and can be for both a casual meal or one a bit more special, with outside and inside seating as well as a dedicated sushi bar area. We were seated promptly for our lunch reservation and our server introduced himself while taking drink orders (of which I got the Strawberry Basil Fizz mocktail, it was very nice) as we perused our menus. Zest has quite the menu selection with a bit of everything to please any taste including a wide selection of small plates/starters as well as sushi and entrees size dishes also. I went with starting out with their gyoza dumplings and a spicy tuna sushi roll. The gyoza were nicely done and out pretty quickly, I liked them. The spicy tuna sushi roll came next and I usually find that at places "spicy tuna" can mean either a hint of spice for flavor or a full-on very spicy experience depending on the establishment. With Zest, it was the latter and in retrospect I think I should have gone with the regular tuna roll instead here but it was a good sushi roll with a bit of cucumber for a crunch. I decided on getting the Katsu Chicken for my main entree. The chicken was done nice and golden brown, tasted excellent with the accompanying sauce. The veggies stayed crisp/crunchy even though cooked and I liked that a lot. One of my friends got the Thai Shrimp Tacos and I noted these were very large shrimp with plenty of sauce on them. However another friend got the Lobster Tacos and remarked that hers lacked sufficient sauce for her tastes. I have to note the one main hiccup encountered here was at the beginning where one of my friends remarked on noticing that the sauce dishes and plates placed on our table before we sat down did not appear clean. We stacked them all up and asked the server to exchange them all out, which he happily did to our satisfaction. Other than that, I had a pretty good experience here for lunch at Zest and would gladly stop by again to dine. read more

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This restaurant was open on Labor Day and even though we didn't have reservations and came in later that evening they still seated us. Staff was friendly and accommodating. She recommended the Ramen noodles as we were hungry. I took half of it home with me. it was very filling and full of flavor. Restaurant is very clean with comfy seating. Variety of sushi and seafood tapas. My husband doesn't eat seafood, but he was still able to find a few items on the menu, including steak and chicken dishes. read more

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I was recently visiting family in Cary and our local Yelp CM recommended I check out this spot. Wow, she was right! Zest was ahhhhhmazing. I popped in for a late lunch, grabbed a seat at the bar, and dove into their oh-so-tempting menu of Japanese food and sushi. It was hard to choose what to get, but hey I was technically on vacay so I ordered one of everything. Okay, not really, but I did enjoy quite a few of their delish offerings, including a mango sticky rice cocktail that I would happily have enjoyed several more of if I didn't have to drive! The vibe here was also nicely upscale, with lots of windows and modern decor. Service was strangely slow at the bar (like, they weren't even busy...and I just could not seem to get the bartender to even notice me); not sure if the dude was new or something but it felt very odd! The food (including their hamachi jalapeno sashimi appy and a "big O" roll ) was absolutely amazing and fresh, though. Long gone are the days when I refused to eat sushi more than a few miles from the coast. Everything was phenomenal and I'll definitely be back on my next visit! read more

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Came back with my friend because I have not stopped on thinking about how good this food was last time! We came on a Monday and they have a discount on some of their specialty cocktails, so I decided to indulge. It was good and then I followed it up with a Mango Sticky Rice (my favorite) and the Tokyo Star. We loaded up this time on Crab Rangoon and sushi this time. With the Screaming O still being my absolute favorite. You can't go wrong here! read more

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Came here for their anniversary, the sushi here is really good! Also the brussel sprouts are delicious! And it's super clean! Will be back! read more

Zest Sushi And Small Plates - Sushi Bars Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

Great place for a bit to eat in downtown Cary! We went on a Monday night for a light dinner and drinks. Both the service and food were great. We made a reservation, but it probably wasn't needed on a Monday. There was a good crowd eating inside and on the patio, but still has some tables open. The crab cakes and lettuce wraps were standouts. The Two if by Sea sushi roll was a a little too spicy, but we took off some of the jalapeño and still ate the whole thing. We were also excited to see they do specials during the week, and Monday was half-off specialty cocktails! read more

