Zen Modern Asian Bistro

Mein St. Asian Kitchen – Elevated Asian Fusion in Carmel Mountain Tucked away in a small plaza in Carmel Mountain, Mein St. Asian Kitchen offers a rare and eclectic mix of Asian fusion in an area dominated by chain eateries. Formerly known as Zen, the restaurant has undergone a recent rebrand and ownership change, bringing with it a refreshed menu that blends Chinese, Japanese, and even a touch of Mexican-inspired cuisine. Typical Chinese food are available while there would be a sushi bar for sushi, rolls and sashimi. The interior is simple and casual, with minimal décor and a TV typically playing sports. While the dining space isn’t large, the atmosphere is laid-back, and staff are incredibly friendly, regularly checking in to ensure everything is to your liking and keeping the space spotless. Indoor dining is cozy, but it does not appear to be pet-friendly. --- What I Tried: Zen Chicken Wings Lightly dusted with house spices, black pepper, onions, and scallions, these wings are juicy, tender, and flavorful. The spice and salt levels are well-balanced, though the black pepper is heavier than expected—something to note if you’re sensitive to heat. The wait for this dish was on the longer side, but the result was worth it. 🍜 Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup A standout dish. The soy-based broth is rich and deeply savory, with tender chunks of braised beef—some pieces with a melt-in-your-mouth, jelly-like texture that suggests high-pressure cooking for maximum tenderness. The bok choy, cilantro, and scallions round out the bowl nicely. A side of pickled veggies are recommended as an extra, adding a welcome sour punch that elevates the broth. My only critique: the noodles are thick-cut, and I personally would have preferred a thinner option. It would be great if they allowed noodle customization. --- Overall Experience: While prices are on the higher end for casual Asian fare—$20 for noodles and $13 for wings—the quality, portion sizes, and attentive service help justify it. It’s not particularly busy during weekday lunches, possibly due to a focus on takeout orders, which are likely popular among locals. The staff offered me a discount ticket for the next time visit. Parking is easy in the shared plaza lot, and the location is convenient for a quick sit-down meal or to-go pickup. --- Mein St. Asian Kitchen delivers flavorful, comforting Asian fusion with care and hospitality. It’s a solid pick in Carmel Mountain, especially if you’re looking for authentic Chinese flavors with creative touches. Worth the splurge for a satisfying, home-style meal in a casual setting.

Went here for their Taiwanese neef noodle soup. It was really good with tender but fatty beef brisket in a tasty broth with bok choy and ginger. It was a little pricey at $19 but it was a big bowl.

The Snowball Roll was good I will definitely get it again. The ingredients could have been fresher but besides that I really enjoyed the taste!

Their Taiwanese beef noodle dish is flavorful and authentic. I also had the fried rice and some of their signature rolls. All is good and on point. Service and atmosphere are good. We always come to this restaurant whenever we need some stable comfort food and never been disappointed with our choices.

Food was good. Enjoyed the sauces on sushi rolls. Atmosphere was a little lacking. I'll assume COVID has impacted how they store items so it looked a bit disheveled. There was one guy waiting on tables and assisting to-go orders. Hard working and friendly but spread too thin....like every other place currently. I would go back but likely do a to-go order.

Good food! Great service! We ordered a bunch of things and we were all in agreement that the soups were the best particularly the Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup and the Udon Noodle Soup. The soups are massive (easily a 2 person portion).

I love this place! Every item I've tried was all delicious and the price is also reasonable. The Taiwanese noodle with the pickled veggies is one of their remarkable dishes. I really like the pork riblets, it was so juicy and tasty.

This place has authentic flavors and impeccable service. Each bowl and dish promises a symphony of taste, capturing the essence of traditional recipes. A must-visit for noodle fans; the Taiwanese beef noodle soup is a culinary journey that takes me back to Taiwan. Ask for John he’ll take care of you!

Wow! Hidden gem FOR SURE! Went here for the first time for a Halloween dinner and it was SO GOOD. Everything was made fresh and so delicious. Plus, the server Arata recommended the lobster sauce and it was a HIT!! The recommendation and the service was spectacular. Eating in was chill, it has a nice vibe. The kitchen is easily seen so you know when you're food is coming :) Overall so good! We came back within a week to eat here again!

