I've had other things on the menu, of course, but not recently and only a morsel or two purloined from my dining companion's selection—invariably some teriyaki-inflected item that comes as part of what is know in Japanese restaurants as a "lunch box." For me, a person who can truly say he's never had bad sushi—there was one exotic hand roll made with sea urchin roe in a place in San Francisco that didn't sit too well, but I chalked that up to a matter of taste—the point of going to Northampton's Zen Restaurant is not to explore a fuller range of Asian cuisine.
Simply put, I go to Zen for the Rock and Roll.
Like many residents of the Pioneer Valley, I count the seemingly endless proliferation of top-notch Asian restaurants in the region as one of those little things that makes life around here special. And, like others, I've found it hard to pick a lasting favorite among the various iterations of Asian cuisine available, particularly in the Asian-restaurant-rich Five College area. If I had a fried wanton for every time I've debated the comparative virtues of, say, the sushi at Taipei and Tokyo versus the sushi at the Teapot—both popular and critically acclaimed eateries in Northampton—I'd need to have the waistband of my trousers taken out several inches.
Upon my first trip to Zen a few years ago, I discovered a sushi lunch special, the Rock and Roll, that has made the otherwise pleasant enough responsibility of choosing what kind of sushi to have almost pointless. A combination of three cut rolls, the Rock and Roll's individuated parts are each delicious departures from what one might call standard-issue sushi.
Indeed, I've never had, nor can I imagine, a California roll that, on the one hand, echoes all the flavors and textures that first drew me to these crab and avocado delights, while on the other hand offering a spectacular and innovative variation on the theme. Unlike most California rolls, Zen's don't rely on reconstituted crab—"Sea Legs," as they're called—but employ fresh shredded (and wonderfully seasoned) crab.
In addition to the California roll, the Rock and Roll comprises a Spicy Tuna roll, which comes drizzled in a spicy sauce, and the Crunch roll, a shrimp tempura, avocado, crab and cucumber concoction that comes drizzled with a sweet sauce. It is a visually stunning plate, but one that initially invites the mild concern that it won't be quite enough food. That is not the case. Prefaced with a bowl of miso soup and washed down with a cold glass of Sapporo beer, the Rock and Roll is a piece or two more than you need, though I doubt you'll leave anything on your plate.
While some aficionados might sneer at the idea that sushi as a form needs any improvement or reinvention, Zen clearly embraces the tradition as a starting place from which to explore novel flavor combinations and new techniques. The Spicy Tuna, for example, is not achieved simply by adding a little fire to the traditional tuna roll, but by the creation of Zen's unique raw tuna salad, in which the heat of the togarashi (chile pepper) is blunted by a seasoned mayonnaise and further tamed by its enveloping blanket of cold rice.
Besides my commitment to the Rock and Roll as the epitome of my sushi experiences and a time-saving go-to selection befitting what is implied by the term "lunch special," I like just about everything else about Zen. It is a beautiful place visually, with a colorful modern decor that never detracts from the open, airy feeling of its tall ceiling and enormous picture window looking out at Northampton's main thoroughfare.
It has a menu that inspires far wider adventuring than I've done—the samples I've enjoyed over the years have all been delicious—and an attentive but never intrusive staff. Even its website, www.zennorthampton.com, is first rate. For anyone inclined to rank their favorite Asian restaurants, no list can be complete until you've tried Zen.
For me, further exploration of Zen's fare will likely have to wait until I finally get enough of the Rock and Roll, and that will be a long time coming.