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$1 oysters happy hour? Say less. I'd heard whispers about Thursday oyster hour at Zest Sushi & Small Plates, so naturally I made a reservation to see what the hype was about -- and wow, this place absolutely delivered. We arrived at 5:45 and were seated immediately. We went all in and ordered FOUR dozen Gulf oysters plus three pints of Allagash White. Peak life decisions. The oysters were fresh, perfectly briny, and disappeared embarrassingly fast. From there, we added a few appetizers: Fried Calamari, Polynesian Pork Belly, and the Hamachi Jalapeño. Every single dish came out quickly and tasted phenomenal. The calamari was crispy, the pork belly had that perfect sweet-savory balance, and the hamachi? Melt-in-your-mouth good with just the right kick. We wrapped things up with mochi ice cream because apparently self-control was not on the menu that evening. Huge shoutout to our gorgeous waitress, Ania, who was incredibly attentive the entire evening without ever hovering. Also loved the little touch from the manager who came by to remind us we had 3 minutes left to order more oysters before happy hour ended. That's the kind of customer service that turns a great dinner into a memorable experience. Fantastic food, excellent service, fun atmosphere, and one dangerously good oyster happy hour. Can't wait to come back. read more

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I came on Thursday for $1 happy hour oysters. Although we arrived 10 mins before their happy hour ended, they happily seated us at the bar and took our order. We placed an order for 30 oysters and they let us know that their kitchen was backed up so it would take around 15-20 mins for them to come out, which we didn't mind. The restaurant itself is very nice and bright with both indoor and outdoor seating. It was packed when we arrived. Sitting at the bar, I was able to observe that the staff doing a great job in keeping the restaurant in order despite having so many patrons and orders. Our oysters came out on a beautiful silver platter, but as I began eating them, I felt like the oysters were sandy and weren't cleaned well. It could be because they were understaffed and rushing during the shucking process. Most were fine, a few were not. Hopefully this was a one off case. This is also the I expected ordering and eating oysters. I still enjoyed my time. read more

Zest Sushi And Small Plates - Half dozen oysters - Sushi Bars Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

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Really great sushi and a super nice place to sit and eat. The staff was overwhelmingly friendly from the moment we walked in and made the whole experience even better. Everything tasted really fresh and they have an awesome drink menu with plenty of options. If you're in downtown Cary and looking for sushi, this is definitely a place I'd recommend checking out. read more

Zest Sushi And Small Plates - Sushi Bars Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

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Overall, had a pretty good experience at Zest. It started off rocky - we had a reservation for a set time, got there 10 minutes early and was told to wait (understandable). However, 5 minutes later another group of the same size with the same reservation time walked in and they were seated instantly while we were still waiting. After speaking with the manager, this was quickly rectified and we were then seated, though I wish we didn't have to talk with management for that to happen. The food came out fast - we ordered several plates of sushi. I highly recommend the story of the salmon roll - it was so creative and the fish was very fresh. We also had their sake mimosas - delicious. Will come back again. read more

i loved the meal i had here a couple of weeks ago! my mom and i came in on a sunday night and were seated right away. the service was great from start to finish and the place is really cute. we started with the "like a vegan" sushi roll and the spinach gyoza. i really loved the sushi, but the gyoza was UNREAL. the filling was soft but the outside was chewy and lightly crunchy from its pan-fry; one of my favorite dumpling dishes i think ive ever had. for entrees, i ordered the geisha rice bowl and my mom had the green curry, both with tofu. these are slightly pricey dishes but the portions are enormous; we barely got through 1/4 and saved the rest for leftovers the next day, where they held up just as well. we ended with the yuzu cheesecake with mango coulis - a stunning dessert! lightly tart and fruity, and smooth and creamy as well. i also got a lychee limeade mocktail and that was super nice too. literally every aspect of this experience was excellent and i would do it all over again! if they add more vegan options to the menu that would be a bonus but the existing ones are so good that i don't even care that much. so glad i tried this place out!! read more

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Excellent sushi! Brussel sprouts appetizer and rolls were great. Fish was fresh and we enjoyed the rolls. The restaurant is very nice and modern. Staff was very friendly and nice. Bathrooms were clean. We went for an early dinner and didn't have trouble finding parking. They have tables indoors and outdoors. Will be going again! Recommend going earlier in the day, it's not as busy! read more

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First time in, the restaurant is full of light, and the staff and the food match. Great service and great food, looking forward to trying more off the menu. Would recommend the lettuce wraps anytime. read more

Grabbed a quick lunch here recently and had a good time. I ate a little bit late (around ~2 PM) so the restaurant wasn't busy, which worked for me :) You can park in one of the many public or paid lots around downtown Cary and then walk here. My server was polite and attentive throughout my meal. I ordered the Screaming "O" roll as well as salmon sashimi and they arrived very quickly. The sashimi tasted fresh and the Screaming "O" roll wasn't bad at all but not the best sushi I've had in the Triangle. Everything was priced reasonably. Overall, not a bad time, and I'd definitely come back here if I was nearby and craving some sushi. read more