Friends off, Zen. I keep trying because they're a block from my house but with the inflated prices it just doesn't make sense anymore. This avocado maki cost $6.50 + tax & tip and it's the smallest roll I've ever received in my decades of ordering avocado maki. I'd happily pay $3 for this. Miso soup was very watered down today - nice portion size but I really feel like this place is cutting corners and I'm done trying. $15 for miso soup & toddler-size avocado maki. There are great options elsewhere, just not right next to my house. Sad .

They make the best chow fun in the area! I'm so addicted, that that's all I ever order. Can't stop it's that good!

Zen Modern Asian Bistro is a great choice for anyone looking for well-prepared Asian cuisine with a versatile menu. The vibe inside is intimate and simple, definitely a place I'll stop back again for a possible lunch date. The pork potstickers were a highlight--thick, savory, and served piping hot. Each bite was a piece of Heaven! It's not always easy to get the spice level right for dishes, but the drunken noodles were also spot-on. I can't wait to come back and try more! Until next time, I'll be dreaming of those potstickers...

Food is extraordinary. From all Asian places in poway this is the best by far. A very friendly family owned restaurant where you can see that they are passing generations of food love to us. Ambient is very simple but who cares where even vegetarian sushi is insane good (my favorite is mighty mushroom, the way the avocado rests in the roll is like art), the crunchy roll the best one around without a doubt. From the wok the Mongolian steals the show. Would eat here daily if I could.

Hidden Gem alert! Yes, I've been keeping this a secret too long and this review is long overdue! On our very first visit, we just happened upon Zen after being in the area and wanting to grab a bite after our massages. We fell in love this place for so many reasons... keep reading to see why! First of all, the delicious food! You can't go wrong with anything you order here. If you love spice, you will definitely love many dishes here. (I can't handle spice and a few dishes got me good!) We've tried many dishes here, see which ones have become our favorites: - Mongolian beef - Flavorful, perfectly cooked tender beef. No chewy pieces of meat here! This is probably one of my favorite dishes here and I could eat this everyday! - Drunken noodles - another fav, if you love rice noodles, try it! - Beef chow fun - the hubs favorite dish. Zen is our new go to for beef chow fun. - Salt & pepper wings - flavorful, very crunchy! - Spicy wontons / chili oil on side - wontons are good, sauce is too spicy for me. Hubs loves the spicy sauce! I like my rolls without cucumber, absolutely hate it and I always have to remember to have it taken out. These two rolls have shrimp tempura and don't have cucumber...yay! Love love love! - North Shore roll - absolutely delish! - Super Dragon roll - combine the crunchy and dragon roll without cucumber and yum yum yum! Other items we've tried... - Zen wings - these had a spicy kick! My hubs loved them! I could only have one, tasty, but it was too spicy for me. - Beef egg roll - this is different, not bad. - General Tso chicken - tasty chicken dish, thankfully not spicy! - Pot stickers - these are huge! You get four and you are stuffed! - Tidal roll - this came out interesting looking, not like a regular roll. It was huge, tasty and very filling. They have Stubborn soda and also offer boba milk teas. I love their Thai tea without boba. They also offer a variety of Asian beers. Not a huge restaurant, they do stay busy with lots of to go orders and regular customers. Each time we've visited, we never had to wait. I love that they know you by name and remember you! Server Jonathan remembered us from our first visit which is nice. Reminiscent of a family Chinese restaurant where the employees remember all their costumers. It's nice to know that these businesses still exist! I used to live right down the street from here long ago. I wish I did again just so I can walk here whenever I wanted! Zen is no where close to where we live now, but the food and service is exceptional! So we'll make the drive from Mission Valley! Just a note: They also own Glassbox located at the Sky Deck at Del Mar Highlands Town Center, another must try! Nothing but good things here!!! Thanks for the deliciousness! We'll be back! 2024:1

Their service is always excellent and the portions are great. I've dined in and done pick up as I love their potstickers and soup. Pretty simple and good folks with good food!

