Zen Sushi

Started to go for lunch right before graduation and it was a big regret. Great place. Will absolutely miss the Japanese lady!

For those who don’t know, Zen Sushi is a food cart that usually parks itself, with all the other carts, in the Memorial Library pedestrian mall — the block of State Street immediately west of Lake Street. Zen Sushi, and all the other carts, are generally there between 11 – 2 Monday-​Friday.
And it is one of my favorites.
When it shows up.
Pro tip: Check the cart’s Facebook page before heading down there. They’re prone to absences and likely won’t show up at all if it’s raining, windy, cool, etc. They also disappear for days/​weeks at a time, but they’re pretty good at updating Facebook to indicate their whereabouts and the day’s specials.
Despite the cart’s unpredictable presence, the food and service are great. The sushi is fresh and delicious, but where the cart absolutely shines are the Japanese stews. The traditional Japanese curries (not as spicy and a totally different vibe than Indian or SE Asian curries) are wonderful, and the Nagasaki Chicken stew with crunchy noodles is probably one of my favorite cart items ever. In addition, the woman who staffs the cart is probably the friendliest, most polite person in the world.
Pro tip #2. Show up early! I’ve showed up around 12:30−1pm to find the cart already closed for the day. Not their fault at all, the food is great and they’re popular!

End of last summer, I was standing in a long line behind a pregnant woman. When she made it to the window, it was apparent that she only had a credit card, no cash. It was hot, the cart popular, and the pregnant woman had that exhausted look, but the kind proprietor said, «oh free, no charge!» I was impressed (I was going though my wallet to cover her meal too). And the food is terrific!

This Japanese food cart on Library Mall is a delight. It’s one of my go-​tos when it appears on the mall, and it should be one of yours. There are always three specials that rotate, as well as consistent salmon and other types of big hand-​rolled sushi rolls.
I absolutely love their Japanese curry, whether it’s beef or chicken. Japanese curry can be tough to find in a restaurant setting, which is a shame because it’s so delicious. I like Zen Sushi’s style, which means the sauce is thick, brown and a little sweet with an undercurrent of heat. It contains meat, potatoes, green beans, carrot, and corn on top of rice. You can get it in a small or large size, as well as with the other specials ($ 5 – 7). The chicken donburi was really good, too. I’ve only had the sushi rolls once and wasn’t wowed, but that was a year ago and maybe they’re better than I remember. The cart has Pepsi products for beverages.
What makes this cart shine is its exceptional customer service. The lady always makes me feel like she remembers me, always smiling with pleasant conversation, asks if I’d like chopsticks or a fork with a bag, and she’s happy to check off the little customer card when I come through. She’s wonderful.
This cart isn’t the most consistent on Library Mall. Sometimes it’s there daily for a few weeks, and then it will disappear for a few weeks or months on end. So, grab ‘em while you can.

great food! awseome friendly service. everything (hot) is home-​made (YUM!), also sushi trays & drinks. Specials vary daily, I love the curry, but everythings good to me. A large will give me plenty for some lunxh and then save the rest for dinner. The operators are Japanese, so the cooking is very authentic and yummy, but I lived in Japan for a while so I am biased. They are really friendly there, knew me by face after 2 visits, & help me with conversational Japanese a lot while still having fast (under 1min) service time; whih is vital if rushing to catch the bus or between class. I’ve never had a bad meal there and only dissapointment is when they’ve run out of whatever I craved early, but thats hardly thier fault. Remember to get there early if you want to be sure to get your large stew or curry or your favorite, sometimes they do sell out. Also, if chopaticks arent visible, just ask; they have them.
Im not sure if its still there as I havent been in a while, but ask about getting a card: You put your name on it, it gets marked each time (You may need to remember to get it from the box), after X orders, free lunch!
If you dont see it right away, look for the origami cranes. Thats it, ittadakimasu!

Friendly friendly service, this woman is great! She’s always happy and will even give you extra miso soup if she has extras that day.
The futo-​maki roll with cooked salmon, fried egg, shiitake mushroom spinach, and carrot is amazing.