We enjoy small plates and while in Cary we made a point to make a reservation. We started with Hamachi Jalapeño. Service is fast and very attentive. Then we enjoyed the Poke Boomer 2.0. Beautiful atmosphere and delicious food. read more

Zest Sushi And Small Plates - Hamachi Jalapeño - Sushi Bars Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

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Zest is a cute spot in Downtown Cary if you're looking for sushi and other small plates. There's a vast amount of indoor and outdoor seating options. Now that it's warm out it was so nice sitting outside while enjoying our meal. I didn't get a picture of the table top tenderloin but it was a nice being able to cook it ourselves and it came out pretty tasty. Enjoyed everything we ordered and our server Sarah was a delight. read more

Zest Sushi And Small Plates - Sushi Bars Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

Came here on an early Saturday night and it was hopping. The staff was very friendly but they seemed overwhelmed with the rush. It's a good looking restaurant with a busy atmosphere. We ordered drinks appetizers and sashimi. All were good and our waitress was super friendly. I thought the food was good just not great. Nonetheless a nice place for date night. read more

In town for a concert and walked in for lunch - great playlist (felt like they were in my phone:) bright, airy, and clean. Service was attentive and professional never intrusive. Macalister (real name - great lettuce) was our server - he was absolutely fantastic. The wife had several sushi pieces, I went w/ the crab cocktail,oysters, and gyoza. We'll be back for hockey season! read more

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So much to say about this place. Food: 3.5/5 Service: 2/5 Ambiance: 3/5 Positive: Ambiance was nice. My child didn't put her fingers in her ears the whole time we were there. The food came out quickly. When we first made it there, because the wait time was 45 minutes, I asked for some juice for kids which they provided to me without charging me. The front desk representatives and servers seem pretty nice. The food was good, except for the shrimp curry. It tastes like a soup, not rich and not filling. Other than that, I strongly advise the crab cakes for appetizers along with the crab wonton. The sushi were good, but I had better sushi before, if I come back, i ll try something else. There was a young lady that was very helpful and kid to us, I wish I remember her name. Negative: We made it there around 8:10 pm and we were told that it would take 45 minutes to find us a table. I went to check in on the status of our table after 45 minutes and I was told that they didn't have room for us because some people made a reservation and they couldn't let us seat on their tables. I asked for a solution. They suggested setting up a table outside, which we agreed. It took them over 10-15minutes to set things up but I have to admit that the server tried her best to set us up as soon as possible. They seemed very busy that evening. My husband realized that they have over 5 empty tables with a total of 10 seats; supposedly all reserved. They ended up setting a table inside as a big party left. We were 4 adults 2 kids. I even told them I can get a 4 chairs tables because the kids always sit on our laps as they are little. We finally sat inside at 9:35. 1.5 hours after we got there. The people who supposedly made a reservation and for which the tables were reserved never showed up. 6 empty seats behind us. Another set of 2 tables and 8 chairs were available. on the other side; they were occupied when we got there but they left after a while yet it was "reserved" for clients who didn't show up. Overall, the reservation system needs improvement or just don't do reservation at all. If people don't show up within 10-15 minutes of the reserved time, call or notify cancellation. We almost left for firebirds in Morrisville. Our bill was close to $200. I don't think I will be back. read more

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We decided to finally give Zest a try! Love all the outdoor seating. Inside was gorgeous as well. Lots of space. We made reservations online about 2 hrs before they had any reservations available. We got seated early. The hostess was very friendly. Our server was great. Fast, efficient. He took our drink order right away. We had a couple mocktails. Very yummy. ( I forgot to take photos! ) We ordered and food came out as it was ready. First up the fried calamari. Really good! It came with a sweet chili dipping sauce. Then came : Seafood Trident salad : fresh lobster, crab meat, shrimp, avocado, spring mix with a red wine vinaigrette. Hidden dragon roll: tempura shrimp,cucumber, topped with bbq eel, avocado, green onions, and a nice amount of ginger and soy sauce on the side Our mains came out next The CAB Steak Skewers and the Oysters Rockefeller, and the Oysters Imperial. Everything was flavorful and cooked to perfection. Zest is of excellent quality and freshness. So be ready to pay for it. It's some the best service and freshest seafood we've had in a while. Totally worth it for! Be it date night or a special occasion or a nice lunch / dinner exploring all downtown Cary has to offer! read more

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The service was absolutely amazing! Our waitress offered suggestions seeing as though it was our 1st time here. We got oysters, 2 sushi rolls and wings. The wings were so darn tasty! I got the half baked sushi roll and loved it! My husband got yhe crouching tiger roll....of course I snuck a piece of his roll lol....great great and great. We enjoyed the ambiance of the restaurant and will definitely return to try more items! read more