Ordered takeout from this spot and got the mandarin fried rice. Agree with other reviews that it's unique and delicious! It's more of a soy sauce based fried rice versus the paler fried rice common at other Chinese spots near by. I will definitely be back to try other items.

Haven't been here for a while. Ordered Taiwanese beef noodle soup. Hubby wasn't impressed. He said soup was oily, no taste, beef has a lot of fat and didn't taste right. The California roll and crunchy roll was alright.

Love the Taiwanese beef noodle soup and Pork Gyoza such huge portions and the staff is so friendly, I am also glad this is so close to me so I can keep coming back for delicious eats. Some other things are the rolls and as well and the stir fries too check them out

Run down and not very clean. Food was ok, nothing special. Not worth going back. Busy parking lot because of 7/11 convenience store and tight spaces.

We love Zen! The servers are super nice and attentive and the food always comes out fresh and delicious!! We always love bringing new people to share the goodness that is Zen!

I love Zen Modern. From the fresh food, to the excellent entrees. Each item on the menu is worth ordering. We have tried many of the entrees and we really do not have a favorite since it is too hard to choose. I always go with a group so we can share the different dishes here. The service here is excellent along with the ambiance of the restaurant. When I am in San Diego Zen is on my short list.

Stir fries are delicious and their mandarin fried rice is the best fried rice of all time according to my girlfriend. Owner (I think) is really nice too.

Food is so good & fresh! The service was quick. I was pleasantly surprised to see the variety on the menu! I definitely will be back!

Amazing food! Especially their salt pepper chicken wings and tofu with black pepper sauce

Ahhh, fantastic place. I know a relative of the people who run it, but that doesn't even matter. I had a Zen sushi roll, my son had the wanton soup, and my wife had the drunken noodles, and my daughter had something else. All of it was really good, and big portions. I like that they have a wide selection of different things and some non-std sushi roll combos.

We were exploring the neighborhood of Sabre Springs and happened to chance upon this Asian bistro. There is plenty of parking in the small plaza and the restaurant was relatively busy on a Wednesday night. We ordered their kimchi fried rice, and for whatever reason, it hit the spot in an unexpected way. Portions were really good and the taste was amazing. I took a star off because their noodles came out really sticky and unappetizing. The restaurant management said it might be the new chef and immediately changed our order which came out much better. Will be coming back to give the noodles another shot!

I had no idea Zen Modern was here and I've worked in the neighborhood for many years. It's tucked into an unassuming strip mall in Sabre Springs. You wouldn't know it was here just driving by. The restaurant is small but offers table service which I appreciate. Plus beer and wine. I ordered one of my go-to Chinese dishes, Kung Pao Chicken and it was excellent! The menu claims it's "New York Style", but I wouldn't know. All I can tell you is it was delicious. Perfectly wok seared and flavored. Did not include any fussy extra filler ingredients like water chestnuts and whatnot. It definitely could have been spicier though. I was only able to discern two small pices of chile pepper. Highly recommended.

Food wasn't bad, service is nice but very in your face and inexperienced, dinning is more of a fast food place.

Delicious! I don't know why I haven't tried this place sooner. I went an hour before closing and ordered zen wings and Taiwanese beef noodle soup. I really liked the flavor of both items. Service was also nice and friendly! Will def be back to try more from their menu!

Sorry didn't take pictures but here is what we got... beef egg roll- absolutely like nothing we have ever had before but damn delicious!!! Even after my husband drove it home about 30min away Egg drop soup: thick, flavor spot on and reminds me of how I had it as a kid. 100% one of the best ones I have had Hot and sour--- my husband only had and he says really good Spicy wontons: dense filling so not as light as some but so much flavor and heat. Really really good Chicken pad Thai: not spicy good flavor just not that peanutty as some. Still worth getting though Island roll: def def would get again. Nice light, fish delicious. Ponzu nice touch Egg Fried rice: one of the best ones I have had as a replacement to white rice. Not greasy great taste And the best thing..... Mongolian beef: what can I say beef tenderest I have had no gristle, mushrooms perfect, onions nice carmelization, sauce perfection! Trust me it's worth the price. Seriously some of the best Chinese food in the states I have had at least in SD. More authentic flavors (I have stayed in China for a month) just delicious!! My husband got our food to go so can't say anything about the ambiance but the ordering through website super easy!

