Asian Zenses is situated within the clubhouse in the middle of the expansive Al Forsan International Sports Resort. Action sports, such as wakeboarding and go-karting are the reason people visit the resort.
We arrive at the restaurant at around 1pm on a Saturday, and it’s not exactly jumping. We are greeted promptly and given that there is only one other table seated, we have our choice of where to sit. We select a table with a nice view of the go-karting and wakeboarding for some dining entertainment. The restaurant has teppanyaki tables, which we note would be nice for a large group.
The menu offers something for everyone. Staple sushi and sashimi choices sit alongside other Japanese and Thai favourites. We select Yasai tempura (vegetable tempura) and Ebi Namaharumaki (Japanese fresh spring rolls) and cannot resist the addition of the Sunrise Maki, which is an avocado and salmon roll that is hard to get wrong.
We order chicken teriyaki and lamb teppanyaki as mains.
The starters come out together – the vegetable tempura is light and crispy with a tangy dipping sauce. The vegetable assortment is varied and we can taste the different vegetables, unlike in heavier versions.
The Japanese fresh spring rolls are elegant looking but brimming with roe – a bit too much. The accompanying sauce is dull and unfortunately the rolls are smothered in it, and between the overabundance of roe and the sauce, they end up being barely touched.
We wish we could report that the dependable Sunrise Maki saved the day, but the rolls were devoid of avocado, which falters the combination. Without the avocado, it’s just a salmon roll, which is fine, but it’s not what we ordered. That being said, as a plain salmon roll, it’s not half bad.
The reasonably portioned chicken teriyaki is flawless. It is delicately sauced and served with a side of rice and a lovely sculpted green salad.
The lamb chops are slightly over-cooked (our companion specifically asked for medium rare, and it’s much closer to well done), but it’s nice to look at as the chops sit atop an aesthetically pleasing, colourful bed of stir-fried vegetables.
Asian Zenses has a brilliant setting, a suitable price point and excellent service. However, the execution of the meals needs more attention to detail before we can say that this restaurant is more than a good spot for table service and to watch sports.
The bill (for two):
Yasai tempura Dhs23
Ebi Namaharumaki Dhs23
Sunrise Maki Dhs51
Pad Pak Ruam Mit (V) Dhs29
Chicken teriyaki Dhs35
Lamb chops teppanyaki Dhs69
Total (excl. service) Dhs230