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This place was amazing. We sat outside. The cocktails were tasting and the service was excellent. We shared tuna crudo and tuna tartare. Both were excellent. The edamame appetizer was also very good. Highly recommend trying the oysters! The North Carolina ones were our favorite. I would return read more

Zest Sushi And Small Plates - Tuna tartare - Sushi Bars Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

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We enjoyed our visit to Zest. We had several items, including the calamari and tempura shrimp roll. Both were excellent. For our entrees, we had the Miso Salmon, which was outstanding, and the tofu curry, which was great too. Kids had a California roll, shrimp tacos and buttered ramen noodles. The shrimp tacos looked amazing. I highly recommend this restaurant and can't wait to go back and try some other items. read more

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We went for lunch during the Pimento Cheese Festival and sat outside because the weather was nice and despite it not being full inside it was very loud between the music and acoustics. Saab at DTC Park has a similar issue where we feel like we are screaming above the echoes. The service at Zest was great, but the sushi was honestly on the bland side. I ordered the Poke Boomer, and some of the pieces were stringy, and I can't even remember the roll my husband ordered. It had very little flavor. Not even the soy sauce rescued it. The edamame was good, and my strawberry basil mocktail was delicious. Overall for the price, I'd try something else on the menu if we go back. read more

Amazing spot in Cary - We all enjoyed it. The drinks, the food, the ambiance and service. They have very differentiated drinks menu and they have specials for each day that are discounted, for someone who like affordable luxury, that makes it easier to choose :-) We had veggie ramen, zest chicken. Sake Mimosa was good, Mint Mule and Strawberry mocktails were awesome - infact our server allowed us to swap out some ingredients for another in the mocktails - kids loved it. The fact that it is on resy makes it super convenient, we will here again soon next quarter and we haven't yet tried their green curry and sushi - may be next time. The desserts are not much to write about - but there are literally 3 ice cream spots within a couple of blocks. The parking nearby can be challenging - but there are options beyond $9 paid, with public parking at Town of Cary Hall nearby and street side parking as well. read more

On my way home from the airport, I decided to stop for a bite, arriving around 2:10. The hosted sat me quickly and let me know that the kitchen was closing soon. It's a beautiful spot inside with nice outdoor seating too. My server didn't come over until 3:19 and I had to remind her that the kitchen was closing; she forgot. Hmmmm, inauspicious start. The sushi menu had lots to choose from so I was excited. I picked the Boomer and the garlic butter oysters. The food was good but a little lacking. For example, the boomer features 3 types of fish atop a crab roll. Gorgeous yo look at! However, the fish was cut in irregular shapes that made think they were extras leftover. I'm all for zero-waste. It just didn't feel luxe. Tasted good. The roll was a bit bland. Again amazing presentation for the oysters, which were nice and plump. But not a lot of butter or garlic flavor and completely missing the Parmesan cheese. Halfway through I asked for the check since folks were trying to reset tables. She brought it, said don't rush, then came back 5 minutes later. Hmmm. Im gonna chalk this experience up to it being close to closing, although diners should never feel rushed. One other point, it's bad form to talk about patrons while others are around. I heard my server say she doesn't like serving kids, which made me wonder whether she liked serving me read more

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The sushi was amazing and light which I love based on the rolls I got. The chef is super friendly and was also our waiter, so we got extra care in our questions and concerns. Overall, great location too so I will be back! read more

Zest Sushi And Small Plates - sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

Food is very Americanized version of Japanese cuisine. The sushi and small plates we got were not good. Brussels sprouts weren't fully cooked and sushi had an unpleasant flavor. Server was nice but only checked on us a few times. Will not go back again. read more

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This roll is ammmmmmaaaaazzzzing! We were visiting Cary, and we came back twice within 24 hours. I loved this place! read more

Zest Sushi And Small Plates - Half Baked Sushi, Edamame - Sushi Bars Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

My friend and I went on a Tuesday night and we were glad we made reservation reservations because they were pretty busy. They had a special promotion where you could order two of their special rolls for $30. We also got the brussels as an appetizer. Everything was really good. I would say the portion size is on the smaller side, but the quality of the fish was good and the flavors were really well balanced. Service was nice and the food came out pretty fast! read more

Zest Sushi And Small Plates - Sensei roll and Story of the Salmon roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