Grateful I came to have lunch here. Located in a very small shopping center, with ample parking and next to a 7/11, my friend and I came here spontaneously. The place is simple and no decor, very unassuming. Greeted by a kind and sweet Japanese women name Maki, she took our order of: Miso soup Avocado salad with sesame dressing California roll We had a feast! The portions were big, price is a little higher thou worth it because the food is packed with immense flavor. I noticed many ordered lots of noodle dishes, so when I come here again I'll order the noodles dishes. The place packs up! Menu has a variety of delicious dishes, so be adventurous and order the sushi and noodle dishes. This is a little gem in Sabre Springs! If you haven't been here, I encourage you do.

Visited 7/8/2022 A great little spot for some unique Asian fusion. It's been a while since I visited. The food hasn't changed much and the service is still good. Still a good little place for a cold one and some great munchies. The Places is small not a whole lot of seating and sits next to a 7-Eleven in a strip mall. They do a lot of takeout but I like to sit inside and enjoy a variety of tasty appetizer size dishes. If you're into soup this place is very good also with large servings of Asian style soups. There are some great Pasta dishes to choose from along with stirfry and rice dishes. This visit I went with the spicy dumplings, The Asian riblets, and a baked Sushi roll called The Carmel Mountain Roll with Hot Chili 0Il on the side. Chased it all down with a Cold Sapporo Beer. It's nice to be back after Covid. Worth a visit.

The food here has always been good, but the portions are now tiny(think individual size) and the prices have gone up. No lunch specials either. Not going to rush back.

Good service and good food. We ordered the Zen chicken wings, beef egg roll, spicy wonton, and beef chow fun. This is the second time we have come here. The service and food were great like the first time. When we are in the area, we will be coming back. The food is that good to me.

Wow! I was so impressed with the outstanding customer service the waiter provided and the food did not disappoint at all. I'm surprised I didn't find this restaurant sooner. It's tucked in a small center in Sabre Springs. The food was flavorful and comforting!

A hidden gem tucked away in Saber Springs that has become increasingly popular during these COVID times. They still offer limited outdoor dining and their app is easy to use. This joint Consistently serves some of the best food I have ever had! I always observe the staff working hard to make sure orders are completed promptly. My absolute favorite is their Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup. The broth is so flavorful. I have only ever enjoyed this dish as takeout and it's great, so I can only imagine how awesome it is to enjoy in-restaurant. I could probably eat this dish for several days and not get sick of it--it's that good! Here are my other menu favorites: - Shredded Pork Noodle Soup - Hanzo: both the chicken and pork options are yummy

We came here when it first opened many years ago. Enjoyed the fried chicken wings, spring rolls and Taiwanese beef noodle. Today we returned to try the food again. First of all, the service is excellent. The Taiwanese noodle soup is still amazingly authentic, esp. when eaten with pickled vegetable but price has increased to $20 for one bowl. The salt and pepper chicken wings, $13 for five pieces, were light and crisps but the meat is not marinated (almost like Korean fried chicken) where the crust on the skin and sauce are great but the meat is bland. Kung Pao chicken $17 doesn't taste like the kung pao I ate at other Chinese restaurant. There is no other vegetables, only green onions, dried chillies and peanuts with choice of meat. Two main entrees and one appetizer, no drinks amounts to $62.88 including tips which is very steep for lunch. Will only go back just for the Taiwanese beef noodle.

Food was amazing, dishes are made to order so our food was fresh. Service was great, our first time at this restaurant, our waitress was super helpful and friendly .

Have only done take out from this place a few times but it's always delicious! I love their kung pow chicken!

