"Of the 3 restaurants hosted by the LHR T4 Hilton, this one is the best of the bunch. Well executed, refined Chinese cuisine definitely not your typical fried rice/lo mein oil and soy sauce laden fare. And thank goodness! There's plenty of that sort around, so why settle for it on your last night in the UK before heading overseas? Zen's menu is large and mouth watering, and great to share family style if you're among family, friends, or colleagues. But I've dined here many times alone and learned that the best way to enjoy Zen is to partake of its extensive appetizers and have a dim sum or tapas like meal. Trust me go with a selection of their terrific apps over entrees. This visit I had: salt pepper squid (lightly battered, tender, with that great zing of salt and pepperiness, plus a delicious burn from the hot peppers ; fried slivers of lamb with do it yourself lettuce leaf wraps (add mint leaf and hoisin which tasted like a crisp non fatty roast duck; a small assortment of dim sum (shu mai and har gow ; pan fried pork/vegetable dumplings (nicely browned and juicy inside ; and the best of all, a whole fried soft shell crab, with a friable shattering light batter on the outside, juicy and soft on the inside, full of fresh crab flavor. (I was unaccountably pleased to confirm with the maitre d' that it was indeed blue crab, imported from Maryland in the good ole US of A! . On a sad note, my favorite appetizer, the steamed diver scallops was discontinued even though it's still listed on the menu. However, the crab made up for this loss big time. Overall, superbly executed food and a refined dining experience. Service was prompt and polite, although it can be a little on the reserved side."