The place is super cute, clean look inside and I love the warmers outside for the colder times. I'll start by saying this isn't true and authentic Asian, definitely lives up to the name fusion. If you want quality Asian flavors, I'd go elsewhere. The food wasn't inedible but it wasn't our favorite. The items like the coco shrimp and the Napa salad were overly dressed and tasted like eating mayo. The mussles were good but I wouldn't call that a green curry? It was very liquidy and more like a chicken broth. The fish quality for nigiri, especially the Toro was a little questionable and cut too thick for nigiri. The lettuce wraps were regular cut chicken, pre assembled on thin lettuce and served hot, so the lettuce was completely wilted and warm. Wouldn't call these lettuce wraps. The more American dishes I would argue were better and what i would only get going forward if I came back because the fries and cheese steak were delicious. The mocktails were also good even though they don't make their own purees and syrups. Again, we ate everything and it wasn't the worst, but it wasn't Asian and it wasn't high quality. Now the service, the service was really great! He was super attentive, honest, kind and not intrusive. Service 10/10, food 4.5/10. read more

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We got into Zest midday with a recommendation from a friend. The bar and bartender, Zack, were great. I had the Cucumber Basil Martini and my husband snagged the Wasabi Margarita. Mine was perfection for a gal that loves Dirty Martinis it was the perfect dinner drink. My husband enjoyed his drink as well. We had to snag a couple appetizers and the calamari was perfection. I'd come again l, tomorrow. read more

Zest Sushi And Small Plates - Cucumber Basil Martini - Sushi Bars Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

Went back to zest to try again after our horrible experience at the bar! Things were so much better from the hostess to the weight. Staff of the food. Absolutely awesome loved it. read more

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Sat outside for dinner. It Was a nice summer evening so the temp outside was great. It wasn't crowded. Server was nice. We got a sushi dish to split along with a couple of other small plates. All tasty and will visit again sometime. read more

I've been to Zest a few times but today was my first time having sushi and it was absolutely amazing.. I had a cucumber salad that was also amazing. It was fresh with a zesty unique taste. For my roll I had the Half Baked (shrimp tempura, cream cheese , avocado, topped with baked crab salad, spicy mayo and sweet soy. Service is always amazing and the ambience is top notch. I'm lucky that I live close.. read more

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I came in on a whim, uber driver told me it was good sushi. I agree. Great sushi & cocktails. Staff was super friendly. read more

Zest Sushi And Small Plates - Yellowtail Nigiri, shrimp tempura roll, oysters rockefeller - Sushi Bars Near Me - Cary, North Carolina

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Food was overall good! A large variety on the menu, sushi, entrees, small plates, anyone could find something they like. The space can hold plenty of people, can get a little loud, but nothing excessive. Service was alright, sometimes waiting a while to get the next part of our order in, but it was a busy night. Overall yummy with many options! read more

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I went to Zest for lunch with 3 of my girlfriends and couldn't have asked for a better experience, all around! It's nestled in adorable downtown Cary, so it was definitely hard to find parking on a buzzing Saturday afternoon, but we got lucky and found a spot right next door. We made a reservation for 1:30, and their kitchen closes at 2:30; they open again at 5:00. We were seated right away. The ambiance is a clean, relaxing and chic one. Our server brought waters and offered drinks; he was incredible. He shared with us how the menu and delivery of dishes work. Basically, when it's done, you receive it, to maintain freshness. It worked perfect for us, it being a small places spot. Thank you, Brian for being so amazing! They have an extensive drink and food menu, which was lovely. Excited to get to the food, so I'll start with everything we shared: Shrimp Cocktail, Oysters Rockefeller, Vegetable Spring Rolls, Crab Rangoons, Beef Steak Skewers, Polynesian Pork Belly, Real Cali Roll, Hidden Dragon Roll, and the Ponzu Philly Roll. We even got a special dessert from wonderful Brian! I was SO impressed with the food, we all were! The Shrimp Cocktail was fresh and the size was perfect for sharing. The Pork Belly was sweet and savory; perfectly tender. The Crab Rangoons were the best I've ever had, hot and served with real crab meat and a delicious dipping sauce. I loved the Oysters, as I typically do, but the best part about them were that the actual oysters were a great size, not just overly stuffed with breading and cheese as they often are. So delicious. The sushi rolls were amazing too. Lastly, the BEEF STEAK SKEWERS! These were so good, so perfectly seasoned and tender. This was probably my favorite dish. Brian was so kind and brought us two desserts to try: flourless chocolate torte and Ube Cheesecake. The torte was like a yummy piece of fudge, and that cheesecake I would hands down order again, even not being a "dessert" person! We had an amazing experience at Zest, and I can't wait to go back. I may or may not have already made another reservation. read more

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