Worst service rvet Wanted to use the bathroom prior to ordering something,since i have type 2 diabetes,i could barely hold it or talk. The tall asian guy stood between me and the bathroom,which was my heaven destination at that moment,snob ,erect and determined that i have to order first. I had to leave the prmises for the corner over to take a long number one rather than doing it in my pants. People should destinguish between humanity and business,mainly the first one can make people happy and rich,if they ever care about taking care of their co- humans piss. This place is not as Zen as it pretends to be.

I stopped by last night to pick up an order of shredded pork noodle soup to go. I ate half last night and the left overs today for lunch. The flavor was good. I was okay with the inflation prices, but I stopped ordering multiple items due to the price increase. When I was eating my left overs today, I found a piece of metal in my soup. It looks like a piece of a steel wool soap sponge. I bit into it and caught it before I swallowed that bite. I don't own a steel wool sponge at home and was shocked that this happened. :(

Stopped by here during a weeknight and had a great dinner! The menu here is so huge! The place is tiny, lol. Parking was no problem, plenty in the shopping center. Only a few tables inside and a few more outside. It was very busy with pickups when I was here. Only one other couple eating in. Customer service was great. The hostess/waitress was super friendly and talkative. The order was perfect and we got a few good recommendations. The Food: The food was so fresh and delicious. The sushi was so fresh. The rice was soft and sticky and the sauces were a perfect compliment to the fish. I wanted to try many other menu items. I will be back to try more. The prices were fair for the quality. I can't believe i haven't tried this place before since it is so close to home. So many sushi spots in the area but this one has good sushi and Thai and other Asian inspired dishes. It is a good place to go with a group or family so everyone can get something they like. Overall this was a nice place. I wish the inside was bigger and set-up for dining but I am sure that will happen when Covid decides to leave us alone. I will be back!

I always come to Zen for their Taiwanese beef noodle soup! The broth is so savory and the beef is super tender. Make sure to order the side of pickled veggies with it as well, you won't regret it. Other dishes to highlight are the chicken wings (both zen and salt & pepper are great), the pork belly quesadilla, and the wonton noodle soup. I've also ordered some sushi rolls in the past and they were pretty good. Overall, I'd definitely recommend trying Zen. A lot of people do takeout but there is also seating inside (it's a bit limited at the moment). Parking is always available in the plaza and service is always very nice and quick. Zen is definitely one of my go-to local spots!

Really great food and service. Pad Thai and spicy drunken noodles with chicken is what we ordered. We don't live near by but if we come back to the area we'll be back :)

Good place nestled in the quiet community of sabre springs. I think other reviews covered it, but they do try to cover a wide swath of cuisines, focusing on Taiwanese (beef noodle soup and other assorted stuff). It was a bit pricey, but a good option for Asian food. Our server was super nice and attentive.

I don't want to steer you away from this place it was delicious. I would even say the best orange chicken minus the spice I've ever had. The lower score is only based off my tiny meal costing over $20.00. I guess if you want better quality food some of us are willing to pay. I have yet to try anything else, but this hidden place was good.

Having lived in Hong Kong and traveled extensively in China I am very particular about the Chinese food I eat. Zen definitely met that expectation. I was recommended this place by friends and somehow never get around to going till last night. The black pepper beef was amazing as was my favorite the mapo tofu. The pork belly quesadilla which by no means are traditional Chinese food had a very nice modern twist to them. Please keep your quality up. We will be back.

Love their zen chicken wings, we order it all the time. Noodles fried rice and sushi roll- all pretty basic standard. It's good to have one Zen in your walking distance.

Absolutely the freshest sushi you'll ever get in town. They make orders quick! And about almost every entree they offer have this wonderfully bliss smoky wok-hei flavor that is incredibly divine. Taiwanese beef noodles has the most succulent beef ever in yummy rich broth. My go-to is the salmon sashimi cuz it's absolutely buttery and fresh every time I order. Most to rolls are packed and hearty and they don't skimp at all. Wasabi is sweet and tasty here too, I enjoy it more than the other places that serve their wasabi. 10/10 would highly recommend If you order through the phone, I find it more cheaper than ordering through the online website

We went here for Mother's Day and we really enjoyed their food. Great big portions and very tasty and fresh. Will return!!!

What a little gem of a restaurant. 2nd time here. BIG flavor. Potstickers and wontons are stuffed and filled to the max. Small place. Great service.

For the past 8 years I have been in search for a spot that can whip up a half decent General Tso's chicken. If your from the east coast, you can find it anywhere, but for some reason it's non existent in San Diego. Time after time I've been more than disappointed when I ordered it until today. Zen knocked this dish out the park. The flavor was the perfect combo of spicy with a hint of sweet. The chicken was high quality not the dirty deep fried robot chicken some places serve. The fried chicken wings were made fresh to order and the noodles/dumplings were great too. Zen is my new go to!

Had this place bookmarked for a while and it was the first time trying for delivery. The vegetarian hot and sour soup was GREAT. Five stars. You have to call and ask them to make it vegetarian because otherwise it has chicken broth. But They will do that for the large size, and it is full of protein and very tasty, a classic vegetarian hot and sour soup. Lots of eggs and tofu and mushrooms. I also got steamed tofu with broccoli which was, frankly speaking, pretty boring. I would definitely not order this again but because I loved the hot and sour soup I will look for something else on the menu. My kid however got beef and broccoli and thought that the broccoli was terrific although he thought the quality of the beef was not that great. BUT he loved their vegetarian Eggrolls. So between my loving their hot and sour soup and his liking their eggrolls, looks like we'll order from here again and figure out what our fave entrées are!

Been ordering from Zen through Grubhub last several months, thou food was ok but at least consistent, until TODAY. The so called "Zen ribs' we ordered were practically all bones, chewy, not at all tender, and my 1st thought was, is this meant for cavemen? What ever happened to the word ribblets on the menu which precisely means boneless cut of meat from the end of a rib of veal, lamb, or pork. Flavor was ok but the meat is awful. Very disappointed! Likely NEVER going to order from Zen again. (See pix for the size of the bones! Hardly any "meat" for $15 !!! Com'on Zen, you are better than this.

Yess finally another place with good beef noodle soup besides DTF!! You MUST get it with the pickled mustard greens, it makes a gigantic difference and adds so much more flavor. Without the mustard greens, it feels like it's missing something in terms of flavor, even though the broth is rich. It is a bit pricey but the portion is GINORMOUS and they give plenty of beef and bok choy. I wish there was an option for it to be spicy because I'm used to mine with chili oil. We also got the chow fun with beef and it was yummy too but a bit too salty for me. I'm curious to try the K.O. noodle next time!

Our go to for Taiwanese beef noodles soup and pork pickle noodles soup. The pork pickled noodles is my favorite. The meats in both the soup are tender and the soup is delicious. They are served in large bowls and can feed 1-2 people. My teen son loves salmon roll, tuna roll, and Philadelphia roll. It's our favorite restaurant where every body is happy to get what they want. The menu is extensive. We tried few dishes on the menu, but we always fall back to ordering our favorites which is the pork and pickle noodle soup and sushi. Service is friendly and efficient and orders come out quickly. We were there on Friday night at 7:30 pm and there were only a few tables. Please go and give them your support. I would hate it if they don't survive. Not many Chinese restaurants in SD who can do beef noodle soup right and no restaurant I know has the pork and pickle noodle soup that is tasty.

So my family and I were headed from Murrieta to San Diego Airport for a flight to New York. On the way to the airport our daughter needed to use the bathroom. So we stopped at this 7/11 but it did not have a public bathroom. She had to go badly so we decided to try this restaurant that was next door. We went in and were going to buy a drink to be polite so we could use their customer bathroom but when the amazing young man Andy showed us the menu we were locked in. Andy was the most polite, charismatic gentleman and his knowledge of the menu was perfect. I can guarantee he is going to be beyond successful in whatever future endeavors his heart desires. My hubby and I tried the Thai coconut curry chicken and Sweet chili chicken wok classics. Oh my word. We are coming back to try the rest of the wok classics! Also, the Hawaiian roll my daughter got was super fresh. We loved the spicy tuna. We will definitely be returning, even if this place is an hour from our house. Maybe we will move a little closer, lol. Thank you for the delicious food and awesome service!